New Years gives us a burst of energy because of our collective agreement of having a fresh start, a blank slate or tabla rasa; an opportunity to reflect on our last go-round-the-sun and to re-create ourselves once again.
Each of us carries an inner blueprint of our highest vision of ourselves–a myth unique to each of us and what it might look like to live our ideal life creating it into our most intimate work of art. To ground this weighty concept into the practical we can visualize what our “ideal day” might look like using ancient cultures as our model; as they were guided by living time: the seasons turned as its cycles moved in cosmic harmony. The human task was to bring body, soul, and mind into harmony with the heavens. The most popular books of the Middle Ages were the Books of Hours honoring the qualities of each month, day, hour, and even minute, which were recognized and acknowledged in the temples.
Applying this today we can create “Daily Sacred Rituals” such as care for the body through exercise, diet, and purification practices. Spending time in silence daily or cultivating a contemplation practice. Rituals such as yoga or journal writing, listening to music, bathing and water therapies to unwind, or the right placement of objects we love and surround ourselves with.
All these practices are based on Care of the Soul: deep play and delighting in the simple pleasure of living made conscious.
Take just a few moments to imagine if you had all the time and money in the world how would you live? If you could craft an ideal day for yourself for each season what would it look like and how would it make you feel.
Even though the ancients celebrated the new year at the time of the re-greening of Earth each Spring, we can use our
current calendar cycle and collective thrust to re-create ourselves and our lives freshly…..all over again!