It is here again – the holiday season with all of its glories and dreads. This is a time that can be characterized by both hectic and materialistic energies, and also by a great internalization and coming home to yourself – to what is important at the core of your being.

The question of how you manage and cultivate your own internal space is relevant any time of year, but can be a particular challenge right now. The weather encourages an internalization, while at the same time the season easily fosters an externalization. Often one core principle can make all the difference– simply asking “What nourishes the profound parts of myself?” 

Be sure to find time for the activities that restore you at your core – time with those most precious in your life, exercise that you just cannot get enough of, learning and intellectual stimulation, quiet time for meditation or contemplation. Do whatever it is that makes you more alive and that holds you while you are doing it and as you move throughout your day. Spending your time with conscious choice as the year draws to an end sets the trajectory for your upcoming year.

And, do get enough sleep. My QiGong teacher told me years ago that every hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours after midnight. When I do a search on the Internet it seems a common adage throughout many disciplines.