Newsletter: Begin Again

Happy New Year!

The holidays took me on some inner and outer adventures and I had to skip the December newsletter. I definitely felt the need to go inward for another layer of metamorphosis. I wanted to get clearer on where my power was being diminished, so that I could gather the force needed to welcome a more creative and authentic 2019.

I felt the call to Begin Again with more self love. I am working on developing a deeper awareness of my old hurts so that I can resolve painful patterns. This is something I have been whittling away at for years, like a sculptor patiently discovering the masterpiece within.

We are all off to a new start and a new year, and with it comes possibility and opportunity for some big shifts. What has shifted for you? Last year churned things up to the surface so that we could get more comfortable in chaos and the unknown. What a great way to practice the art of yoga!

As with any form of art, it’s important not to be rigid or caught up in the order of everything if we want to create. However, without structure we can lack the skills to put our work into action. So how do we find the balance as we move into a new year?

This is where the difference between ritual and routine comes in. If we get stuck in routines without questioning our motivation, our fear voices may subconsciously be running the show. When that happens, our choices are diminished and we can feel stuck. When we welcome ritual (structure) and explore our actions with curiosity, we welcome expansion.

This year is, perhaps, an opportunity to master some old patterns. A potent time in which we are being asked to welcome another unveiling of creative energy to support our work here on planet earth.

With endings come new beginnings. But saying goodbye to the year can also bring up melancholy, sadness, and even grief for what did not come into fruition. We set our intentions, showed up and did the work, but oftentimes we found that the outcome was very different than what we envisioned.

This is why, as Yogis, we practice Abhyasa and Vairagya – practice and unattach from the outcome. It is different than detaching from the sensations that rise in discomfort, it’s having the presence to allow the feelings to move through us without attaching to the story that those feelings can bring up. It can feel counterintuitive to let go of a narrative that we have held so tightly, but we must remember that the discomfort is just a gentle reminder that when we cling, we suffer. When we attach, we can get stuck in a loop of constant seeking without settling into the space of simply being.

So, as we all Begin Again, may we honor the space in-between and bring forth the courage we need to renew and reset. And as we say goodbye to the past year to welcome the new, it’s important to remember that we are not starting from scratch. We bring the wisdom of living through loss and heartache as well as joy and resilience, so that we can show up with more presence to be our most authentic Self.

You are a masterpiece, trust in yourself, in the unveiling of life, and may this be a rich year to deepen into the essence of your being.

xo Mia