Lovingkindness
Hello, and thanks for stopping by. This week between Christmas and New Year’s is odd. I am still feeling the joy of Christmas, and this year snow, but thinking about the year past and the one coming up. For some, it is a time of resolutions, for others not so much. For some, it is a time of grieving and for others, a time to celebrate.
New Year’s Eve has for many years been a time of introspection, gratitude and ritual, as opposed to those of my youth that weren’t so peaceful. Often sitting by a fire, I review the past year, acknowledging what needs to be acknowledged, and letting go. This includes reviewing the journal I have kept during the year, and a symbolic burning of many pages. Cathartic. Necessary for me…letting go of the old and welcoming the new in.
Long ago I gave up formal resolutions, and find that works for me. I know what I want to welcome into my life; vibrant health, peace, kindness, courage, love, deeper compassion, more time with those I love - family and adopted family - and less judgement. Things I am releasing; judgement, fear, negativity, unkindness, reactivity, and silencing my voice.
My wish for you in the coming year is peace, joy, health, love and kindness…and whatever else you welcome for 2025.
I found the following resonated deeply with me and I share it here with the permission of its author, Jan Lucier. It feels like just the right way to welcome in a new year. Thank you Jan.
We are all connected through the pain of existence, and we are all connected to the magic as well. By cultivating compassion, a space arises to bear witness to our own suffering and the suffering of others. Feeling compassion isn't the end of the path however, the next step is compassion and love in action. Cornel West says: "Justice is what love looks like in public."
Love in action is love, compassion, and justice intertwined. The process of inner and outer transformation grounded in the power of awareness is what leads to active engagement. It's knowing that love liberates and can lead to inner transformation and collective change. The growth, development, and embodiment of love is crucial in order to be able to act from this place of clarity and love. Deena Metzger shares: "Give me everything mangled and bruised, and I will make a light of it to make you weep. And we will have rain and begin again."
I set an intention for the New Year to expand & bear witness to my own suffering and the suffering of others.
Lovingkindness is the thread that connects our practice to social transformation. By using this wholehearted attention, goodwill, kindness, and vulnerability the compass of the heart is set in the direction of belonging and connection, into the direction of love and action. Joining others for deep listening, for civic engagement, serving the community, and sharing of resources are all just a few things that we can do to support us to act. There's nothing like the power of deep listening, bearing witness to allow our hearts to be touched and moved to action.
The practice of awareness is what develops into an inner true north and remain steady and upright in the storm. When the waves of life of society are crashing back and forth, we have something that is connected and tied down to the deck. It gives us the courage to lean in a bit and to take the wheel and stay true to the direction of the heart. Even in the times when we can't see the stars because of the storm, we learn to navigate with the support of each other, to anchor ourselves in this moment and the next. We learn to engage and contribute. We learn to keep self-nourishing, keep coming back to self-compassion. We learn to hold fast and stay true. Love in action comes from the heart space.
May we all be happy. May we all be peaceful. May we all be safe and protected. May we all live with ease and well-being, and may we all, without exception, awaken and be free.
Please visit Jan's website, it is well worth the trip!
Jan Lucier, Nurse Educator, Shamanic/Emotional Integration Practitioner