Reminding Ourselves of What is Truly “Resolution Worthy”
By Brant Secunda
Last night, as I sat watching the almost full moon with the warmth of the outdoor fire at my house, I began to reflect on the New Years Retreat I had in Germany just a few weeks ago. There, we welcomed the new year with a traditional Deer Dance, a ceremony passed onto me by my teacher Don José Matsuwa. This ceremony has many purposes, one of which is to honor the light. After staying up all night, the ceremony ended after dawn with the welcoming of a new day; a new year!
We all see the new year as a time to refocus our lives and uncover the truly meaningful goals we would like to fulfill. Ceremonial practices are one way to find clarity, to realize those goals. In each retreat or seminar, I tell people to let go of the things that are holding them back from finding their true self. By letting go of the negative qualities that so often clutter our precious minds we can more clearly see what we want in life.
It has been a number of weeks now since the holiday season, which may have allowed you time to set goals and imagine the possibilities of the future. You may be having difficulty following through with those resolutions. If that is the case, take some time to let go of the mindful clutter filling you life and in the remaining silence, hopefully you will receive a spark of inspiration. Let that spark light the fire of resolution anew.
Think of every day as a new beginning, another chance to start life fresh. Pay attention to the growing and dimming light at the beginning and end of each day. Perceive the constant transformation occurring in nature all around you and strive to stay in sync with the harmony of your environment. This alone, can be a life-long resolution to work on each day.
Look for happiness in the minutiae of your life. What do you enjoy about each day? Don’t let those finer points become trivial. By ignoring or simply not giving enough acknowledgment to what brings joy to you, life can become dull and unfulfilling. Ultimately what brings you true and lasting joy, brings the world balance and stability. Take a moment now, as you read this, to reflect on what brings you such unwavering joy. Whether it be spending more time out in nature or creating balance in your physical body, try to decipher how that makes the world a better place. Are you in a better mood when your body feels well? Of course. Does your work quality improve after going for a stroll in the forest or along the beach? I know know mine does. When you are in a better mood and do good work, that positively affects not only the people around you, but the entire world.
Make each decision in life a chance to fulfill a resolution. Ask yourself, is this the right thing to do? Fine tune your intuition to gain trust in yourself and notice the end result. Hopefully your decisions will become more fulfilling and you will find greater meaning in your accomplishments. This is one way it is possible to create a sustainable cycle of joy that can bring balance and long lasting happiness to your life.
When you feel the positive goals slipping away from your grasp, just remember that each day, each second is new and remind yourself how your “new second resolution” benefits you and all of creation. With this in mind, naturally we become more in tune with the spirit of creation.
By aligning ourselves with our greater environment, we tap into the spiritual energy mother nature has to offer. We are naturally a part of the cycle of the earth. Realize this and you will lose any sense of disconnection. With each breath you take, imagine yourself linking to an endless chain of energy. With access to all the energy in the world you can resolve any resolution.
