Oh,
Hey there,
My little friend.
I'm really happy you're here with me right now.
Before our story begins,
Just get as comfy as you like.
Let your hands rest wherever it feels good.
Let your shoulders relax a little,
And let your breathing go just the way it wants to go.
Like when you listen to a cozy story next to someone who really loves you.
You don't have to change anything.
You're already doing everything perfectly,
Just the way a kid should.
Just let your imagination quietly open its little doors,
Like the very first snowflake landing gently on your hand.
Ah,
Just like that.
Perfect.
That morning was special.
The air felt like it was standing on tiptoes,
Quiet,
Listening,
As if the air itself was paying attention.
The snow lay around my North Pole house like a smooth white blanket,
As if someone had carefully brushed it with a soft mitten.
Tall fir trees were covered with frost,
And when a tiny northern wind slid through their branches,
The ice crystals rang softly,
Like little winter bells.
Along the path from my workshop to the reindeer stables,
Warm yellow elf lanterns were glowing,
Each one like a tiny home light that doesn't let the night get too dark.
The frozen windows were decorated with patterns from the frost fairies,
Swirls and snow stars that looked like drawings made by the north wind itself.
And the sleigh stood in a snowdrift like a big red winter ship,
Its shiny sides reflecting the light of the lanterns and the sky.
And inside my belly,
Where all my ho ho ho's live,
Not just cookies,
Although I'll be honest,
Cookies sometimes hide there too.
A warm feeling appeared.
Today,
Something very kind is going to happen.
Even Prancer was unusually quiet.
Normally,
He wakes up,
Does his famous reindeer ballet pose,
Wags his tail so hard that hay flies everywhere.
And one time,
He even knocked over a snowman who absolutely did nothing wrong.
But that morning,
Prancer just stood there with one hoof lifted,
Staring at the sky,
Like someone up there was whispering a secret to him.
And I understood.
A miracle is close.
I walked outside.
My boots made that sound I love so much.
The crunch of fresh snow.
Not crunch of a forgotten cookie in my pocket.
Yeah,
Yeah,
That happens too.
But that's another story.
And suddenly,
In front of me,
There was light.
Above the snow,
Right in the air,
A little star friend floated toward me,
As if he was made from soft cosmic dust,
And the light of the universe itself.
He was about the size of a mitten.
But he shone like a tiny galaxy was living inside him.
Silver sparkles moved around him,
Like curious snowflakes and tiny stars that decided not to fall to the ground,
But to stay and watch from up close.
In the middle of his chest,
A round golden heart of starlight was glowing.
Warm,
Alive,
Kind.
That light made you want to breathe deeper and smile for no reason.
His eyes were big and clear.
The kind of eyes that make you feel right away.
I'm seen.
I'm understood.
I'm okay.
He didn't say a word.
He always stays silent.
But from him came a clear feeling.
I'm here.
I see you.
Everything is okay.
And right then,
I knew his name.
Sati,
I said quietly.
The one who notices everything and stays calm.
A tiny star firefly of awareness.
His little heart glowed even warmer,
Like he smiled with light.
I sat down on my old wooden porch step.
She always says,
And I answer with my,
Oh,
We've been talking like that for many,
Many winters.
Sati floated beside me,
A bit behind and a bit above,
So he could see everything.
Me,
The sky,
And the snow.
He put his hands on his chest,
Right where his star heart shines,
And just breathed.
Inhale,
Exhale.
No rush.
Simple,
Easy.
And with every calm inhale,
His light became softer and warmer,
As if more quiet and kindness were filling him from the inside.
I looked at him and put my hand on my belly too.
You know,
My little friend,
I really,
Really love cookies.
I love them.
Chocolate cookies,
Ginger cookies,
Cinnamon cookies.
They make my ho-ho-ho even louder.
But there's one thing I love just as much.
And no,
It's not another cookie.
It's the berry soup the elves cook using their secret recipe.
They say it gives Santa calm,
Super breath.
And I say,
It's just incredibly tasty.
Ho-ho-ho.
The elves cook it as a team.
One stirs and whispers something magical.
Another checks the smell.
A third tastes a tiny drop.
And the fourth.
Well,
One time,
One elf got so carried away reading a child's letter that said,
Dear Santa,
Thank you for the warm winter,
That a little piece of the letter,
Plop,
Fell right into the soup.
We fished it out,
But the smell of those kind words stayed,
And the soup turned especially warm and cozy.
Another elf tries every time to add the most magical ingredient,
A snowflake from the sky.
He runs,
All inspired,
Carrying it in his hands.
And every time,
It melts before he gets there.
And the elf goes,
But I was just holding it.
We just smile and say nothing.
But to fly all night around the world,
Hold the rains,
Think about every single child,
Not mix up the presents,
And stay calm during the longest night of the year,
I need one more special kind of fuel.
I call it vibrant food.
Bright food.
It's crunchy apples that snap like a tiny sun in the middle.
It's orange slices that smell like joy.
It's pears like little golden lanterns.
It's colorful berries that hold all the colors of summer inside.
Sometimes,
It's warm veggie soup that hugs you from the inside,
Like a friendly cuddle.
When I eat food like that,
I feel my breath getting freer,
My head clearer,
My heart warmer,
And my strength calmer.
Cookies make my tongue happy,
But fruits,
Berries,
And fresh foods make everything inside happy.
I looked at Sati and said,
See my friend,
When the breath is calm and the fuel is good,
The light in the heart shines soft and steady.
There's enough room there for joy and kindness.
Sati glowed warmer.
We headed toward the reindeer house.
Snow crunched under my boots.
Sati floated behind us.
It's easier for him from there to notice everything,
Our steps,
Our little clouds of breath,
And the way the cold air moves a tiny bit with every motion.
Elf lanterns shone along the path,
And the snowy fir trees stood on both sides like calm guardians of the morning.
I opened the door.
The reindeer turned their heads.
Dasher blinked.
Well,
Hello,
Day.
Dancer took a step,
Almost like a bow.
Prancer stood perfectly still and didn't hit anyone with his tail.
A miracle.
Vixen squinted.
Who's that starlight with you?
Comet took a quiet breath.
If there were a reindeer meditation teacher,
It would be him.
Cupid smiled with his eyes.
Donner stood strong and solid.
Blitzen sneezed.
He's best friends with sparks.
And then Rudolf came out.
He walked up to Sati,
Lowered his head,
And touched Sati's star heart with his red nose.
Rudolf's nose glowed warmer than usual,
Like a lamp that shines on the outside and the inside at the same time.
See,
My little friend,
A calm heart is visible to everyone,
Even to reindeer.
We climbed into the sleigh.
I said,
Whoo,
And the sleigh answered with its own winter sound,
A new one this time,
Like it said.
Every year has its own melody.
Real friends don't just repeat the old one.
Sati floated a little higher behind us,
Like a golden watcher who sees everything.
We took off.
The snow stayed down below.
The air turned fresh and bright,
Like a new morning after a very long night.
From above,
We could see the elf lanterns glowing,
Frozen bridges shining,
Frost patterns on the windows sparkling in bluish light.
We rose higher and higher.
The sky opened up like a huge movie screen.
The clouds were like feelings,
Gold,
Joyful,
Pink,
Quiet and shy,
Blue,
Unsure,
Silver,
Sometimes bright,
Sometimes soft.
Orange,
Impatient,
As if saying,
Come on,
Right now.
But they were moving too fast.
The feelings were rushing.
The sky lost its rhythm.
The reindeer tensed.
The sleigh shook.
But Sati stopped.
He just placed his hands on his glowing chest and started breathing the way he liked.
Calm inhale,
Soft exhale.
I put my hand on my belly,
Too,
And looked to where you are in our imaginary flight.
Try breathing calmly,
My friend,
In the way you like.
No rush.
You took a breath in your own way,
As steady as you breathe when you feel safe and everything around you is kind.
And then the sky answered.
The gold cloud became truly joyful.
The pink one,
Brave.
The blue found its place.
The silver glowed evenly.
The orange bounced softly and confidently.
Every feeling found its spot.
The sky became bright,
Warm,
Gentle,
Like a big smile.
The reindeer breathed more freely.
Rudolf lifted his head.
Sati shone like a tiny lantern of clarity.
That's the kind of magic that lives inside your breathing,
I whispered.
It helps your feelings find their places.
It helps your head rest.
It helps your heart stay warm.
And that magic already lives in you.
Now the sleigh flies steady.
The reindeer breathe calmly.
Sati shines behind us like a guardian of quiet,
And your inner sky is getting lighter.
Very soon,
I'll guide you into a game that will help your breath be your kind helper any day.
When you hear my voice again,
The game Breath of Wonders will begin.
Ho,
Ho,
Ho!
Your inner light is already waking up,
My little friend.
