In the last post, I wrote about the idea of having a “burden bowl,” where we can lay our burdens down and be free of them forever, or at least until we decide to pick them up again. I left a lot of burdens behind on New Year’s Eve. I wanted to walk into the new year free of those heavy weights I had been dragging around – guilt, judgment, fear, unforgiveness, resentment, stories, insecurity, and shame. I thanked each burden for its gifts to me, set it gently down, and said goodbye. It was liberating. Oh sure, I’ll pick some of those up again from time to time, but hopefully I will not carry them indefinitely as part of who I am.
Someone asked me on the other hand what I want to carry forward into the new year. I thought about that and realized that I don’t want to “carry” anything. If it’s something I want to have in my life, then I want to embrace it wholeheartedly. I want to be a better listener, for example, so I’m going to embrace listening. I also want to embrace allowing, compassion, release, gratitude, acceptance, balance, humility, alignment, kindness, forgiveness, and trust. I especially want to embrace listening to and trusting my inner wisdom. And I want to embrace the present moment with my full attention.
I’m curious to see how this year will evolve, relieved of my burdens and embracing those qualities and practices that will open my heart and expand my spirit.
What about you? What burdens did you leave with the departing year? And what do you want to embrace in this brand new, fresh year?
I embrace now—this moment—with my whole being. ~Amy Leigh Mercree
This is an excellent way to strategize a reset. I’m with you on all of it! Thanks for putting these wise words down in this digital universe. Your work repairs.
Thanks for the kind words Sherri. Nice to hear from you. Hope you are embracing some things that will start your year off in joy.
Thanks for this possibility to look ahead to see just what I want to embrace in the new year. First of all, I have begun a meditation practice that now feels rather settled, not something I have missed yet and don’t plan to. It truly helps me feel more centered for the whole day, so I will continue to embrace the Dharma and learn more about Buddhist practices in the coming year. I don’t leave comments very often, because I must fill in all those categories every time. They just don’t stay, no matter what I try or which browser I use. 🙂
You have mentioned your meditation practice before. That is wonderful. And yes, I know about having to fill in those boxes. Annoying! When I’m signed into WordPress, I don’t have to, but otherwise I have to fill them in too. I haven’t figured out how to remove that requirement. And as you said, saving the info doesn’t make it show up the next time. It does, however, show up when you just type the first letter in each box. For example, if I put G in the name box, it will fill in Galen Pearl. Maybe that will help. WordPress is definitely more complicated that Blogger was. Ah the good ol’ days….
I really like the concept of not carrying something forward into the new year. Even if it is one of the things I truly enjoy, carrying implies a obligation. So, like you say, everything that is part of my life this year should be approached as new and fresh and embraced wholeheartedly.
Yes, carrying does make it sound burdensome and heavy. Can’t wait to see what you embrace this year! Thanks for commenting, Bob.
A NEW NEW YEARS PERSPECTIVE (because there is always some sort of personal mess to attend to).
In the early Christian centuries there was to call to repentance. The Greek word for repentance was metanoia (μετάνοια) literally meaning a change of mind, thought, or taking on a new attitude (not “cleaning up your act”). In other words, metanoia became key to unlocking the mysterious door we call Wonder. And at the core of this transformational Wonder, sits Love. I think from this point on my theme to this little response will be “Wonder-Love” (sounds a bit superheroish or Stevie Wonderish)! Ah, Wonder-Love, it’s timeless; it beckons us to rise above our pettiness and bullheadedness, speaks to our silence, reveals the depth of any moment, and can bring us to tears in a New York minute! Wonder-Love, is our new set of eyes, a better set of eyes — portals by which we see and act heart-fully. It’s like a tenacious magnet, drawing us to it. It elevates our attitude, and thinking — freeing us to let go of some of our self-inflicted mess (at least to the best of our ability). This is what the Greeks perceived by embracing metanoia. Funny thing though, when we repent and choose to flow in and with Wonder-Love, we aren’t even cognizant of it. Why? Because we become it.
I have a beautiful a quote form David Suzuki reminding us of the beauty that is bestowed upon us, moment by moment — if our hearts and eyes dare to Wonder…
“The way we see the world shapes the way we treat it. If a mountain is a deity, not a pile of ore., if a forest is a sacred grove, not timber; if other species are biological kin, not resources; or if the planet is our mother, not an opportunity — then we will treat each other with greater respect. Thus is the challenge, to look at the world from a different perspective.”
~ David Suzuki
Thank you, BKT, for sharing this new year perspective. Wonder-Love — how perfect. That is now my new favorite concept, and a guide for me this year. I love the word “portal” and how you use it here. I’ve read your comment several times, and I keep finding new treasures in it. Thanks so much.
🙏
Hmm, this takes some thought! I think I’m on my way to leaving behind feeling soley responsible for looking after the welfare of a family member who needs support. Just because there may be a simplicity in it I like doesn’t mean it’s necessarily fair. What I’m going to embrace is being upfront, honest, with better communication on this issue. Apart from that, I’m embracing more self-belief and clarity of mind which I’ve been developing over the last couple of years. Related to this, I have found myself becoming increasingly intolerant of social media, questioning its value to me, to others, so I might drift further away from it, I don’t know yet. It can very much feel like something you ‘carry’ as an activity! Cheers, Galen, and happy new year :>)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this Lynne. I like what you said about how we can “carry” an activity. You might know that I have stepped back from all social media for the time being. I’m curious to see what difference it makes in my life. Happy new year to you too.
Hi Galen! I went to a burning bowl ceremony on New Years Eve and burned up several things that I no longer want to carry forward in my life. And I appreciate the idea of not “carrying” anything at all…as you say, what we carry feels like a burden and who needs more of that? Instead I too am intending to surrender more to my inner being and listen to its guidance more carefully, without fear or reservation. Last year I really focused on trusting that guidance but now I realize I want to take it even deeper. It’s time. I look forward to seeing where this new intention will lead. Happy New Year to you and everyone in the world for a more loving and kind world for us all. ~Kathy
You are using some of my favorite words — like surrender and trust. I’ve been spending a lot of time going deeper with the conscious choice to trust. Like you said, trusting that inner guidance without fear or reservation. Once we recognize the voice of that inner guidance, then we come, over time, to trust it completely. I’ve used the example recently of getting off social media at a time when my social media audience is expanding and I’m getting ready to publish some books. Others cautioned me about stepping back from those platforms, but it just seemed to me like that’s what I was led to do. Like you, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens. Thanks for your comment, Kathy. And Happy New Year to you too.