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“A gift or token for good luck or an expression of good wishes, as at the beginning of the new year or when entering upon a new situation or enterprise.” (January 2, 2021 Word Of The Day from Dictionary.com).
It’s a New Year with iridescent gold and pearl paints!
“Seize the day; enjoy the present, as opposed to placing all the hope in the future.” (January 1, 2021 Word Of The Day from Dictionary.com).
I woke up sensing a shift, feeling optimistic, and grateful for transitioning from the many passages of 2020. Indeed a great first day of the new year involving a morning group meditation, yoga class, super and much-needed acupuncture treatment, dinner with my son, and a Warriors’ game! With a mindset of incorporating carpe diem in my life, I move forward.
Farewell; goodbye, 2020! (December 31, 2020 Word Of The Day from Dictionary.com).
We are inundated with propaganda! Everyday! With financially based motives often involving perpetuation of fear, where do we go to get information with integrity and honesty at the core? (This includes our local, state, and federal governments.) I don’t have the answer; I know, though, it is imperative that we remain conscious and maintain our critical thinking and instincts.
In the beginning, an absurd choice. Into the fire. The eye-opener. Exposure and candor. Courage. Restore sanity.
With the 2016 election results, I felt utterly horrified. However, unlike many other people including friends, I knew I would not be rocked deeply to my core day in and day out of the term. This type of destructive character with bravado and a relentless drive to win no matter what the costs was very familiar, as well as the systems in place that support and condone inherent egregious behavior. Years of divorce proceedings groomed me to withstand relentless bombardment of sexism, patriarchy, elitism, and injustice, all cornerstones of our judicial system. As I worked to rise through the oppression, my container for holding varying degrees of emotions simultaneously expanded greatly. So did my awareness, strength of character and resilience. And often during this ordeal starting in 2009, I acknowledged Barack Obama, a President with elegance, wisdom, intelligence, and fortitude, and felt gratitude for a reprieve of not worrying about the direction of our country too.
With the changing of the guard, I found myself quietly saying to myself and my therapist, now everyone is going to have to figure out how to stay stable and sane because I knew what was in store for us.
Into The Fire
Feeling inspired this beautiful morning and excited about possibility and turning this ship around, I logged onto Spotify and repeatedly played Ray Charles’ version. I fervently hope that this song title will mark the occasion and triumph of going forward.
I love this birthday gift from my son! The sequence is painting an image with water and observing its disappearance. According to Zen Life, “With the Zen Artist Board you can watch your stress disappear right before your eyes. It’s as simple as dipping the brush into a bit of water then putting the brush onto the board. Leave your worries behind as you unleash your inner child and bring your artistic creations to life. Within a few minutes the image will disappear and you can create your next masterpiece”.
In an “Aha” moment, I realized this Artist Board and quick, creative process of usually text-based images, mirror life which is impermanence. There’s always movement and nothing stays the same - Ever! With varying degrees of ease and difficulty, this is a daily, working practice of acknowledging impermanence as a given, remembering to breathe deep, and letting go into what is so I don’t suffer from the grasping of attachments. Essentially, be here now. To be continued.
I’ve been zooming along working to stay above the intensity of the collective fray. However, starting with last weekend and for 6 days, I dipped emotionally and found my mind swirling in a downward cycle of unhealthy, negative thought patterns. When this happens, it’s usually because of fear based on regrets from past decisions and/or what the future and unknown hold. This morning, day 7, I woke up with a positive, ready-to-begin again frame of mind, determined to recognize the fear yet avoid succumbing to its trap. As an energetic gesture of confirmation, I immediately stripped my bed of the linens, threw them into the washer and dryer, and ironed each piece.
I understand the swirl was a necessary part of the process of deeper awareness. I continue to learn that positive mental habits surely lead to a shift in perspective and emotions allowing for showing up with a bigger heart, kindness, compassion for myself and others, and living in the moment. And, although I may experience moments of feeling defeated, I AM not defeated! I always bounce back with greater strength and resolve.
Last night I watched Monday’s 10/20/20 episode S26Ep9. The 1st segment featured young gamers, the 2nd a prisoner and art called “Fairway to Freedom”, and the 3rd a former pro football player with ALS. I found each to be incredibly compelling on so many levels and further confirmation that each of us comes into this lifetime with a destiny and right conditions and circumstances to foster it. I went to sleep appreciating the movement and feeling inspired once again.
