True Meaning of Christ-Mas

Hey,

Merry Christmas eve.

I’m typing this out by the fire. My parents are sitting by me drinking coffee and Chloe is sound asleep.

First off, I’m curious how you’re doing and how you’re enjoying these emails.

I read and respond to about 75-80% of instagram DMs, as many of you probably know.

So DM me how you’ve enjoyed these emails the past few months.

Also, check this mix out if you like house music. Solomun is the mozart of the DJ generation:

So - the true meaning of Christmas.

Well, for context, I grew up in a Jewish Catholic household. So we celebrated both Christmas and Chanukah.

But - My parents are / were hippies - so they were more-so into the spiritual aspects.

We did celebrate the traditional traditions, opening gifts, spending time with family, and overall enjoying a kindness and love that only Christmas brings globally to those who embody that Christmas spirit.

In my 20s I first read the Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, which if you haven’t read it yet after all my emails and recommendations toward it, I urge you to buy yourself a late Yogananda Christmas present now.

And by 27, I had found myself moving into an apartment just steps away from his Los Angeles Ashram, the Lake Shrine temple.

It’s pretty miraculous that this place exists, hidden by greenery and gates, on Sunset Blvd of all places, the same street that you might find a Chateau Marmont coke party, or tik tokker’s recording videos of the newest meme trend or dance.

But alas, it exists, albeit near the tail end of Sunset blvd.

At the Sunday lectures, this Sunday, the topic was the true meaning of Christmas so I thought I should share it.

Basically the idea is this: There are 2 sides of Christmas, Social and Spiritual. The Social Christmas is the one we all know of - gift giving, family gatherings, etc.

But there is a deeper side to Christmas, spiritual Christmas.

Well - it’s of course about Christ. But not Christ the historical figure. Rather - the spirit of Christ that, yes, Jesus Christ fully embodied, but also that lives in you too.

Yes - the same spirit that gave life and breath to the body of Jesus Christ, that flowed through him, is also flowing through you.

And so Christmas, Christ-Mas, is also about a recognition of this spirit within each of us.

What is that spirit? How do we realize it within ourselves?

Well all I can do is tell you what I do - I meditate. That’s it.

I sit down, every single morning after taking a shower, I put a dark eye mask on, and I just sit with my spine straight, still.

And that’s really it. There’s a bit more to it, but mostly, that’s it.

I don’t move, and I just watch what comes up in my body & mind & energy field.

Sometimes it’s thoughts of the day, but then I go deeper.

I feel maybe some discomforting sensations in the body that trigger slight emotions, maybe some worry, some fear roaming from a previous day’s problem… and I just sit with the emotion, and let it come up and go out.

That’s it.

After about 10-15 minutes of this, I typically connect to a really all pervading, ever so slight sense of peace and harmony that all is well - and all will be well.

And to me - that’s the spirit of Christ.

Christians may call it the Holy Ghost, or the spirit of Christ.

Hinduism - Prana (प्राण): Refers to the vital life force or energy that pervades the universe and sustains all living beings. It is often associated with breath and is central to practices like yoga and pranayama.

Judaism - Ruach HaKodesh (רוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ): Literally "the Holy Spirit," this term refers to divine inspiration or the presence of God’s spirit guiding individuals or prophets.

Islam - Ruh (روح): Often translated as "spirit" or "soul," it is mentioned in the Quran as the divine essence breathed into humans, symbolizing life and consciousness.

Buddhism - Qi/Chi (氣): In Chinese Buddhism, particularly Chan (Zen) Buddhism, Qi (Chi) is borrowed from Chinese philosophy and medicine, signifying the vital energy flowing through all things.

So this is what you connect to, and honor, moreso on Christmas than ever.

This vital life force is what sustains the body, the universe, and brings peace into the world.

The only reason we have tragedy, pain, and suffering — the only reason we are a race that has killed hundreds of millions of our own kind, is because we cut ourselves off from this force of energy.

Those who connect to it can only do good.

So this Christmas, in addition to your normal gifts, family gatherings, and otherwise - I encourage you to connect to this presence, this spirit of Christ within you.

Love,

-Arlin

PS - For a Christmas gift to yourself, I encourage you to apply for & download the 8AM app - https://www.8AMapp.com . Get ready for an epic year through the 8AM app.

PPS - did you know the christmas traditions as we know them were orjiginated from a Coke ad?