It’s January 1st – and also the Eighth Day of Christmas!
On this day, while the ‘milking’ image (an image of nourishment) is front-and-centre, there are times when other images are associated with the milking image: being milked, fleeced, drained, exploited by friends, family, corporations, governments. When that happens, at the very least, our mind and our very soul / spirit can be compromised.
How can we disallow the latter which destroys our spirit, and encourage the former to nourish our spirit? Perhaps the words of Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s play offer thoughtful consideration: “Yet doe I feare thy Nature, It is too full o’ th’ Milke of humane kindnesse.”
When the ‘milk of human kindness’ (compassion, care of self and others, empathy etc.) is expressed, there is less room in our spirit for negative ‘milking’.
We live in a Universe of energy.
It can be negative. It can be positive.
Each of us must determine
– on what we focus our attention
– on what we allow to preoccupy our thoughts
– on what we let into our spirit.
to experience each emotion and ask
… How long do I hold onto the anger?
… Do I allow hatred to absorb my thoughts?
… Do I let fear absorb my energy?
… Do I withhold forgiveness?”
On this, the Eighth Day of Christmas and a New Year begins, may we express the ‘milk of human kindness’ in our thoughts, words, social media posts, actions, prayers so we can be part of the transformation that is so desperately needed in this world.
Happy Eighth Day of Christmas and Happy New Year!
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© June Maffin
https://soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
As always, you are welcome to share with others and comment here.
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The Soulistry Christmas reflection series is published each day during the Season of Christmas (Christmas Day to Epiphany, January 6th), offering a lovely stretch of time to reflect, enjoy, delight in, and consider how we can bring a little bit of Christmas into our life and the lives of others every day.
You are invited to subscribe to the 12 Days of Christmas series by going to the right hand top of this reflection. If you want to see Soulistry blog posts as soon as they’re posted and before they’re shared on FB, feel free to subscribe. It’s free and no record is kept of email addresses, so it’s very safe. 🙂 Notifications of new reflections come directly to subscribers’ email.
May the Twelve Days of Christmas be a reminder that Christmas isn’t just “one day” but can continue to be alive in hearts and lives every day – even beyond the Season of Christmas. 🙂
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Text: © June Maffin
https://soulistry.com/blog httpsL// www.soulistry.com www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
Image © Banu Moore
Used with permission of the artist
Interesting. Thanks