The holiday season has arrived in full force. Excitement fills the air, and we are gathering with others for celebrations and gift-giving. Yet for many this year, this joyous season has arrived amidst a time of great uncertainty and turbulence in our communities and the world around us. How do we stay grounded, resourceful and present to ourselves and others during such times? How might we use our mindfulness practice to hold both the joys and the challenges of this season, and that life itself often brings our way?
Thomas Hübl, PhD, is an international author and educator who advocates for personal healing and cultural change by integrating science, mindfulness, and insights from many of the world’s wisdom traditions. Hübl suggests that it is especially important in times such as these to develop a Resilient Presence. By this he means: 1) learning to recognize when we are experiencing heightened periods of stress and reactivity, 2) giving ourselves the space needed to “digest” and compassionately integrate these experiences, and 3) seeking ways to support and nourish our personal heartiness, sense of safety, wellbeing and self-agency.
For those of you familiar with mindfulness mediation practices, recognizing and learning to nonjudgmentally be with your momentary experience probably sounds familiar. But Hübl’s concept of Resilient Presence presents an empowering antidote for our times with its emphasis on consciously reframing and choosing to transform our personal and collective life experiences into opportunities for growth and service to others.
Bringing our Resilient Presence to the table this holiday season may be the most generous and life-affirming gift we can offer to ourselves and others. Hübl postulates that caring for and regulating our central nervous systems allows for self-agency to arise and a deepening of our connections and sense of interdependencies with others. Our Resilient Presence transmits caring and resourcefulness to those we love, to the Uber driver, to the co-worker, or to the mailperson we greet with an authentic thank-you. With Resilient Presence we are able to more skillfully respond to small and larger issues or daily opportunities to be of service to others, without fanfare or the need for validation. We also grow in understanding that our Resilient Presence enlivens our own and others’ hearts simultaneously.
Tips for Supporting Resilient Presence this Holiday Season
Take ten
Give yourself the gift of 10-minutes a day to check in or catch up with how your body, mind and heart are doing. Experience the felt sense of the whole body, just as it is. You may wish to begin with a few deeper, fuller breaths and then just observe the natural flow of the body simply breathing, simply being. Do your best to bring a kind curiosity to whatever dimension of the human condition that may present itself, moment by moment, gently inviting ease into the body, mind and heart.
Have a cup of tea
Allow your daily worries to fall into the background and in their place, intentionally rest your attention on the experience of simply enjoying a cup of tea. Give your busy brain and nervous system a little rest. Feel the warmth of the cup, smell the aroma of the tea and taste the fullness of its flavor. Mindfully - and perhaps a bit more slowly - savor the gift of a cup of tea.
Take your stress and emotions for a nice walk in nature
Nature heals. Walking is good for your heart and it’s also a great way to help improve a cloudy mood. Combine these benefits with a mindful presence and you may just triple the wellbeing effects of a nice walk in nature! Learn more about eco-therapy.
Get creative
Do something creative that brings you joy, like mindfully baking a pie, drawing or painting, playing your violin, arranging flowers, or maybe dancing or singing. Engage the more calming branch of your central nervous system by allowing your creativity to flow. Include others in being creative along with you and enjoy the added and restorative benefits of friendship. Explore our Arts & Wellbeing section to learn about the benefits of getting creative.
Fully receive and give back the gift of resilient presence
It’s pretty common for all of us to fall into “absencing” (i.e., the opposite of presence - basically mindlessness in its many forms), especially during stressful times. Resilient Presence requires self-awareness and compassion; we employ both when we realize we have been absencing or isolating and reach out to others for support, and when we choose to reach out to someone we think may need our support and caring. Our nervous systems are deeply nourished by caring relationships and the Resilient Presence of those who listen deeply and freely extend human kindness.
Take Care of Yourself During the Holiday Season
In these two short videos, learn from Bakken Center Founder and Director Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer how you can find joy and prioritize your wellbeing during this busy time of year.