Glimmers for the Grinch
Hello dear friends,
One of my favorite Christmas TV shows as a child was the animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas, narrated by Boris Karloff. It’s a great show based on the story by Dr. Seuss. I like the music, the rhythm and rhyme, and I love the story. It’s a classic redemption tale and I’m pretty sure that I’ve watched it every Christmas since it first aired in 1966 (including last week!)
And, as is my way, I thought that maybe the Grinch could be a little less ‘grinch-y’ if he practiced yoga. Obviously, he has some issues and triggers. The story mentions that it could be his heart or his shoes. It is clear that too much noise really sets him off!
Noise is definitely a trigger!
By the end of the story though, the Grinch changes. Something changes his heart and he celebrates Christmas with the Whos.
What changed his mind? What changed his heart? I’m going with a glimmer.
Glimmers are cues that cause the body to calm and relax. Glimmers are the opposite of triggers.
The glimmer for the Grinch was the sound of the Whos down in Whoville singing Welcome Christmas. Hearing the song gave him pause. It allowed him to soften and relax. It shifted his nervous system from fight or flight to rest and digest. We know that the song caused his heart to grow. At the end of the story – spoiler alert! – the Grinch is an honored guest celebrating Christmas with the Whos.
Our yoga practice gives us the space to look for the glimmers. It allows us the time to recognize those things, people, events, or places that help us to soften, to calm, and to relax. We all have glimmers – the Grinch’s glimmer was that particular song.
When we’re feeling particularly grinch-y, our glimmers might help us shift out of it. It might not be as dramatic a change of heart as the Grinch, but it's a shift nonetheless. It’s worth exploring.
If the Grinch had spent more time on his yoga mat, he could have identified his glimmers earlier. He could have saved all of that time stealing and then returning the presents. He could have enjoyed his time playing with his dog, Max, and making new friends with the Whos.
Of course, then it wouldn’t have been a Christmas classic!
Join me on your mat this week. Let’s find ease and calm together.
To my friends that are celebrating Hanukkah - Happy Festival of Lights!
Love & light,
Nina G