Mindful Reflection OR Brain Inflammation By Ann Moir-Bussy

As I reflect on what to share in this column, I am somewhat blank!! It is almost Christmas, and almost the end of another year.

All around is freneticism, rushing, noise, marketing, and so on. The word frenetic comes from the Greek word phrenitis, which refers to brain inflammation. The Greek word phren means ‘mind’. When we see the frantic ways in which many people are behaving, we may indeed wonder if ‘brain inflammation’ is a sickness taking over from Covid!! And marketing and merchandise seem to encourage it. And what does all this have to do with Christmas?

There is a Christmas Carol we used to sing years ago – “Love Came Down at Christmas…”  and today I want to focus on how we as elders can bring love and support to the many people who have nothing to celebrate because of poverty, abuse, broken relationships or no relationships, illness, death, estrangement and so on.  It is our task to bring love to these people along with gratitude for the immense gifts we have been given over the years.

Embodied Love

There is an amazingly wonderful documentary released last year – ‘The Time of the Sixth Sun’, and it was a recap of the ancient Mexican Mayan culture highlighting their life and beliefs that we come from love, and we are in a human body to embody love and then finally return to that universal love. Sadly, they acknowledged that humans have long forgotten their heritage and their purpose in life.

However, the point is not about going back to the way an ancient culture lived. Rather, it’s about the awakening and transformation of global consciousness, as we move into a more evolved state of being and ascend to higher levels of collective co-creation. The film passes on the message from our elders in North America, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, India, Egypt and Australia and is a synergy of ancient wisdom.

Today it’s our turn as elders to remember who we are and why we are here, at this time of the greatest change ever. How can we bring love to others this Christmas? It is only through embodied love.

This link may give you a chance to watch this free https://www.timeofthesixthsun.com/#home

How do we embody love?

I believe it begins with a compassionate and loving embrace of who you are. We come from love and love is already embodied in us – so why do we deny that and hide that from ourselves? Again, social media and modern culture want us to deny that and conform to their image of who we should be.

So firstly, be MINDFUL – take some time over these busy days to go within and centre awareness on your heart. Remember you come from LOVE, you are already embodied in love and when you die you will still be in that universal love.

Be grateful

Once we are able to accept that we are already filled with love and compassion from within, then it is not difficult to be grateful. The poet Rumi once said, “Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life”. So often today we hear people complaining about what is not right and we easily fall into the same pattern. Have you ever realised how easy it is to complain about what does not fit into our view of how the world should be – (just as I was at the beginning of this column!)?

Do we ever stop to realise that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that we become rich? If we focus on our lack, then we live with that lack, but if we turn our focus to the abundance with which we live, that becomes our inner reality. However, gratitude encompasses the full spectrum of our experiences, joys and frustrations alike. It is a unique opportunity at this time of the year to transform irritation into insight, turning obstacles into chances for personal growth.

Be content – andthat doesn’t mean we cannot aim for better things.

Be aware – What are you grateful for right now and who are you grateful for? I have been thinking of the beautiful friends we lost this year to their death, but I am so grateful for their friendship, their support, their being themselves and how much they passed on. Isn’t this our task too?

A simple way to help us be more awake and aware is the practice of reflective journaling. This is about listening to the stories within us and untangling limiting beliefs and releasing outdated patterns. By writing mindfully about what we hear within, we can create space for new possibilities.

Check into my Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/fabulous50s and you’ll find a free gift under files – which will assist you with this reflective journaling.

Or privately message me and I’ll send you a copy.