As we’re rolling into a new year, the world echoes with challenges and upheavals. Global wars and a sense of disconnection may make the start of the new year feel overwhelming and shaky.
Yet, in recognizing life’s struggles, we may realize that we have tools and resources; not to silence the pain but to center and ground ourselves, and to care for our own emotions. These resources empower us to navigate the fluctuations that life inevitably brings.
While I have been sensing that grounding and tranquility is difficult, mindfulness supported by compassion and loving kindness have definitely helped me be with all my emotions and thoughts.
As I was journaling about the past year on New Year’s Eve and setting intentions, I’ve thought about fusing goals for personal growth with contributing to a more compassionate world.
Do you think that is possible? The trick is that whatever our intention is, we need to begin with the self.
If we are willing to stand fully in our own shoes and never give up on ourselves, then we will be able to put ourselves in the shoes of others and never give up on them,
writes Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön.
In a world that often feels fractured, the mending starts within. From there, we can send loving kindness to those we hold dear, those whose faces we know and those whose stories we’ve yet to hear.
In my experience, if we create the space and time for it, setting intentions can become an act of mindfulness. In addition, it can be a meditation not just for personal well-being but as a ripple that may contribute to the collective shift we yearn for.
How to get the ripple going? As you sit in meditation, feel into the energy of the world around you. Cultivate an intention that resonates with your desires and the world’s heart. Maybe it’s “peace” amidst chaos or “connection” in times of isolation.
In the stillness of mindfulness, we can learn to navigate the new year with a steady heart, knowing our intentions are linked to a world seeking healing and peace.
In addition, and to deepen your home practice, consider joining our upcoming half-day retreat “Starting anew” on 28 January. Through movement, reflection, journaling and guided meditation, we’ll reflect on the past year. While setting intentions, we can invite new values and goals into our lives. It’s a step towards a more mindful and intentional year ahead.
Feel free to read the details and book your spot at this link.