SWIHA Blog

As a longtime yogi, the Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as “The Gita,” has always been part of my awareness and has recently become my Guidebook. In preparing for the March 2026 Gifts & Graces event titled “The ABCs of Manifestation,” the wisdom of the Gita offers profound and practical insight for the times we are living in.

“The Gita” is a specific story within the revered Indian epic known as the Mahabharata, the longest poem ever written. With over 100,000 verses, it is roughly ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined. This epic classic encompasses a vast array of stories, teachings, and philosophical discourses, reflecting the complexity of human experience and morality. While framed as a historical account, it serves as a powerful metaphorical parable.

The narrative begins on a battlefield, depicting a war between two sets of cousins. It quickly becomes clear that this battlefield symbolizes our minds. The cousins—the Pandavas and the Kauravas—serve as powerful metaphors for the internal struggles within each of us.

In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch—a bitter creature living atop Mount Crumpit—despises the Whos’ joyful Christmas celebrations, embodying what we might call a “joy robber.” Determined to ruin their holiday spirit, he disguises himself as Santa and steals their presents and decorations. However, on Christmas morning, he discovers the Whos still celebrating joyfully and realizes that Christmas is about more than material gifts. This revelation transforms his heart, prompting him to return the stolen items and join the festivities—ultimately embodying the true spirit of the holiday.

Gratitude has always been familiar to me; I’ve been a happy-go-lucky person for most of my life. I’m an optimist by nature! As a longtime student of A Course in Miracles, I consciously choose to be “miracle ready,” which means staying in a state of gratitude and readiness as a daily practice.

It wasn’t until I traveled to India that I understood gratitude on a deep, visceral level. Imagine traveling for more than 30 hours with little sleep, only to arrive at a modest ashram in Mulvu, India. We were assigned to a camp-style dorm room equipped with low metal cots and packed-down futon mattresses. The “shower” was a simple pipe emerging from the wall about two feet off the floor, with a blue plastic bucket beneath a rusty faucet. A dipper cup hung from the bucket’s rim. And yes—there was a small plastic stool on which to crouch while using what was affectionately known as “the bath bucket.” It was clear that warm—let alone hot—showers were not among the amenities.

A “motivator” is a charismatic person who provides encouragement and inspiration to others to take action, pursue goals, improve performance, or take on a new, more positive outlook on life. They are described as cheerleaders, coaches, caregivers, or even Firewalkers!  

Holidays are a time of year when we hopefully get our dose of “feel good” feelings—like the warm fuzzies you get when you find out your favorite holiday movie is on TV for the 500th time! Those natural highs!! They’re like a party in your brain, thanks to chemical reactions coming from the oldest, the deepest part of our gray matter—like a caveman discovering fire, yet with more glitter and ‘glimmers’! (BTW —Glimmers are the opposite of triggers, brought on by positive chemical reactions.)