I was especially looking forward to reading Cami Walker's book 29 Gifts, the book I chose for January.  One of my students gave it to me for Christmas. Although I wanted to start reading it right away, I made myself wait until January First to pick it up.  I knew that I would devour it and I wanted to have it fresh in my mind for January.  It's quite an easy read.  I read it in the car on our drive up from Florida.

I thought I would do the practice of giving 29 gifts every day during the month of January.  It seems so appropriate after the gift giving frenzy of Christmas, where gifts are expected.  Who is going to expect a gift now? Maybe you'd like to join me?  If one person does it and it has the power to change their life, imagine if several people do it. We could start a movement!  Would you like to join me?  If you do, share something about your experience on my blog

The rules are simple:

• Give 29 gifts in 29 days. Set a date to begin so that you can begin with full intention.

• Start Day 1 with a short meditation about your purpose in doing this exercise.  Be clear.  If your intentions are vague, or the energy is half-hearted, your experience will mirror that.

• Consider beginning everyday of your challenge with a meditation and write out an affirmation statement for your day. Examples include:

• Today I give with love.

• Today I give with  gratitude.

• Today I give with joy.

• Today I give with abundance.

• Your gifts can be anything offered to anyone -spare change, cans of soup, your time, kind words or thoughts.  Anything you mindfully give another person "counts". That being said, watch out for gifts that are coming from the following places within yourself because you will likely feel drained when giving from this space:

• The Bartering Give: If I give, I am good and I will be rewarded.

  1. The Obligated Give: I have to give because it's expected of me.

  2. The Guilty Give: If I don't give I will have bad karma.

  3. The Begrudging Give: He's got new shoes on, he can't need money that badly.

  4. The Resentful Give: I Suppose I better give because it's Day 15, even though I just spent $300 on new brakes for my car.

• Give at least once a day for 29 consecutive days so that the energy around the ritual gathers momentum.  if you do not give one day, I Suggest starting at Day 1 to release the energy and allow it to build again.  If this is too much for you, just pick up where you left off.  The important thing is to not quit.

Please let me know how this practice is working for you.  Leave your comments below.