In this season of Thanks Giving, it’s easy to get caught up in the food and fuss and the beginning of the banana peel that is the holiday season. This year, you can commit to doing it differently, consciously, and truly allow it to be a season of comfort and joy.
Start with Thanksgiving itself. Create the day, don’t just let it roll up on you. If you want to be with people, invite folks over, accept an invitation, or plan a gathering out with friends. It doesn’t have to be fancy, being together is the best part, anyway. Another alternative is to be of service for the holiday, and offer support and kinship as you help serve dinner to the less fortunate in your community.
If you are going to spend Thanksgiving with family, bring your most conscious and powerful self to the party. If you don’t stay on top of it, these potentially joyful gatherings can devolve into the same arguments and tensions that have existed forever. Who needs it? Bring something wonderful to share (besides yourself, of course), look for the love and abundance all around you, and reveal the gratitude in your heart.
If you want to wow them with a new recipe, one of my favorites is included below.
Then if your mom or son or uncle Charlie does that thing they always do that drives you nuts, just take a deep breath, and remember you don’t have to get hooked. You can make a new choice, and take a new action. Maybe it’s stepping out for a walk, or going into the kitchen to help, or moving into the next room to visit with someone else. Or just notice that they are who they are, and your getting upset has never, ever, made things better.
Just remember, “You are radiant energy, dancing playfully through life, effortlessly, effectively, and lovingly, and all you have to give and receive is love”.
Vision 2009– only 8 spaces left!
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Vision AltarAre you going to begin 2009 feeling open hearted and rested, with a clear plan for the new year, and a sense of balance and wholeness?
Or are you going to do it the regular old way?
Vision 2009 is a very special retreat, in a natural gem of a resort outside Santa Fe. There’s even a full service spa to enjoy in free time.
Together we engage deeply, release the year just ending, tap into that unlimited reservoir of love and energy– individually and collectively, craft clear intentions for the future, and glide gracefully into the new year.
We meet in a warm round room with a roaring fire on one side and nearly floor to ceiling windows on the other, from which we see ducks on the spring fed pond and sometimes even a beautiful snowfall.
And unlike those new years resolutions that are generally history within 30 days, the visions folks create in this retreat come true– last year Van English drew a picture of a home and surrounding mountainous landscape. At the time, he had no idea he was moving. His partner David was subsequently promoted and transferred to El Paso, and they now live in a hillside home that looks remarkably like that drawing.
Two years ago my sister, Phoebe, said she wanted to do more travelling. She ended up being part of a theater festival in Scotland, visiting friends in England, spending 2 weeks in Mazatlan, plus assorted other adventures. Last year she said she wanted to create a new home for herself– the escrow on her house closes December 19!
So if you were thinking you couldn’t afford to come, you might want to think again.
Imagine, if you could actually achieve the visions you set for the new year, you could hardly afford NOT to come!
Vision 2009 is truly a retreat we create together; it is not a workshop, and the opportunities for deep insight and conversation naturally flow in this remarkable space.
I am especially excited about Vision this year– We are in a powerfully transformational phase in this country, and and throughout the planet.
Whether you see it as an exciting opportunity to embrace, or a challenge from which you ought to shrink, it is your consciousness that makes all the difference. At Vision 2009, you will have the opportunity to expand yours, so you can embrace the new year with the vigor and passion it deserves.
There are no prerequisites and everyone is invited, however the space in that beautiful round room is limited and we can only fit 8 more people.
Discover how you can snag one of those 8 spots for yourself (and maybe another for a friend or sweetie to join you) by clicking right here.
Or visit http://www.experienceyourpower.com/programs/programs/vision-2008.html
P.S. I have extended the early-enrollment discount to make things easier in this interesting economy. My costs have gone up, so the discount won’t last forever. In fact, the prices on the website will definitely go up on December 1, so if you want to be with us, and save some money, sign up today.
Want a recipe that never fails, or fails to please?
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Even people who think they don’t like cranberries love these.
So many folks ask for the recipe (happened again last night when we served our early-Thanksgiving dinner) I thought you might like it, too.
The recipe may have actually been Thomas Jefferson’s. It came from Food and Wine magazine ages ago and was shared with me by Dan Osborne, who used to run The Experience organization. So it is an homage to all kinds of history, plus plain old good eating, which is the very most important part!
Thomas Jefferson’s Cranberry Relish
Makes 10 servings (only if they are light eaters!)
1 cup bourbon
ΒΌ cup minced shallots
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1. In a small non-corrodible saucepan, combine the bourbon, shallots, and orange zest. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the bourbon is reduced to a syrupy glaze on the bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the cranberries and sugar, stirring well, until the sugar dissolves.
3. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer, uncovered, until most of the cranberries have burst open, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the pepper.
5. Transfer to a bowl, let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate.
This dish can be prepared several days in advance.
If you multiply the recipe, be cautious about bourbon and pepper quantity– we made 4x the recipe for last night and used 3x bourbon and pepper. It was fabulous!
OK, that’s it for now. I’ve got to go finish packing– we are headed off to our annual Mazatlan vacation (mostly spent floating in the pool and drinking fruity concoctions) first thing in the morning. That’s why we enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner early.
Make it a terrific Thanksgiving and let it be just the start of a beautiful and meaningful holiday season!
Love,
Honey
P.S. Don’t forget to check out Vision 2009 right now. If you want to expand your life in the new year, in any way you desire, snagging one of these 8 spots today can be just the ticket. Create and realize your new year’s vision right here!
visit http://www.experienceyourpower.com/programs/programs/vision-2008.html