In the bustle of the modern world, our focus is often drawn toward utility and practicality. Even spiritual practice tends to focus on tangible outcomes. As we enter holiday season, I invite you to slow down to cultivate wonder in your spiritual (and secular) practice.

Wonder is a sense of surprise, perhaps of admiration borne out of the unfamiliar, inexplicable, or unexpected. Wonder is the hallmark of the miraculous. So many of the world’s spiritual traditions retell wondrous stories brimming with miracles. But what is a miracle and why is it important?

The word miracle comes to English from Latin roots. Miraculum is an object or event of wonder; the word is taken from the verb mirari, meaning “to wonder at” or “to be astonished by.” Linguists theorize that the Latin may draw from older roots meaning “smile” or “laugh.” Miracles feed the child within by filling the heart and soul with an overwhelming sense of wonder, a feeling that helps us suspend disbelief to have a direct experience of magic and mystery. This feeling touches the sense of childlike awe and allow us to transcend the ordinariness of everyday life. Miracles and wonder might be hard to quantify, but the feelings they evoke are unmistakable.

I’ve come to recognize wonder as the litmus test for authentic spiritual growth and all it entails: healing, alchemy, transformation, etc. Without wonder, there is no miracle, no magic that transforms our experience. Ask yourself: how do I cultivate wonder in my practice? Which parts of my life feed the child within?

Find some time this month to do something because it feels wonder-full, i.e. that it fills you with wonder. Make some time to stroll through the garden or gaze at the night sky; find joy in a cup of your favorite tea. Perhaps you can spend a half hour getting lost in your most beautiful crystal or gemstone or listening to your favorite music with no distractions or expectations. The experience of wonder is a powerful ally in your practice, and it is something that we hopefully are able to achieve amidst everyday life. For me crystals are a continuous source of wonderment; their forms and features are miraculous on so many levels.

I’ve got some great opportunities to cultivate more wonder and joy this holiday season. The first is a two-part online masterclass hosted by College of Psychic Studies in London. Second is my Solstice Stones workshop available to my Patreon subscribers. Finally, be sure to join me on Instagram; each week I host live chats with Q&A and crystal show-and-tell on IGTV to share the wonder and joy of the mineral world with each of you.

From the bottom of my heart I wish you a season filled with comfort, gratitude, and wonder.