Challenge Winners December: And Happy New Year to All!

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Whooooaaah - it's now the end of December. In Australia, it's midday on the 30th, and I've officially closed the December challenge through our Discord channel. This is for a number of reasons - one, I have a lot on over the next week, and two, we just didn't get as many entries as we would have liked this month. That's okay - that's Christmas on the blockchain for you! People are busy wrapping up work, preparing for Christmas, and enjoying a break.

Thus, we thank those that *did* enter the challenge - and for dear @traciyork, who didn't have time to officially enter, but still bought LOTUS from HIVE ENGINE as a way of supporting us! Ah, heart melts - I've had sooo many of those with you amazing #naturalmedicine bloggers this year! https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/naturalmedicine/Q5OrroCk-BWdivider.png @mirrianalis chose as her entry an entry to another challenge by @senorcoconut, reflecting philosophically on the word 'evolution' as a way to move into the new year. She wrote: > **I have my faith that in this 2021 both elements are combined so that through "desire" and our capacity to "adapt" we can evolve as humanity and break all those patterns and schemes that keep us tied to an "anti-life" culture, in which selfishness and material values have put a veil or distraction in front of the reality of what we really are.** > **I wish for all of us that we Evolve in Consciousness, that we make that quantum leap and open the doors to a new generation of transformation towards other ways of living valuing what is important: life, connection with oneself, with the family, with Nature and everything beautiful that surrounds us, respect for the other, living from brotherhood, helping the other, being compassionate, shedding all the limitations imposed by the Ego and that finally we can let go of fear and live in freedom.** > **For this and much more, I hope that this word "Evolution" will be my north next year and if I had to build a sentence around it it would be:** > **"I'm ready and willing to Evolve in Consciousness, to raise my level of vibrational frequency, adapting myself to the transformations of the planet in perfect harmony".** What a beautiful thought to enter the new year with, and something you all might like to reflect upon as we leave 2020 behind. @phoenixwren is a treasure trove of wisdom when it comes to salves, brews and concoctions! However, in her entry this month she wrote under the #mentalhealthawareness tag and will win her badge for December. Whilst she acknowledges there's no one real 'fix' for mental health struggles, and it's an ongoing journey that's different for different people, she wrote about how her mood has improved with a 'Happy Light'! Want to know what this is? Catch her post [here](https://peakd.com/hive-120078/@phoenixwren/on-mental-health-during-the-darkest-time-of-year). Her post was submitted by us to OCD and got support from the community incubation project!

@pavanjr kept us his amazing content production pace and entered with his post about mental health and Christmas. Christmas can be difficult at the best of times - throw in a pandemic and separate people and you have a recipe for loneliness, despair and sadness. It's a testament to @pavanjr that he thought about this and extended a few tips to those who might be struggling. He's going to get his next #mentalhealthawareness star on his badge in no time! He also wrote another post on a subject dear to my heart - thinking about the environment at Christmas as we buy, buy, buy. This post actually made me pitch a 'homemade, secondhand, or charity' themed Christmas to my family for next year - three quarters are on board! @divinebeingness shared the story of how they partly spent their time reflecting in prison, and the spiritual texts that helped with their journey. I am including the resulting art and poetry below as it's well worth looking at if you missed it.

^{Be encouraged to know that books can only stimulate thoughts and give you knowledge, but for the truth you must turn your eyes inwards. Knowledge is one thing and the search for truth is another. Be encouraged to know that it is not the world or society that confines you, but you yourself is the world which holds you prisoner within yourself in yourself. Also be careful of what you are thinking because we are shaped by it. You can and will be changed by what happens to you, but refuse to be reduced by it. Be aware that blaming and arguing never helps us and only creates a wider gap between us and that only Understanding, Trust and Love can help us change and grow. Be encouraged to know when you examine the lives of all influential people who have walked the earth, you will discover one thread that whines through them all... they have been aligned first with their spiritual self. Be encouraged to know that we are of a Star Borne Family of pure conscious energy, we are conscious of ourselves, our environment, and universal consciousness; this awareness when directed can allow you to create what you want in your life. Be aware that the deepest wisdom of your future is that you are co-creating it, and that Balance, Order, Love, and Free Will is our Birthright.} @lizelle also wrote a great post on pandemic lessons! As the year grows to a close I think we're all reflecting on what we've learnt this year and how we're moving forward. But she also shared some fantastic recipes, food she intended to gift. I liked how this one fit really well with the spirit of @pavanjr's post - gifting homemade can be a lot easier on the earth! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes this year, @lizelle! @porters post was also Christmas themed. She reflected on her meditation practice and the idea of loving kindness - not so far from Christmas greetings of love and joy. She wrote this about setting a kind of intentional prayer to extend this joy to others: > **May I continue on the path of awakening and experience Nabbanic peace, tranquility and joy so I can share that with all those around me, my friends, neighbors and family. My family and their family and their family. May we all be happy and peaceful, may we all come to benefit from the Buddha dhamma, may we live healthy, prosperous lives, living in peace and harmony. May there be peace on earth and goodwill towards all mankind and all being!** How beautiful, @porters! It doesn't really matter what spiritual practice you subscribe to, does it - they all have loving kindness at their heart. https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/naturalmedicine/Q5OrroCk-BWdivider.png Given the very small amount of entries into this month's post, it seems a little unfair to pick one winner. We *do* say unless we get ten entries, we don't award prizes, but reading the beautiful, thoughtful and philosophical posts by all entrants this month, that seems hard to do. Each entry here, therefore, wins 5 HIVE. The remaining HIVE carries over into next month's challenge and/or gets powered up to help upvote YOUR posts! We hope this small token of our gratitude for joining in the challenge sees you smiling. An extra bonus for one lucky entrant here - beneficiaries always go to delegators, and this time I'd like to gift it to @porters, who always joins in the challenges when she can, and does her best to support others. # Much LOVE, and hope you have a lovely new year!

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Originally posted here: https://hive.blog/meditation/@naturalmedicine/challenge-winners-december-and-happy-new-year-to-all