Blog #17: New year, old lessons
2022 is finally upon us, how wonderful and crazy is that?
This is the first year that I’m starting off with a strong sense of my spiritual identity. I spent all of today engaging in rituals to cleanse my energy for the new year. I reflected on my struggles and triumphs, meditated on my long term goals, gracefully shed past versions of myself and was in communion with my tribe and ancestors. Several different messages and lessons came up during my meditations that I would love to share with all of you, to help us set intentions for the new year:
#1 Remember your resilience
One more year of life means one more year of fight left in us. If we are still alive and here to tell our story, it means that we are okay. It means that we are safe and protected. Everyone endures pain, loss, grief and anxiety. We have also been enduring an ongoing pandemic for god’s sake. We overcome these intense emotions and challenges every day, then forget to pat ourselves on the back for surviving. We are much stronger than we think.
#2 You thrive in the present moment
In this human existence, we live on the edge of the present moment. There may be times when we lose ourselves regretting past mistakes or worrying about the future. In these moments, we can never find happiness or gratitude. If we have been dissatisfied with our behaviors or negative thought patterns, we have yet another opportunity to seize the moment and initiate good change. We are the co-collaborators of the lives we are constantly creating.
#3 You are not alone
Where there is fear, there is loneliness. Where there is love, there is community. As social beings, we attach a lot of fears to loneliness. Whether it be the fear of dying alone, being abandoned, or not being seen… we’ve all experienced some version of it. The truth is that all humans experience the same fears -- so we’re not actually alone at all. Never be afraid to ask for help or call on a friend when you start to forget. We are going to get through this together.
#4 Vulnerability saves lives
What would life look like if we expressed every emotion that weighed us down? When we are honest with our emotions and authentic in our creativity, we free our minds and spirits. When we are brave enough to share these emotions, we open up space for our community to do the same. So speak the thoughts that keep your mind hostage, create the art that sets your soul on fire, tell the person how much you love them. We are the most powerful when we own our vulnerability.
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This is only a short list of the important lessons I gleaned from my day of spiritual cleansing, and if we keep these reminders close, I’m sure it’s only the beginning of a fulfilling year ahead. 2022 is going to be the year of abundance for us. This is the year when we enjoy the fruits of our labor. We guide our decisions with love instead of fear. We break free from ancestral traumas. We express ourselves authentically. We reconnect with our inner child. We validate and honor our pleasure. We support the growth and wellbeing of our community. We manifest our dream life. We speak it into existence and so it is.
(Special thank you to each of my spiritual teachers this past year: Jana Lynne, Schmenna, Cecilia, Dr. Ted, and of course Mama Rosa -- you helped me see beyond myself to push through my fears and choose happiness. You taught me some of the simple truths of the Universe that ground me on this Earth. You inspired me to be brave and express myself creatively. You saved me in more ways than one. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.)
