As we enter 2021, it was important for me to reflect back on 2020, a year when we had our routines and lives turned upside down. I have been journaling regularly now for over 20 years, and have a large storage container of journals I have kept over those years. I have two journals from 2020, the last of these two is a pink Moleskin, which is a testament of my inner journey from June to now. They have been a document of the transformative process of simply writing each day of what is arising in my daily life, mind and emotions. The process is a spiritual practice, of honouring my life and purpose, which for me is to evolve and grow into my human and spiritual potential.
My yoga teacher encouraged me to write daily, a practice she said was essential as a precursor to meditation, a practical way to clear the mind, so it can rest in stillness and silence. Reflecting daily on what has happened you begin to develop an observer mind, detaching from the events so you can see clearly, and take responsibility. If you procrastinated all day, avoiding your commitments, you can decide that it will be different tomorrow. You can then take action, moving you closer to your ideals. Each day you will take a small step forward on your journey toward your potential until one day you will have arrived!
When you use the challenges of your daily life to grow and change, and do something positive to meet the challenge, you are on the journey of hero, moving through the initiatory steps of transmutation.
My own journals reflect my evolving ideals. One is being of service to the world through my business Enlightened Learning. Reflecting helps me to move through the obstacles I encounter of limiting beliefs, difficult emotions and past hurst and wounds that keep me stuck in my past, creating my world today. I look back and opened my pink journal to August 1, 2020:
I feel anger this morning around early lawn mowing by a neighbour. I also notice gastro-intestinal discomfort and place my attention there observing. Is this the unexpressed emotions of irritation, judgement, anger held in my abdomen? The energy in this part of my being feels heavy, and I sense it is grief as I and my world processes the current events that have so radically changed our lives. Grief is a process like an upgrade where I will gain new insights into myself, like the viral DNA, which in certain scientific circles (Terrain Theory) is upgrading my genome, to protect me in the future.
What is my role as part of this upgrade on the planet? To keep my attention focussed on the Light of my Awareness so I can be truly present with another and to hold the Light to assist in the birthing of a Higher Consciousness in the world as a Light Warrior.
My reflections are the necessary action, the act of distilling, helping me to see what is instead of what I don’t want to see or imagine to be, projecting it out on people and the world. I am then resisting what is, and creating my own pain, leaving me powerless. The act of writing and reflecting is like taking a tightly wound up ball of thread and loosening it up so I can see what is really there, and then consciously, with awareness, creating a beautiful tapestry. I then can see the necessary action, responding with awareness and compassion, fulfilling my highest ideal.
Practice
Reflect on: What have you accomplished this past year? What is left undone? Choose 2-3 things you want to deal with. Remember to keep this simple, so you can ensure success. Ask: how can I go about implementing them?