And again, another year comes to a close. Even though a part of me believes year is simply a man-made concept to add some quantitative order to our lives, which I agree, is important for practical reasons, what I also like about this transition is its universal recognition. All of humanity celebrates the new year together.
To me, the end of the year is also a time for summarising the year, similar to how some of us like to reflect after finishing a chapter in a book.
After nearly two years of staying at home, I finally travelled this year. A change of scenery and routine can do wonders for one's health. I could finally see the excitement of a toddler in my eyes after a long time. My eyes felt so alive, eager to see and absorb everything. Newness is so invigorating and refreshing!
This year also came with some spontaneous realisations. Some occurred while I was walking along the river, others during my client sessions, and still others during my meditations. Sharing major insights here:
1. Forgiveness needn't be the end point of healing. We have no idea what healing will look like. Anticipating a certain outcome might be a form of control. And the more we try to control, the deeper we go in fear of losing control.
2. Courage. You can be courageous & stand up for yourself and still be kind to yourself & others. Standing up for oneself is not the same as standing up against someone/something. Being kind is not synonymous with being nice.
3. Empowerment is a moment-to-moment choice. You can feel completely weak and powerless and can still choose to be open to possibilities. Yes, two can co-exist.
4. Self-improvement is important, but without self-acceptance, it's like chasing any other material goal which won't ever be fully satiated.
5. Faith, like love, is an internal state. Even atheist people can have strong faith. Although it can often feel reassuring to have faith in an outside source, especially when we are feeling weak, the concept of "God" is not a must to be in faith.
6. Hope. Hoping that everything will be ok when we are facing uncertainty may feel soothing but can create more anxiety in our body-mind. More real understanding of hope is- Whatever happens, I'll be ok.
7. True Meditation. Following is from a meditation by Adyashanti - "What if everything that is happening right now is what is meant to happen. We know it is meant to happen because it is what is happening right now." Yes, it's a bit of a brain twister. Let it sink in!
These were some spontaneous insights that seemed to shift something in me. Did you experience something similar in 2022?
Wishing you good health, positivity and best wishes for new year.