In the dance of the Earth and Sun, as well as the human calendar, the next three weeks offer a powerful opportunity to re-set your life.
For many people, the end of the year is a busy, stressful time
My recommendation is to do your best to avoid getting up in the busy-ness of the season and use this precious window of time to slow down and spend as much quiet time as you can with yourself.
Three keys to having a victorious end of year (EOY) cycle are:
1)Be Still:
The word “solstice” means a stopping or standing still of the sun.” The sun appears to come to a stop before reversing its direction across the sky.
The winter solstice, is of course, the shortest day of the year when there are the most hours of darkness.
The time before, during, and after the winter solstice is an ideal time for each of us, to follow the sun’s example and be still.
In Psalm 46, we are advised to “Be still and know that I AM God.”
I was raised as an atheist and never heard this famous verse until I was in my early 20s. I recognized its importance as soon as I heard it. But, stilling my hyperactive mind seemed like an impossible task.
Many years later, I learned from the sage American teacher, Adyashanti, that I didn’t need to still my mind. I could just shift my focus to the stillness that is always already present.
Since then, I’ve discovered that the more I focus on the silent stillness, the stronger it gets. Particularly when I spend lots of time meditating on Mount Shasta, the stillness seems to be amplified and much easier to notice.
If at all possible, plan to take a retreat or at least a Sabbath day on or around the solstice, which is Saturday, December 21. Slowing down and immersing yourself in the stillness will help you to deeply come home to yourself.
2)Let Go and Forgive:
As the EOY approaches, take some time to review the past year. Be grateful for all the gifts Life has offered you. Also, see if there’s anything that happened that you’re still upset about, perhaps judging yourself or others.
Judgment is poison in our psyche. It robs us of peace and can cause illness in our bodies.
So, if you find residual judgment while doing your EOY review, take some time to release it so you won’t carry that poison into the new year.
For a simple, effective method to release judgment and other painful emotions, click here.
Two other resources I’ve found very helpful for forgiveness are Colin Tipping’s Radical Forgiveness worksheets, and Ana Holub’s Prayer Sandwich. Both are available for free download
3) Receive Fresh Vision for the New Year
My final recommendation is to take time to receive inspiration and fresh vision for the New Year. December 31 and January 1 are particularly powerful days to do this.
Here’s a simple visioning process I often share with clients:
First, do a meditation to go into a relaxed space. Then, imagine a move screen appears in your inner vision. A highlight film of the year 2019 is about to shown. The movie will include picture, sound, as well as the feelings you have as you done the things shown in the movie. Kick back and enjoy the movie. When it’s over, write down what you saw. Then, write down some simple, doable steps you can take in the first two weeks of ’19 to begin to live your highest vision more fully.
So, don’t miss out on the precious opportunity Life offers during this potent time. Use the EOY cycle to re-set your life so you can truly get a fresh start in the New Year.