Happy New Year! January always feels like a fresh beginning to me. I spend a little time setting goals for things I’d like to do in the coming year. But more importantly, I find myself thinking about how I want to be in the coming year.
This year one of my guiding images is the surfer Mike Parsons surfing a 64 foot wave at Jaws Beach in Hawaii. There’s a 2 minute YouTube video of him zooming down an incredibly steep slope of water. The wave breaks over him at some points. Even though he gets obscured by the clouds of white foam he emerges out of them. There’s zippy guitar music in the background, too. (Maybe the soundtrack for my year?)
Here’s why I think this could be a useful image for all of us.
Catching the Wave
Giant waves can destroy whole cities. But our surfer friend is riding the crest of the wave, staying centered and balanced. Whenever I watch surfers I’m always impressed by their ability to sense a wave before it arises, their ability to anticipate how it unfolds and ride along it’s slope. They have to be deeply in tune to its movement and they are moving with it. What a ride!
In our world today, perhaps you’ve noticed that the surf’s up? It feels like we are in the midst of huge waves of history crashing into each other. What if we felt confident in our ability to listen for the love that is persistently working to emerge? What if we felt strong in our ability to sense these waves of healing in our community and to ride them out?
Riding the Imagination
Living by a small freshwater lake, it’s hard for me to imagine a 64 foot wave. That’s more than a six story building. So much water. Water. The source of life. The world of dreams and imagination. This creative realm symbolized by water will be essential for us in the year to come. Logic and old ways of thinking will not be enough to solve our problems. We will need the inspiration and creativity from the imaginal realm. We will need people who can understand and speak the language of soul. I love the enormity of the wave that Mike Parsons surfs. We can tap into even larger waves in the metaphorical sea of the collective unconscious.
Strength
Another thing I noticed when I briefly got sucked down a rabbit hole of surfing videos: these dudes are buff. Maybe because I have issues with my shoulders, I cannot help but be impressed by their upper body strength. When they inevitably have their wipe-outs, they know how to survive having enormous waves crashing over them. They need this strength as much as they need to know how to listen to the waves. Our health and physical strength help us be able to do deeper imaginal work.
Whatever practices you have to bring yourself into balance and connect with the wisdom of your soul, do them! “There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth,†as Rumi wrote. If I can support you in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
With big love,
emily
New Year Blessing with Qigong
Begin your year by participating in a global blessing for the planet. Healing Waters Qigong is hosting two special practice groups to synch up with the 7-day blessing hosted by Spring Forest Qigong.
Sunday, January 5, 2020, 6:00-7:30 at Lake Hiawatha Park
Friday, January 10, 2010, 6:00-7:30 at Lake Nokomis Community Center
Practice group is from 6-7, suggested donation for practice group is $5-10 Free global healing meditation 7-7:30.
Winter Water Blessing
Bless the New Year by blessing the water that is the source of all life. Learn more about the ancient European custom of blessing the water at the New Year, a tradition that continues as an Epiphany Day celebration across Eastern Europe. We bless the water, and ask the water to carry our blessing to all of life, bringing healing and joy in our world. Join us in water blessing songs and dances and there will be very brief sharing. No experience necessary. Please dress for the weather. If possible, please bring a candle lantern. FREE. Thursday, January 16, 2020, 6:30 p.m. More information
