In these dark days around the winter solstice, I’ve been diving and digging deep, assessing the past year and considering the next year. What emerged from these ponderings is a guiding word for me for the coming year: CONNECT.
As it continued to assert itself, and I let it settle, I had to laugh. Because, of course, CONNECT is another way to say yoga. And because of that I resisted it, considering spicier words like spacious, clarity, travel, and dharma. Yet CONNECT kept calling to me, so I’m gonna stick with it, because there are specific ways and means I want to CONNECT.
As always, HIGHEST FIRST: CONNECTing with my Self. First through practice. Each and every day, connect to that highest place in myself. Cultivate an established CONNECTion that grants me ready access. Create a conduit within myself that allows me to channel that which will be of greatest service.
Then, take time to CONNECT and access that channel in any given situation. Pause to CONNECT to the highest, wisest, most loving place I can muster. And act from the CONNECTed place. With each action, I want to remember the CONNECTion I have with all beings. I want to look closely at how I participate in creating separation, and make choices that acknowledge the CONNECTedness of all beings.
This year as well, I want to dive even deeper into the teachings. I want to create a more personal CONNECTion with them through deeper contemplation and application in my life.
And, I want to help others CONNECT to the teachings. To do this I need to CONNECT with people who need to hear what I have to offer. This one is a little mysterious to me, so I’m just throwing this out to the universe as an intention and see what comes back.
As part of that I want to CONNECT people in community. I want to continue to gather like-minded individuals together for practice, study, and well, CONNECTion. I want to do this in a bigger way on-line this year, and I am hoping to find ways to open people up to making a deeper and sincere CONNECTion with each other around the teachings.
As well, I want to CONNECT with writing. It is a love of mine, and I’ve been a bit shy and fearful about putting stuff out there, but I want to make it happen. I could use some encouragement here.
And I want to reCONNECT with old friends, and CONNECT with new ones. I’ve been feeling a little personally isolated of late. I need to be held a little more.
As we move through the year, I hope you will help me CONNECT, with some reminders, reflection, and love.
CHOOSE YOUR WORD:
If you would like to come up with a word to guide your year, try out these contemplations. You will likely want to do these steps over a period of a few days to let your ideas percolate and settle.
1. Contemplate what you want to have happen in the next year. What would your ideal day look like? What will you do? How will you feel? Consider qualities you want to develop and what your heart really needs. Describe in your journal.
2. Look at what emerged in your writing and make a list of the words that most evoke the sense of what you want to cultivate in 2015.
3. Consider this list and which words resonate with you most. Narrow it down to the most potent 3-5 words. Perhaps journal on each of these to see which yields the most or feels the best. If you have trouble coming up with a final word, randomly choose one and see if you register any disappointment, and if so, choose another one and see how it feels, until you finally settle on the one that feels right.
Hi Cindy, I am replying to your intention to “connect others to your teaching, and see what happens”. Isn’t it amazing that you can put that out there and it is picked up miles away from a stranger (kindred spirit). I have already registered for the upcoming Bhagavad Gita workshop and I look forward to ways I can incorporate this learning into my own classes. Thanks for the wonderful “word” suggestion. I actually purchased a little chalkboard as a way to capture pearls from my meditation and learnings. Your word idea is perfect! Thank you for this beautiful “vulnerable” post. I’m here and I looking forward to learning from you 🙂 With love,
Rachel
Thanks so much Rachel! So excited you’ll be in the course, I just mapped it out today and it is gonna be great! There will DEFINITELY be applications for teaching….in fact, I just put a taster up: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u274vlxcjxofgbb/WOY%20Win15%20BG%20opening%20scene.mp3?dl=0
And that’s exactly it…how can we come together/connect as community given the wonders of technology. I really feel that yoga can be a guiding force for change.
Cindy excellent post love the concept am working on my word over the next few days.
awesome Monika!
Tolerance is my focus this year. Winter is my test (and today, record cold and snow!) Your teachings over the years have helped shift my winter attitude to a more embracing one. I remind myself that this is the time of year I can slow down, reassess, study, complete projects, snuggle under warm wool blankets, yoga classes and cups of tea with friends. All good.
I like the idea of putting the word someplace that I can always see it, it can help set the tone for the rest of my day. Onward : )
so great to hear, Sarah. enjoy some tea!
Cindy –
HNY! Thank you for the word and contemplation activities to help draw close to an amazing year and to open another. Really want to encourage you to write and to share! That is a goal for 2015 for me as well! I also like your sharing, “feeling personally isolated and needing – wanting to be held more! ” The act of asking- disclosing vunerability is brave and I congratulate and thank you for sharing! May the universe of love fill the gaps and needs of your heart.
My question/statement…. is the journey iinherently lonely? And by identifying that truth on the journey, doesn’t the ego struggle, cling and freaks out because its existences is threatened? Yet once we are able to push beyond loneliness- needs of the ego, we can feel contentment with one and all. Its like dying over and over again everyday. Yet then we are truely alive! ??? Interesting ideas to ponder. Thank you again for sharing all that you do. Have a happy merry new year with many blessings. Caroline
ps. Who set up your blog/website? I need a wordpress designer! Thanks
Caroline,
thanks for your encouragement. I have another blog post about feeling the encouragement of light, it is a big help.
I’m not sure lonely is the word I would use. Certainly, much of the path we must negotiate on our own, we are alone. But even when we practice meditation, it is sometimes nice to do it with others, there is a support we can feel that I find helpful. That’s why building a community, even if it is online, is so important. Because I think others feel as I do sometimes, a bit isolated and like they’re on their own. So again, I find the encouragement of my teacher, for example, invaluable.
And yet, ultimately there is much to be done inside, alone, facing whatever it is that each of us needs to in order to penetrate more deeply.
It is not one or the other, it is both: facing whatever challenges we need to, and supporting each other as we do so.
not sure that answers your question, I wonder if anyone else reading this has any thoughts.
I feel the same need for connection, I have felt isolated in the last 4 months of 2014. I like the word contemplation, will work on this over the coming weekend.
Janet you know our kula holds you during these challenging times, maybe we need to just articulate that more!
would love to hear the word you come up with.