resolutions

As the year came to a close, I noticed my mind kicking into gear, developing all sorts of resolutions. We often jump when we have the chance to be the initiators of change, but often these intentions cannot be withheld because they involve elements of harshness, restraint, and control; elements which serve ego and deny spirit.  So where do I want my intentions for 2016 to lead me? Below are my focal points for the coming year; less about becoming something and more about refining practices for that which I value:

Practice presence.  What does this mean for me?  To exercise a deep level of listening, both to myself and others.  To recognize that where I am is exactly where I should be and the people with whom I surround myself with are the most valuable at the moment. Presence, for me means to not only listen acutely, but to take action on what I believe to be true at the moment.  Presence means to forgive myself and others.  To choose to let go of things which keep me away from the moment, and to find value in what is currently presenting itself.

Connect.  What is my responsibility in serving others?  Life already has many elements of suffering and why create more divisions than are necessary?  How can I help support others with whom I come in contact with?  For me this includes being impeccable with my words, my actions, and my thoughts.  For me it means to show up to my relationships with honesty and to speak my truth, to seek out opportunities to help.

Transparency.  The greatest luminaries for me, are those who dare to speak of their humanness; by being more vulnerable, they are therefore more powerful.  I am human.  You are too. We have moments when we feel centered, and then there are moments when we lose perspective and step into patterns which don’t serve ourselves or our relationships.  Rather than working with an image that is not really reality, my intention is to find a deeper level of honesty with myself, sit with what is, and practice the work of living with greater transparency.