Happy New Year!
The days are ever so slowly growing longer and we have a few months to incubate what will grow in the coming year. I savored the space to sleep in over the holidays and have many vibrant dreams helping me to focus my intentions for the year.
In 2023 I invite you to join me in exploring how you can make a difference.
Frequently my qigong teacher Master Chunyi Lin reminds his students (indirectly including YOU), that you and your love are making an important difference at this chaotic time. Were it not for your love, things could be so much worse.
Looking ahead to 2023, resist the temptation to wonder how bad it could get. Instead, I invite you to lean into your radical trust that the love pouring through your heart makes a difference.
Just yesterday, I was on the edge of a migraine headache. (I had overdone it on a fun but challenging winter mountain biking adventure.) As a child, headaches would be completely debilitating for at least half a day. I wish I could say that they never happen anymore. I do get out of balance and they can storm through. But the headaches are so much less frequent, less intense, and faster. Yesterday I managed to skirt around it. All the things I know how to do to bring myself into balance really do help!
Using what we know about bringing balance and harmony to a situation helps with any other challenge as well. Colds, chemotherapy, family conflicts, riots – they all happen but they can be less intense and frequent.
I have spent my life exploring how we can have a healing impact on each other and the world. We all have the innate capacity to be healers, people who help others feel better.
This power to heal does not come from doing more and being busier. Most of us need to be eliminating things from our calendars, not adding. The power to heal comes from being filled up with pure love and letting that love radiate through you.
Letting yourself be filled up ever more deeply with unconditional love is the most profound way you can make a positive impact this year.
As you make plans for the year to come, I encourage you to include those that fill and expand your heart.
Through Wisdom Dances these are two ways you can explore this theme.
Traditional women’s ritual dances – There is nothing like moving in community to connect with your body and heart. I draw on Laura Shannon’s research to unlock the healing and transformative power of these dances. An integral part of this dance circle are seasonal celebrations to bless the Earth and our community. The Winter Water Blessings is this Friday (see below).
Spring Forest Qigong – This is a simple, powerful, and grounded practice for cultivating balance and healing. By learning how to work with the elements, yin and yang, and universal energies you can cultivate health, longevity, and spiritual awakening. You can watch some free practices on YouTube, visit one of my practice groups, or take a deep nourishing dive in one of the Spring Forest Qigong trainings. I will be a part of teaching Levels One, Two, and Three this year!
We need your love! (Which got me thinking about this playful Pentatonix video.)
It will be a blessing whenever our paths cross in 2023.
Love and joy.
emily
Winter Water Blessing – Blessing the Source of Life for the New Year
Friday, January 6, 7 PM, Crosby Farm Park, St. Paul – FREE
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. No experience necessary. Please dress for the weather.
