Namaste.
T.
S.
Eliot said that every moment is a fresh beginning.
And we all know that New Year resolutions can be short lived.
So I'd like to invite you to consider setting an intention,
Which is also known as a sankalpa.
And for the times that we live in,
Which are quite challenging,
Amidst pandemic,
Climate disruption,
Calls for social and racial justice,
And our own personal challenges.
We too can pause,
Quiet ourselves,
And dedicate ourselves to our best intention.
So I'd like to invite you to first just make yourself comfortable with your head over your heart,
Your back straight,
Tall,
With a posture that's comfortable,
Shoulders relaxed,
Eyes gently closed.
And whether you're seated or lying down,
Scan your body,
Making any final adjustments.
Bringing your awareness to your breath,
Watching the rise and fall of your chest or your belly.
And just being aware of how you feel in your body,
Your mind,
And your breath.
I'd like to now invite you to just take three deep breaths into the nostrils,
Exhaling out from your mouth,
Just to allow you to let the day fall away and ground yourself into a more relaxed state.
Returning to a breath that is natural and comfortable for you.
I'd like to invite you to just be aware of the next two or three breaths moving in and out of your body and the rhythm of your breath.
Bringing a sankalpa or intention is like setting the compass of our heart.
No matter how rough the storms,
How difficult the terrain,
Even if we have to backtrack around obstacles,
Our direction is clear.
The fruits of dedication are visible in the best of human endeavors.
At times,
Our dedications are practical,
Like learning to play the piano,
Building a thriving business or to plant and grow a beautiful garden.
But there are overarching dedications as well.
We might dedicate our life to prayer,
Commit ourselves to unwavering truthfulness or to work for world peace.
These overarching dedications set the compass of our life,
Regardless of the outer conditions.
They give us direction and meaning.
As you begin the new year,
Take some time to sit and quietly reflect.
If today you were to set or reaffirm your intention,
A vow,
A dedication or your heart's direction,
What would it be?
An intention is bringing your awareness and attention to a quality or virtue you wish to cultivate for your life.
It might be as simple as I vow to be kind.
It might be a vow to build a healthy business or establish a truly loving family.
It might be an intention to dedicate yourself to the healing or care of others or to fearlessly express your creativity in the world.
Some examples of qualities or virtues you might use as your intention might include patience,
Gratitude,
Grace,
Being present in the moment,
Being present in the moment,
Awareness of breath,
Love,
Forgiveness,
Letting go,
Releasing negativity,
Letting go,
Being open to receiving inner strength or peacefulness.
I'd like to invite you to contemplate,
Perhaps set an intention.
And if you would like to write it down and put it someplace where you keep special things,
Please do.
You know what?
Let your intention be your compass,
Your underlying direction,
In spite of changing outer circumstances.
Let it carry you.
Let it carry you.
Let it carry you.
Let it carry you.
Let it carry you.
Let it carry you.
The Buddha says,
Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,
And the life of the single candle will not be shortened.
The happiness never decreases by being shared.
So by setting an intention and working towards it,
We also simultaneously send positive energy out.
That positivity is not diminished for yourself.
In fact,
You may feel lighter,
Brighter,
Freer,
And more energized from sharing your intention with the universe.
The beauty behind an intention is that you will manifest and call forth into your life that which you've set in your mind and in your heart as your point of focus.
By returning to the energy of this focus throughout the year,
You will train yourself to stay committed to that sankalpa or intention.
Namaste.
