New Year's Day

Today is the first day of a new year in my part of the world. I celebrate many beginnings throughout my year, but January 1 has emotional importance because it’s the New Year of my childhood.

January gets its name from Janus, the two-faced Roman God of gates and doorways; it's a month to look back with reflection and forward with hope. I stand at the doorway of this coming year with my mind open and curious, without fear or judgment, and with hope for the gifts that the year will deliver.

As I stand here, I remember that not all gifts are rosy. I thank the Creator for the shadows and mysteries, and potent gifts of sadness. When I live in the reality of the moment more than in my hopes and expectations, I can receive the riches that are hidden within my most challenging experiences - the gifts of compassion, self-awareness, creativity, wisdom, patience, love, strength of character, and integrity.

Agenda for today:

1. Set the tone for the New Year

2. Kwanzaa principle

3. Read "It's a Meaningful Life"

4. Gnothi Seauton

5. 

Review the Divine Laws

6. First bird

1. Set the Tone for the New Year:

New Year’s Day is a chance to start fresh, with a clean slate: How I act and what I do today sets the tone for all the days that follow.

Tradition says, on New Year’s Day be nice to each other and never punish children; wear your best clothing, and don’t work too hard. Many cultures also have a custom of visiting friends and relatives early in the New Year to share food and strengthen their bonds.

Setting the tone for the year:

• I'll start the day by reading from "It's a Meaningful Life" by Bo Lozoff, to mark my intention to create meaning;
• I'll do some introspective journaling to mark my intention to know myself better;
• I will take time to go outside at dawn to notice and record the first bird I see, to celebrate unity with nature;
• I'll finish a sewing project gift, in order to start the year with creativity and love;
• I'll play games with my family to model a year that is restful and fun.
• And I'll take a long bath to celebrate self-care.

2. Kwanza principle:

The seventh and final day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the principle of Imani (ee-MAH-nee), which is faith. On this first day of the New Year, we have faith in our ability to find unity and peace, and live with love and integrity.

3. Read "It's a Meaningful Life": 

I've been re-reading "It's a Meaningful Life; It Just Takes Practice," by Bo Lozoff (2000). Chapter 13 is The Big Activism.

"The most valuable form of world-changing activism in this day and age may be to explore a lifestyle based on simple living and simple joy."

He goes on to describe the "strange phenomenon" of consumerism, and how trivial gadgets like ice makers insinuate themselves into our emotional structure, and how we rush to enslave ourselves to banks for the rest of our lives "to support a complex and burdensome lifestyle that has little to do with joy or truth or freedom."

He tells a Hasidic story about generations of people neglecting their values and their spiritual life in order to provide for their children, in a never-ending self-perpetuating cycle.

"The way to give our children the maximum chance for a joyful and meaningful life is to be living one with them, not sacrificing ours for theirs."

4. Gnothi Seauton:

January is the first full month of winter, a time when everything is shrouded in mystery - the sky is gray, trees hold their buds tightly closed, and hidden seeds germinate secretly in the ground. In winter I sit inside the darkness (a cloak of comfort, or frosty blanket of snow), in a place where thoughts have no words, and the child is desired but not yet conceived.

January is when I consider the Greek injunction Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself:

• How can I know myself better? What particular aspect of myself do I want to give attention to?
• And how can I create a comfortable level of Light in the dark? What is the meaning I want to practice in my life?

5. 

Review the Divine Laws:

At Soyal, I review the Divine Laws, as I see them. A Divine Law is anything that comes directly from God: a natural law, universal truth, principle, or a rule of conduct that is inherent and essential in human society.

Today I will review my testimony of Community / Unity: Commit to moving forward together, with Light and Love, not letting our differences prevent cooperation.

Some of my plans for unity this year:

• Continue to grow in leadership, teamwork and equanimity skills.
• Inspire hope for myself and my community, with my witness for the earth.
• Be generous with my time; say yes to community service.

6. First bird:

From the Comfort of Crows:"According to birding tradition, the first bird you see on the first day of the new year sets the tone for your next twelve months." She saw a crow. "I have entered into my sixties now, a time of change - to my body, To my family, to the way I think about my future--and I cling to the crow's promise of metamorphosis. What more could anyone ask from a new year than the promise--or just the hope--of renewal?"

When I looked out the window at dawn this morning, I saw a dark-eyed Oregon Junco, symbol of hope for change, and one born afresh with new possibilities, and also the dualities of dark and light, mystery and harmony. 

My wish for the New Year is that we can find harmony within the darkness as we take an actively hopeful approach to birthing the changes we need.