It’s October, and I cannot believe how the time has flown. Some folks are anticipating the Holidays and the festivities while others are dreading the expectations of the upcoming season. Whether you celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, or Kwanza there are traditions that go along with each culture.
There are preparations, house guests, gifts to buy, more baking, cooking, and endless “to do” lists. These preparations can be stressful even though they are intended to be pleasurable. The folks around you can be affected by your stress level. So why not do some things to bring everyone’s stress level down and in a natural way.
In our busy world we sometimes rush to prepare for these festive events. In the rush we miss out on the “in the moment” experience. Before you know the day has arrived, and we are too tired to enjoy all the preparations we made. As we prepare for our holiday celebrations, I recommend you stop and look around. Ask yourself, “what do I see, what am I seeing?”
By that I mean to focus in the moment and stop the thoughts in your head. Focus on what you are doing in that exact moment. Are you doing this holiday ritual for pleasure, or is it expected of you? Are you trying to please your family, friends, or perhaps impress someone? Either way, you may be able to turn a dreaded task into a pleasurable one.
You can shift your mood by what your senses experience. I am talking specifically about smelling a pleasant fragrance and how that can change your mood. During this holiday season some fragrances and smells can evoke good feelings. An apple pie, sugar cookies, homemade bread, or a roast baking in the oven can affect our mood in a positive way.
Who has time to make all these delightful foods? How can you fill your home with these feel good smells?
When I am home with my family, I sometimes put a pot of boiling water on the stove and pour a teaspoon of cinnamon powder in the water. I let it boil and the cinnamon aroma fills the house. The energy inside our home takes on a positive feeling when I boil that pot of cinnamon water.
Your family or roommates will be energized and may not be aware that it is the fragrance causing that wonderful feeling or thoughts. My neighbors can smell the cinnamon coming from the open window. In Hawaii we keep the windows open, no snow here. I think the smells make my neighbors friendlier.
You can cook with these fragrance recipe mixes or make them to give as gifts. You can just boil them in a pot of water and have an aromatherapy experience. I encourage you to experiment with your own spice ideas.
Apple Pie Spice
- 4 Tablespoons Cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon Nutmeg
- 1 Tsp Cardamom
Mix these ingredients in a small bowl. Store the mix in an airtight container or jar. They make great gifts. Keep at room temperature and away from moisture.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 Tablespoon Cinnamon
2 Tsp Ginger
1 Tsp Allspice
1 Tsp Nutmeg
Mix these ingredients in a small bowl. Store the mix in an airtight container or jar. They make great gifts. Keep at room temperature and away from moisture.
Have fun with these recipes and let me know how you feel. Please leave comment and a rating on my column. Thanks for reading my column and remember to spread the Aloha Spirit where ever you are.
