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What’s Your Favorite Holiday Song?

I love music, especially at the holidays. For years I was involved in various choirs and orchestras and The Messiah was something I was actively involved in each year.

The simple hymn Silent Night makes Christmas Eve candlelight services even more special to me. A favorite newer Christmas song for me is Mary Did You Know? A brass choir playing carols is a tradition that lets me know the holiday season has arrived. Of course a rousing rendition of Jingle Bells is always sure to get a crowd singing along.

So what is your favorite holiday song? I know we live in a diverse world where people celebrate different winter holidays and in various ways, so we’re not just talking about Christmas here.

Who wants to start?

Thought for Today

“We went down into the silent garden. Dawn is the time when nothing breathes, the hour of silence. Everything is transfixed, only the light moves.” ― Leonora Carrington

[Source: Goodreads.com]

Thought for Today

“May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Healthy Living A to Z: Y is for Yoga

Yoga is made up of a variety of techniques and practices aimed at integrating mind body and spirit. The goal is to reach a state of oneness with the universe or enlightenment. There are many paths of yoga. Hatha Yoga, which is often thought of as “yoga” in the Western world is just one of them. Yoga is a practice of personal exploration which can be incorporated into any religious belief system. http://www.yogabasics.com/learn/yoga-101-an-introduction/

In the West yoga has become mainstream and is known by many as a purely physical form of exercise for health, disconnected from the spiritual aspects. There is so much more to yoga than this.

If your yoga practice is focused solely on physical exercise, I encourage you to dig a little deeper. Slow things down a bit and practice the postures in a slow, purposeful way. Focus on your breath and be in the moment. Feel the joy of total relaxation during the closing meditation..

Finally, there should be a deep sense of mutual respect between teacher and students. If that is not present or if a teacher tries to shame or belittle you for your size or current state of physical fitness, it’s time to find a new teacher.

Thought for Today

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.” ― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

Last Chance for Authors to Take Advantage of FREE Book Marketing (no strings attached)

I know we have a number of authors here. If you want to register for Read Tuesday you need to do so quickly. Let’s help Chris make this a great online event! I’m participating — More about that later.

Thought for Today

Sunrise from the Porch Copyright 2014 by R.A. Robbins — Sunrise from the Porch
Copyright 2014 by R.A. Robbins

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” ― Leonard Cohen, Selected Poems, 1956-1968

Light Thought for Today

“Ever since we crawled out of that primordial slime, that’s been our unifying cry, “More light.” Sunlight. Torchlight. Candlelight. Neon, incandescent lights that banish the darkness from our caves to illuminate our roads, the insides of our refrigerators. Big floods for the night games at Soldier’s Field. Little tiny flashlights for those books we read under the covers when we’re supposed to be asleep. Light is more than watts and footcandles. Light is metaphor. Light is knowledge, light is life, light is light.” — Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider