Happy new year
I gave up New Year’s resolutions years ago, for some of the same reasons Anne Lamott identifies. And yet I do like to focus my intent for the year every January 1st.
I have a process for this. First I meditate for 15 minutes, although lately my daily meditation has morphed into Michael Brown’s method of consciously connected breathing. For an over-thinker like me who has struggled mightily to empty my mind of thoughts ever since I started meditating 20-some years ago, consciously connected breathing is nothing short of a miracle: when I sit still and focus on feeling my breath, I don’t think. Okay, I barely think.
The next step in focusing my intent is to shuffle my Motherpeace tarot and lay the cards out in a circular spread. This, too, is a practice I have engaged in for more than 20 years. I sometimes read the cards for others, but tarot is a personal tool I mainly use to access my own intuition. It holds much the same purpose for me as meditation, or riding my stationary cycle, or knitting. I record my readings in a special journal—my Book of Shadows, a name I learned from Starhawk. Not that I’m Wiccan. And by special, I don’t mean fancy. I use the plainest lined journals I can find at the office supply store and I number them along the spine. I’m currently using number 5.
So what is my intent for 2016?
With a few added details I’ll keep to myself, it’s the same intent I set every year. You may have seen it already at the bottom of the commatology home page: “I am determined to be transformed by the sounds arising out of the stillness of my soul, and to let my own heart call the tune to which I dance my life.”
May we all dance joyously together in 2016.
5 Responses to “Happy new year”
Happy new year, Leslie! All the best for you in 2016. Maybe this will be the year we visit – either you to the East Coast or us to the West Coast. Fingers crossed that life brings us an opportunity we just can’t pass up.
Love to you both!
Diana
Happy new year to you, Danièle and Saku, Diana! A visit on either coast would be a treat.
Oh how wonderful to find this in my inbox today… a beautiful post, Leslie. I too start the year quietly, reflectively, grateful I’m not one of the trillions whose head hurts. Tea on the patio (in parka and boots, and after dancing to Laura Smith and feeding the birds, aka squirrels) and intentions written down, or written around, or written about. Not resolutions. Such a difference there. I look forward to opening the links… like gifts. Thank you for all of this and, as always, for the yeast.
Dance the dance!
And may at least a few of your dreams come true in the year ahead.
xo
Thank you so much for reminding me about Laura Smith, Carin! I love her music and have forgotten to listen for a long time. What a wonderful gift! I love the image of you dancing on the patio in parka and boots. Happy new year!
[…] mentioned the other day that I don’t make New Year’s resolutions anymore, but if I did, Maria […]