This year my Countdown to Christmas is a nontraditional Advent Calendar centering (pun intended) on mindfulness.
On the front of each card is neat little picture, and on the back are the instructions for the short meditation.
Today, the 20th Day of Advent … WRAP PRESENTS MINDFULLY.
Here are today’s instructions:
The wrapping of Christmas presents, while it may seem like a mundane, functional task, can become a meaningful and reflective experience when we apply mindfulness to it. Here are a few suggestions for wrapping your presents mindfully.
For each present you wrap, first hold it in your hands and think about the person it is for. Say their name and picture them in your mind. Consider your feelings towards them, why you have bought them this particular item and how they might appreciate it.
As you measure and cut the wrapping paper, be alert to all the sensations it involves: the feel of the scissors in your hand, the sound of the paper as you smooth it out, the sound of the blades cutting through it.
Watch with care as you neatly fold the paper, stick it with sellotape and so on. Take your time; be alert to each moment as you lovingly prepare each gift.
Consider the act of giving and how it makes you feel. Notice how acts of kindness and generosity have a positive effect on your own mood.
This exercise is an example of how just about any task, especially one we normally do on autopilot, can really come to life when we give it our undivided attention.
NealEnJoy 