Happy New Year!
Many of us have felt a breath of fresh air as the great wheel turns once more and we begin another Gregorian New Year. Hoping everyone got the reprieve they needed from the holidays and got to spend at least a little time with family and friends.
However, that goes to say that we are still in Winter. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we are smack dab in the middle of it. As we speak of the wisdom of plants - they store their energy in their roots in the winter, shriveling up their nutrient absorbing faculties from their leaves/flowers. If we take this wisdom, that gives us the opportunity to reflect deep within us and examine what we find at our roots. Is it empty with broken promises? Are the dreams we planned the year before hollow?
As we move forward into 2017, think of the past experiences we have gained in 2016. How have we learned, grown, and tended the growth of what has happened to us? There is a difference in keeping repeating lessons, and having the opportunity to integrate the lessons we have learned. If we look at the theme of this month, we examine the notion of "flexible perseverance". There is a balance to be had between aggression, stubbornness, and perseverance. If we fixate on a goal, aggression can be a wonderful tool - and we can achieve the goal with more force then if we were to amble about and take things a step at a time. Taken in a positive outlet, that aggression can turn into perseverance. Take it too far, and it warps into stubbornness - where our ego gets involved and we tend to lose sight of the bigger picture because of our unwillingness to let go.
Winter is the perfect time to examine our motivations and what is at our core. This is why there is a special event called the Winter Dreaming Ceremony. Explore all of these and more. Natalie Orozoco will be the ceremony lead and I will be the sacred fire tender, working as the bridge to our ancestors. Two other gifted practitioners will be joining us with yoga and a cacao offering. It is an overnight retreat that allows us to turn the tables on what we hold to be true. Join us in sacred ceremony January 28th - 29th in Potomac, Md to explore these and more.
Wishing you and your family many blessings as we enter this fast and exciting New Year!
|