January~Birthing Anew

The beginning is the most important part of the work.

~Plato

So here we are standing at the beginning--the birth of a new year--the calendric

beginning of another trip around the sun--the opportunity to ride the wonder wheel of the energies of a nascent era.

Birth--tender, fragile, miraculous. As a gardener with tiny seedlings knows; as a parent with a newborn knows; as a creative at the beginning of a project knows; the beginning requires attention, intention, awareness, dedication; in other words, tender loving care and nurturing.

Of course, the first step is to clarify and choose--to get clear and choose what we will give our attention, intention, awareness and dedication.

Clarify Your Aspiration

To clarify your aspiration means knowing exactly what it is that your spiritual life aspires to, not as a future goal but in each moment. In other words, what do you value most in your life—not in the sense of moral values, but in the sense of what is most important to you. Contemplate this question. Do not assume that you know what your highest aspiration is, or even what is most important to you. Dig deep within, contemplate, and meditate on what the spiritual quest is about for you: don’t let anyone else define your aspiration for you. Look within until you find, with complete clarity what you aspire to.

~Adyashanti, The Way of Liberation

What pieces of beauty, truth and goodness will you choose to give your tender loving care to this coming year?