I went into my local Trader Joe’s the day after Halloween, and already the shelves were filled with holiday treats and decorations. It always amazes me how this time of year seems to rush in, almost as if the whole season gets squeezed into a single weekend.

Time is such an illusion — and really, isn’t our life the same?

My teacher often shares the Zen story of the Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi, who once dreamt he was a butterfly. When he awoke, he wondered, Was I a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or a butterfly now dreaming I am a man?

It reminds me that what feels so real and urgent in one moment can shift and soften in the next. The holidays, too, can feel that way — a blur of activity, expectation, and motion.

In recent years, I’ve been more intentional about how and where I spend my time during this season. Instead of letting the noise of the world tell me what I need, I’ve been choosing simplicity.

• Simplicity makes me happy.
• Spending time with those I love.
• Taking time to simply be.
• Being more yin than yang.

It’s not about the presents given or received — it’s about the presence we bring wherever we are.

I’d love to share that gift of presence with you at my November event, “Flow with the Holidays.”

It’s an evening to ground, breathe, move, and be still before Thanksgiving — a way to come home to yourself before the swirl of the season begins.

Whatever arises in the coming months, you’ll be able to meet it with grace instead of resistance.

The holidays can be a beautiful time, but also a demanding one. This evening offers a gentle pause — a moment to refill your vessel through mindful Qigong movement and the stillness of sound.

Qigong + Sound Bath = Flow