As we enter the holiday season, we spend several hours looking for special presents for our family and friends.  Consider that one of the most special presents that we can give is our physical, emotional, and spiritual PRESENCE.  How do we do this?  How is this different than what we have been doing in our everyday interactions?  The difference is in the INTENTION and the ATTENTION that we give in how we communicate. Let’s explore a visualization exercise to see how our intention and attention can positively impact our interactions – and relationships – this holiday season.

I find myself in groups of family members and friends of differing ages, beliefs, interests, and communication styles.  As I join the group, I am intentional at about noticing who is there.  Using all of my senses, I get different messages from my EYES and EARS.  I shake hands with some and give and get a hugs from others. I pay attention to my SENSE OF TOUCH and the message I am sending with a firm handshake, a hug of the shoulders only instead of the whole body or a more intimate touch with a kiss on the cheek.  The kiss introduces the SENSE OF TASTE. I am conscious of how I and others want to connect.

I take a few deep complete breaths and commit to STAYING PRESENT TO THE MOMENT.  How does it feel to be here right now?  What would make this time even more fun for me?  I notice how I seem drawn to connect with someone in particular.  I go to that person first and initiate a greeting.  “Hello George.  I am glad to see you.”  I notice how my positive approach creates a positive and receptive mood in George.  I notice how my comfort level improves with the mutual contact.  The energy shifts and I am now the receiver as well as the giver.  I more easily make eye contact and smile.  This makes it easy for George to continue the connection.

Now I become the listener.  As George talks, I can almost imagine myself in his position, living his story as he shares, noticing his ways of creating emphasis --- use of his hands, movement of his head, inflections of his voice.  I am PRESENT with George and George is also PRESENT with me.

This kind of visualization can help each of us be more intentional about how we want to have our various holiday gatherings go so we can pay special attention to our interactions through our senses. I have learned the power of our senses from a client who is legally blind.  I am impressed at how keen his other senses have become because he cannot see.  He listens very intently, enjoys his food more now than when he was a sighted person, and gains lots of information from how he is touched and the fragrances in the room.  My relationship with him has increased my own awareness of the power of the senses in how we communicate with others.  Sound and sight are so dominant in most cases that we forget about touch, taste, and smell.

During this holiday season, be thankful to your own higher power for the various senses that you experience.  Bless your eyes, ears, nose, mouth and hands.  Say a special prayer for those who may have lost their ability to see, hear, taste, touch or smell.  Notice how much you receive through your senses and also become more aware of what you give through them.  In this holiday season, GIVE THE PRESENT OF PRESENCE.

With Warm Regards,

Sylvia