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This Is A Stressful Time Of Year For Some...
Shoshin
No one in particularNowhere Special Veteran
Pressure building up, money worries, family issues coming out of the mental closets...
What do you do to de-stress ?
In other words what 'Buddhist' techniques do you/have you used to help you de-stress ?
On a personal level I don't see the Xmas period as anything special, so I'm stress-free.... 
1
Comments
Ice-cream!!
It works every and any time...It's the wonder drug
The best Christmas I had was on Buddhist retreat. I truly only knew it was Christmas day because someone mentioned it at meal time.
Christmas is one of the few times in the year I drink.
Go for a Christmas walk. We went to Richmond Park one year. Wonderful to see the deer, well fed wild life.
@lobster was it a drinking retreat?? lol
LOL
No. It was a tantric retreat for beginners.
... you might be interested in an online course ...
The aro vajra meditation course finishes off by suggesting drinking a bottle of wine and then meditating. The rest of the course is wonderful, just don't join their sheet wearing group. I have still not done that last session. Never intend to.
http://aromeditation.org
The rest of the course covers posture, techniques etc. I highly recommend doing the course, just can not recommend the group. They seem too keen to advise, sell literature and recruit. [ahem ... cult? Dunno] Membership costs $40, £20, or €30 per month. Ay curumba ... In YinYana Buddhism we pay students to practice. Fortunately we have never had any.
Vajra Buddhism (Tantra) can be a little wild in some teachings. They often have useful techniques and many here practice without drinking or other precept extravaganzas. It is a perfectly legitimate tradition.
Cheers. [lobster raises empty cup]
What "pressure" building up, OP? If you're stressing out over having to host a family get-together, hire a caterer, if you can afford it. Or call a couple of relatives to ask for help in the kitchen, in advance. Or set up an agreement with said relatives to rotate the family party, with each relative taking a turn one year, passing it on to the next the following year, etc. In other words, when stress builds up, delegate! It means you've probably taken on too much responsibility.
Family issues? Depending on their nature, ignore them and vow to be polite and hospitable to everyone.
It's just a day or two. Or a short season. Remember, "This, too, shall pass".
I draw on my Celtic pagan roots at Christmas and also find the tantric practice of bah-humbuggery very helpful.
No...No stressing on my part @Dakini, I don't buy into the hype/celebrate it...I'm just stating the kinds of pressure some people are under at this time of year, ie, money worries, no food on the table or toys for the children & other family issues ...
You're right "This too shall pass" as it does each year and sadly people still get caught up in the hype....
Definition of insanity Continuing to do the same thing over and over again, each time hoping for a different outcome
Christmas is a time I look forward to, spending time with my family and giving gifts.
This year a new small stressor has appeared... people wishing me a Merry Christmas with a slightly... hostile? aggressive? tone. They seem to be making a semi political statement against our liberal War on Christmas, like "It's Christmas time so don't you dare say happy holidays"
Oh, good grief! Now it's become politicized? I'm lucky I live in a part of the US where there's a lot of diversity, and people are naturally considerate of that. I really enjoy being able to check out of the whole Xmas scene, and spend time in the Native American communities, watching their winter ceremonies. It's SUCH a refreshing change to all the hype and the slight churchy vibe relating to Xmas.
The ceremonies start on Xmas eve, go through Xmas day, and then there are more on New Year's Day and again on "King's Day", Epiphany, January 6. It's a very special time of year. I'm going to savor this and enjoy it while I can, because at some point, I'll be moving back closer to where I'm from, and I won't have this wonderful alternative.
Unfortunately, it has become politicized. Case in point, Starbuck's coffee cups are just plain red with no overt Christmas symbols this year. They've been accused of hating Jesus because of it.
So? Who cares? Really, if you want to say Merry Christmas, then say it. If you don't, then don't. Is it really such a big deal what someone else celebrates or doesn't celebrate? I'm just going to start responding with '...and a Happy New Year to you' when someone says 'Merry Christmas' to me. Hopefully they won't be offended when I don't throw my hands up in the air and shout 'I love Jesus! Praise His Holy Name!!!'
Stress is self-induced.
Be aware of it when as create it, and then relax into it instead.
Yeah, the so-called "War on Christmas" ( sigh ).
"How come only Christians are allowed to celebrate a Pagan festival?"
Join in.
I have no stress in christmastime because i don
t celebrite this holy.On the contrary i am very happy because i have vacation at that time.Of course we have some traditional food and maybe somebody wants to visit us but its not worth the stress.FoibleFull said rightly:sress is self-induced.Make sure you buy suitable presents....
Sorry, Christians, it's still Advent! That means Purple, not Red!
And for Orthodox Christians, the great Advent fast is still on!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/75306904/hundreds-of-people-stretch-to-aucklands-biggest-yoga-class.html
Just a week out from Christmas, the perfect Sunday afternoon conditions saw people forget about shopping and concentrate on de-stressing.
^^^
Yule Yoga?
Advent Vedanta?
Unstressed with THE YEAR IN PICTURES from The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/27/sunday-review/2015-year-in-pictures.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=span-ab-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
Get a new alarm clock for Christmas? (Réveil-matin)