For many of us,
This may have been a difficult year,
And yet,
As we move into the beginning of a new one,
We might harness the opportunity to begin again.
This new year brings us the chance of a fresh start,
An opportunity to put down what is behind us,
And to envision a future that inspires,
Uplifts and nourishes.
My name is Jason Stevenson,
And in tonight's meditation,
We will re-imagine what awaits us.
We will turn our attention inwards,
Listening to the inner whispers of courage,
Strength,
Love and wisdom,
So that we can set powerful resolutions for the new year.
You might already have a clear vision of what you long to bring forth next year,
Or your vision might be a bit foggy.
The beginning stages of this meditation will help to clarify what it is you long for,
Helping you to powerfully envision a beautiful future ahead.
And once your resolutions are established,
We will harness the power of visualization to support your dreams.
To begin this practice,
Take a moment to ensure you are resting comfortably,
Either on your back or on your side.
Let your spine be long and your limbs relaxed as you settle into the surface supporting you.
Closing the eyes and turning inwards will just take a few moments of mindful awareness to settle in,
And you can begin by drawing your attention to the natural rhythm of your breathing.
Tend to your breath with presence and non-judgment,
Just allowing it to flow naturally.
You might release and soften your shoulders or your belly,
To promote greater freedom in that flow.
Just notice the sensation of the breath as it enters and exits your nostrils,
Or you might observe the rise and fall of the belly.
Whatever part of the breath feels most grounding for you,
Just let your attention rest there for a while longer.
If you notice any unnecessary tension held anywhere in your body,
You might consider gently softening those areas,
Perhaps your forehead,
Your jaw or your hands.
I invite you now to take three deep,
Cleansing breaths at your own pace,
Exhaling with a sigh.
Imagine that each time you breathe out,
You are releasing little bits of the past that do not serve your future.
Come back to your natural breathing rhythm,
Noticing whatever is present in your experience right now.
If the mind interrupts this process with resistance or limiting beliefs at any point,
Observe this inner voice with compassion,
Acknowledge it as your inner critic or pessimist.
You don't need to take on these beliefs as truth,
Witness them and then release them on the out-breath.
Now I invite you to dive into your heart space and consider what energies or values you yearn to cultivate as you move into the coming year.
Energies and values that might rise from the heart coming into awareness of the mind could include compassion,
Positivity,
Courage,
Strength,
Authenticity and clarity.
So for the moment,
Just take your time to consider the broader intentions of your heart and soul.
What qualities or values do you long to embody more deeply?
Our larger values and principles serve as guideposts for the more specific resolutions we will come to set.
Setting clear intentions and goals becomes easier once we have established the qualities of the life we long to live.
And so for now,
I invite you to hone in on how these values and energies might manifest themselves in your life as you step into the new year.
For instance,
If compassion is a primary guiding principle for you,
You might step into a new profession or field of study that is in alignment with this value,
Or you might decide to harness radical,
Unconditional acceptance of yourself in new ways.
If courage is a quality you long to harness more deeply,
It might manifest as you writing your first book,
Starting a new project or leaving an old way of being behind.
Sometimes,
Setting resolutions is difficult because there is so much we long to experience or accomplish,
But we must first entertain all possibilities in order to land on what is most fundamental or most true to us in this present moment.
So take your time to consider all the different manifestations of your highest values and longings.
Let your mind openly scan the different possibilities for your future.
Continue breathing softly as you explore all the possibilities for the new year.
Let joy into the process of inner exploration,
Marveling at your multi-dimensionality.
Now I invite you to tune into the heart space more openly and inquire what are the top three things I long to manifest or experience in the new year.
Take your time to hone in on these three resolutions,
Silently reaffirming them in your own mind.
A resolution might sound something like,
I resolve to begin my passion project in January of this new year,
Or it could be something like,
I resolve to prioritize my mental,
Spiritual or physical well-being.
Whether very specific or broad,
Clarify what your three intentions are for the coming year.
If you arrive at only one or two resolutions,
This is entirely okay as well.
And now take a few moments to silently repeat to yourself each of these resolutions three times and come back to your breathing when you are finished.
Now to take this process a step further,
I invite you to picture yourself in the future,
To envision what it would be like to be standing in the new year accomplishing your first resolution.
Notice what the world looks like around you,
Who you are with and how you feel.
Really take your time to paint this picture for yourself,
Observing the way you experience life in the future,
The way you act and the way you engage with all that lives around you.
If you have set a second resolution,
I invite you to bring into this envisioned future as well.
What actions would you take to live in alignment with this second resolution?
Note the energy that this resolution carries,
Note what it feels like to embody it.
And then,
Welcome your third resolution into your awareness as well.
Envision what this resolution brings to your life,
How it feels to fully embrace it,
To fully live it.
As you reimagine what the future could look like,
You start bringing this new possibility to life.
Only by daring to dream are we able to live out our heart's intent.
Imagine just a few more moments now envisioning what your future looks like with all of your resolutions being lived out.
What does it feel like to be fully committed to your dreams?
Remember also to be mindful if your inner critic arises,
The rational mind tends to argue with realities it has not yet experienced.
And yet dreams are not born of rationality,
They are born and brought to life by deeper wisdom and heartfelt vision.
Slowly now,
The imagery in your mind begins to shift.
The envisioned future begins to soften as a new landscape takes its place.
Now you find yourself standing in a tranquil garden that longs to support you.
All around you,
Spring is beginning to blossom.
Take a moment to observe the flowers that grow in this garden.
Notice the array of colours and textures and shapes they take.
And then notice what the garden smells like,
Inhaling and exhaling the fresh air deeply.
Narrow trails weave themselves through the garden and so you begin down the one that you are on.
As you go,
You marvel at how these miraculous plants,
Roving vines,
Radiant flowers,
All began as tiny seeds.
Could they have known where the future would take them?
Probably not,
But deep within them was what they needed to become something miraculous in the future.
You carry on a little further still,
Until you reach a circular garden bed in the centre of a lush landscape.
Beautiful flowers of all shapes and forms grow up towards the sun,
And yet a small patch of the garden has been left bare.
It presents you with the space to grow something new.
As you admire this opportunity before you,
Something guides you to reach your hands into your pockets.
And as you pull your hands back out,
Your left hand brings with it one seed to correspond with each of the resolutions you hold for the new year.
One,
Two or three precious seeds wait to be planted,
Dependent upon how many resolutions you hold.
You kneel down before the garden bed and dig your fingers into the rich soil.
The earth is lush and alive,
Capable of nourishing whatever it is you plant here.
You begin by placing the first seed into the garden bed,
Gently whispering to it your first resolution and then covering it with soil.
As you gaze down at the earth where you planted this resolution,
You silently repeat,
I am supporting you.
I care for you.
I am here to help you grow.
If you hold just one resolution for the coming year,
Continue to admire the earth where you planted the seed.
Watch the flowers around it growing radiantly into the open air.
And yet if you have a second resolution to embed into the earth,
You can gently plant it now,
Whispering your second resolution as you cover it with soil.
And then silently as you gaze down at the covered seed,
Repeat the same words of love and support.
I am supporting you.
I care for you.
I am here to help you grow.
Continue to admire the beauty of the garden if you have just one or two intentions for the new year,
But if you hold a third,
I invite you to plant it now.
Whisper that third resolution to the soil as you nurture it with love and wisdom.
Once it has been planted,
Repeat to that final seed,
I am supporting you.
I care for you.
I am here to help you grow.
Come back to your breath as you step back from the garden bed to gain a wider perspective.
Allow your shoulders to relax,
Your belly to soften,
And just take a few moments of silence to offer gratitude.
Gratitude to the earth for supporting you,
And to yourself for taking the time to nourish your intentions.
Slowly now,
Let the imagery of the garden fade as you come back to the bed or mattress beneath you.
Notice what it feels like to be held in this moment.
You might feel eager to move into the future now that you have affirmed these resolutions for yourself.
However,
Trust that the future will unfold in the time that it requires.
You don't need to rush off anywhere.
Trust that the goodness you have seeded today will come to fruition when it is time.
Come back to your breathing,
Minding its natural ebb and flow.
Notice how the breath continually carries you into the future,
And yet it also grounds you in this present moment.
Notice how you expand as you breathe in,
Filling up with fresh vital life energy,
And how you soften as you breathe out,
Surrendering to the unfolding journey.
There is nothing you need to do now.
Your resolutions have already been set in motion,
So now is the time to surrender,
To rest,
To restore,
And to let the universe support your visions as you drift into sleep.
And as you transition into the dream world,
Let the following affirmations continue to fuel your resolutions.
These words will enter your subconscious mind and help to establish positive beliefs that will support you in the days and months to come.
You don't need to hold onto these affirmations in any way.
Simply let them drift through your consciousness as you surrender into sleep.
I believe in a beautiful future.
I have what it takes to live out my dreams.
I am confident and courageous.
I am learning and growing each day.
I believe in myself and in my highest intentions.
I am worthy and capable of success.
I think outside the box to achieve my dreams.
I am strong,
Resilient,
And inspired.
I am capable of overcoming all obstacles.
I can achieve anything I set my mind to.
I am committed to my resolutions.
I am focused and clear-sighted.
I have all that I need within me to succeed.
I am powerful beyond measure.
I empower myself with positive thoughts.
I am self-loving and strong-willed.
I do today the things that my future self will thank me for.
I am positive and empowered.
I have the courage to follow my dreams.
I choose to live my life to the fullest.
And until next time,
Goodnight my friend,
Goodnight.
