Today is the last day in January and I am walking back home on a gravelly footpath,
You might be able to hear me walking along it,
And I'm walking back home from the moors that are above my house,
Dartmoor,
And I'm feeling the coolness of the air and feeling the sun on my face.
It's a real mixture,
A mixed day today of weather.
And today is about bringing January to a close and reflecting on this month,
Which for me can sometimes feel like a long,
Long month,
But it's about thanking January for all the wisdom that she has shared.
Every day in January I've been listening to nature's wisdom and every day I've been inspired by something in nature that has triggered a thought within me and some inspiration within me.
And it occurs to me that sometimes it's so good to bring things to a close.
There's something about ritual,
About recognition,
And about acknowledgement that is easily missed in our lives.
So let's do that with January today.
Let's say thank you to January for all the wisdom she has offered and thank her for being the month that trails at the end of winter,
The long dark month that brings us closer and closer to spring.
And my request is that maybe you think in your life of something that is time to bring to an end.
It's about beginnings and endings and closing chapters and realizing that transition is about to take place,
So it's time to say goodbye to something to allow something new to emerge.
Is there anything in your world or your life that feels a little bit like the month of January?
It's given you wisdom,
It's been dark,
It's been cold,
But you've learned from it and you realize that now is the time to move on.
Now is the time to move on from that in your life.
It could be a person,
It could be a habit,
It could be a ritual,
It could be your job,
It could be a relationship,
Whatever it might be for you,
Now is the time to move on.
And whatever that is that you're moving on from in the same way that I take time now just to close my eyes and thank January for her wisdom,
It's also time for you to recognize the gifts that you will have found or will have had in whatever it is that you are letting go of now,
Whatever chapter you are closing in your life.
Give time to acknowledge the gifts that it's given you.
That doesn't mean that you welcome the experience that you've had,
But you will have learned from it and through it and that is so important.
And as you bring that acknowledgement to whatever it is that you are moving on from and that you are closing a chapter to,
I'd like you to bring your awareness to nature and the nature that you might see around you.
Nature is everywhere,
Even in the midst of a city you can find living plants and animals that are sharing the space with you.
My request is that you acknowledge nature and get out into nature and start to feel your affinity and oneness with nature.
It can be anywhere,
But if you are being called to go out and listen to nature in your life,
Acknowledge that and see that the next steps that you can take might be to welcome nature into your life and learn from her wisdom.
I'm going to continue these reflections into February and tomorrow we're going to look at the Festival of Imolc,
Which is a Celtic festival that recognizes the tipping point between winter and spring.
And so this will continue the theme that we've started today of looking at what you are transitioning from,
What you are closing and what new energy,
Thoughts and creativity might be emerging for you.
So do join me for February's reflections,
Which will start by immersing ourselves in recognizing Imolc in the Celtic calendar.
