A Practice for the New Year
(and anytime!)
Clearing out all that is no longer needed and
Setting Intentions
At this time you may be reflecting on the past year. Perhaps you are contemplating long held or newly settled-in habits, or ways of living and being, or maybe you're musing over the stories we tell ourselves and the layers of conditioning that create veils over our perceptions, beliefs and actions. This reflection may set in motion the desire to create change or to align more with your authentic being.
Many people tend to set resolutions at the start of the New Year. And in some cases, a resolution-based approach might be exactly what is required, as they may help with setting parameters that can be both challenging and achievable. Resolutions can also help us to stay committed. But as resolutions tend to be fixed, specific, and measurable, they often quietly judge and label behaviors to be either ‘good’ or ‘bad’. And oftentimes we find ourselves falling short of our resolutions leading us to question the validity and effective nature of them.
Intentions, on the other hand, are malleable, qualitative, and compassionate. They are based in experience as it unfolds. Intentions embody a quality, – a feeling, that is felt in the body before it is known in the mind. To illustrate the difference, let's consider this example: someone might set a resolution to eliminate exposure to social media, indefinitely or for some period of time. On the other hand the intention behind this might be
- to listen to and honor the needs of the self,
- to nourish the mind in more quality ways of being,
- to connect with others and our selves in deeper ways,
- to be aware of one’s attachment to media as a means of avoidance, distraction or desire for connection.
As you see, we shift away from a fixed "do this or do that" approach to one of deeply listening and connecting to the true self.
Exploring and holding space for intentions to arise from heart, spirit and mind allows us to "tune in" to what rings true for us.
Setting intentions is a practice not only for the new year. It is one we can explore at any time – in any breath, any moment, on any day, in any season. You might find that it becomes a daily practice or one that comes into call when your heart is being pulled to it. Remember there is no right or wrong time or frequency to this practice, find what speaks to you.
Below you will find a practice that I cultivated years ago and incorporated into my restorative yoga classes as well as my own practice. You may find this suits you or you may find something else that rings more true. Explore and stay true to You.
A Practice of Release and Setting Intention
To begin, find a quiet space where you can practice. You might like to light candles, play soft music, burn incense...whatever cultivates an air of sacredness and peace. If you would like, also have two slips of paper and a pen.
Standing (or sitting) place one hand over the heart and the other hand on top of that hand. Begin to settle into your body. Feel the soles of the feet firmly plant into the Earth, notice the connection. Feel the solidity and stability in the body. Draw a full deep breath into the nose and slowly exhale out the mouth. Take some time to be present to any sensations you may feel in your body. Just notice. Then direct your attention to your psycho-emotional being, noticing any thoughts and emotions you may be experiencing. Again just be present and notice. Then land your witnessing on the breath. Follow the inhale all the way in. Follow the exhale all the way out. Be present with the breath. Then allow however much time you need to to bring to heart, spirit and mind things you wish to release (to let go of), things that are no longer serving your greatest good. These things may have served you in the past at some point but they are no longer needed. This could be a thought(s) or patterns of thoughts, behaviors or patterns of behaviors, anything you feel ready to release (resentment, anger, self- criticism, blame...). Cultivate a feeling of care and compassion and when you are ready to release slowly lower your arms (if you have the slips of paper at this point you can write down on one slip all that you wish to release and then burn the paper by either throwing it into your fireplace or wood stove or on a heat safe plate with a lighter/match). Then to represent this release in the body, with your legs slightly apart begin to rotate your torso from side to side-swinging your arms out a bit so you are twisting (as you rotate to the right the left arm will swing that way and touch or come close to the right hip and then you'll twist to the left). Twist for as long as you like- this practice is called washing- you can visualize all the things you wish to release being washed out and dissolved into the earth. Slowly, when you are ready, come back to center again and shake out, shake your arms, hands, legs and feet. Then begin to wipe down the body with long sweeping strokes of your hands, start at the crown of your head and go down the body and then coming back up (get the front and back of the body as well as around the body) finish again by placing one hand over your heart and the other hand on top of that hand. Feel any sense of lightness. Notice any sensations of the body. Follow the breath. Now as we have released what no longer serves we will hold space for any intentions to arise. This may be a whisper of a word, this may be a declared intention, this may be a shouted affirmation, this may be a prayer, this may be a nudge of a feeling or just a holding of space. Whatever it is allow it to rest in your heart and then spread throughout your entire being. (Again, if you have the remaining slip of paper, write down your intentions.) You will then "tap into" this intention(s). Slowly bring your hands above your head and begin to tap lightly with the pads of your fingers going all over your head and face. You can repeat your intention to yourself or just hold space. Make your way down lightly tapping. As you get down below the head and neck you may like to tap with a light fist or open hand or continue with pads of fingers. At the center of the chest you may feel inclined to vocalize (I certainly do), you can draw a full breath in and then let your breath out with a sound or a sigh. Then choose an arm and tap all the way down to fingers, get under side of arm and armpits. Come back to center of chest and again bring in a full breath through nose and let out with a sound. Go down the other arm. Come back to center of chest and then go down front of body. As you get to legs make sure you get insides and outsides. Come back up back side of of the body then come back around front and land at the heart with one hand over the heart and the other hand on top of that hand. Be present with your intention(s) for a few moments, then come back to the breath for a few moments, then notice the physical body and any sensations. Slowly when you are ready lower your arms and open your eyes.
You can follow this up with free flow journaling.
Bill and I would like to extend our deepest Gratitude and Appreciation to all of YOU!
May the New Year bring many Blessings.
May YOU be Well
May YOU be HAPPY and CONTENT
May YOU be FREE from danger and suffering
May YOU be FILLED with
LOVINGKINDNESS
May ALL BEINGS be WELL
May ALL BEINGS be HAPPY and CONTENT
May ALL BEING be FREE from danger and suffering
May ALL BEINGS be FILLED with LOVINGKINDNESS
Shanti Shanti Shanti
Peace Peace Peace
