Hi ,

With the festive season just around the corner, there is always a frenzy surrounding it - consumerism is at its peak, and that kind of plays on the subconscious mind, do I need to buy this? Do I need to have new clothes for Christmas? Do I need to gift and spend money?

I find it extremely pressurising mainly for two reasons - children tend to associate a festival with gifting, buying which supports this whole cycle of materialism, and secondly, I can’t really afford catering to everyone’s wants. We only buy things when we really need something, or else make do with what we have. The prevailing culture in the society that advocates the feeling of lack and ‘not enough’ has taken away the real essence of Christmas or any festival for that matter.

What would be more rewarding would be to invest your time to do the inner work, to believe in yourself and shine your inner light that it pierces through the darkness of another and brightens up the world around you.

There is a heart-warming story of a professor who gave a balloon to every student during a university lecture. He asked his students to inflate them, write their names on them and throw them in the hallway outside the lecture theatre.

Students were puzzled. Then the professor mixed all the balloons. The students were then given 5 minutes to find their own balloon. Despite a hectic search, no one found their balloon.

The professor then told the students to take the first balloon that they found and hand it to the person whose name was written on it. Within 5 minutes, everyone had their own balloon back.

The professor said to the students: “These balloons are like happiness. We will never find it if everyone is looking for their own. But if we care about other people’s happiness, we’ll find ours too.”

Giving doesn’t have to be intertwined with materialism, give a smile, a hug, plant a seed, give back to the earth, cook a meal for the homeless, but if you have the money you can always chose to be generous by buying a Fractal Enlightenment membership ;)

See how I put that there, our plans are chalked up for 2023 and we appreciate your support. Get it now to enjoy a bunch of benefits and much more coming soon.

You may enjoy these reads ~ 

There’s More to Life than Being Happy: Five Things More Important than Happiness

5 Ways to Nurture Happiness Within

Why Seeking Meaning is Healthier than Seeking Happiness