January 1 - The Eighth Holy Night - The Need for Beginnings

The day begins, the year begins, life begins, love begins ... everything begins.

The Holy Nights ask us to dwell in the mood of beginnings - between Nativity and Epiphany - the birth of the beginning and the revelation of the beginning. Both a birth and a revelation can be planned or can surprise us.

Our souls long for both beginnings - the births and revelations of our own self. Some new part of our soul is born. Some new aspect of our soul is revealed. By plan or by surprise.

Both gifts, the planned, and miracles, the surprises, live in the mystery of newness and beginning.

Here are a few verbs that indicate beginnings:

begin
birth
start
commence
launch
emerge
initiate
conceive
generate
create
originate
reveal
unveil
renew

Can you define or distinguish each of these beginning gestures? How does your soul feel about each word? To what degree does your will demonstrate each verb? Do you begin with tremendous force or gentle quiet subtlety? We each have our own way and energy for beginning. Do you like beginning alone? Do you need the support of others to initiate a new thought, feeling or activity?


On New Year’s work with these verbs and the possibilities for your 2009. Write down 1-100 sentences using verbs from the list:

I will conceive_______________.

I will unveil_______________.

I will emerge________________.

and so on.

Have fun. Risk. Be profound. Be gentle. Be fierce. Put your heart into each statement. Amaze yourself.

Do any of the sentences make you feel agitated? Can you calm yourself and see if the possibility causes sweet arousal in your soul?

Think of new beginnings in your thinking soul, in your feeling soul and in your willing soul. Don’t think of change. Change feels like it requires hard effort, rather than soft engagement. Beginnings come from soft will. Think of willingness, rather than will power.

After spending time with these verbs and the image of soft will, reflect back on the beginnings of the past. Think of firsts - you will probably smile when you recall firsts, even the firsts that were painful. If you don’t smile, than you need to go back to last night’s work on grief. Grieving relieves pain and brings bittersweet compassion. There is always a smile in the bittersweet.

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Here I offer my favorite verse by Rudolf Steiner. It's all about beginnings.

The soul’s questing is quickening.
The will’s deed is waxing.
And Life’s fruits grow ripe.

I feel my destiny.
My destiny finds me.
I feel my star.
My star finds me.
I feel my goals.
My goals find me.

My soul and the world are but one.

Life becomes brighter about me.
Life becomes harder for me.
Life becomes richer within me.

Let me share some thought on how this verse relates to beginnings in your soul.

Beginnings are quests. Quickening is the first sense of fetal movement in the mother’s womb. What soul quest is quickening in your soul for 2009?

The waxing moon is the growing moon on its way to fullness. What is emerging in your life that will bring fullness to your soul?

What you feel is what you birth. What finds you is revelation.

Beginnings bring brightness, intensity and expansion to your soul.

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Journey forward into 2009 with blessed beginnings.