Wednesday, December 31, 2008

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.

10 comments:

  1. and I try new beginnings but it feels like it is all too much pressure! I set so much stall by these new beginnings and then I wake up on New Year's Day and it's a brand new year same old shit....I felt so much more positive in the old year! Help me!

    ReplyDelete
  2. January 1 is only one day - It's a day that
    traditionally, many use to set new goals,
    but is that carved in stone? No - your new
    beginnings can be at any time. Life flows over,one day, one month, one year, into the next. And some new beginnings take a bit of time to get rolling - for instance, a move to a new state or region may take two years of intention and planning, but it can and will happen, and this in spite of adjustments that still need to be worked out. Other beginnings may come much quicker. The important thing is to open your mind, ask, see and envision it
    happening (use your imagination) and then,
    wait for it to happen. It will - just allow it. I would also advise to try to see the "same old" with new eyes; even view it as a situation that is showing you what you don't want, and thus pushing you on to new growth.
    Take baby steps, as they say. It's hard to do
    this and be patient, but it works, for sure. Blessings to you with all your hopes!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Commence 2009!!!

    Conceive, launch, initiate
    The Birth of our start
    That will create, generate
    The begining of the unveiling:
    The ever emerging renewing self.
    Bring it to its glorious origination!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I will begin a whole new life.
    I will birth the life that God intended for me.
    I will start anew.
    I will commence now.
    I will launch whole new initiatives.
    I will emerge from the cocoon of the past in joyful form.
    I will initiate a project of peace and love.
    I will conceive God's will for me.
    I will generate new life in each cell in my bodymind.
    I will create energy.
    I will originate a whole new life.
    I will reveal the attributes of God within me.
    I will unveil my true self.
    I will renew conscious awareness of the true life with each breath.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love that verse, too. And I love focusing on "beginnings" rather on "changes". Every day is a beginning, a new chance for growth and evolution. This year I have new hope for my life and for the world. Peace to you all on this fresh new day.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I recognized myself in the first comment and rejoiced in the communion of this shared inner Christmas.

    The "pressure" comes from force - relying on gathering the willpower rather than softening into the willingness. The focus could be on being willing to be "begin-ed again." or "I am willing to begin again." This way we are aligning with destiny. I am willing for my destiny to find me.

    I begin my teaching practicum on January 7th - so I think my destiny has found me and I may be in for life becoming brighter, harder and richer. I am willing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Another way to look at "beginnings."

    From T.S.Eliot:

    We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.

    Kate, NM

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  8. After a year of living in a solitary state of contemplative reflection I am ready to slowly emerge and claim 2009 as a year of regeneration and origination. I begin by creating a vision for what I am becoming. I see myself stepping out into the world unveiling the I am I. Just how this will manifest I do not know but I am certain that God's plan for me will be revealed when He knows I am ready. SCS

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  9. I will renew.
    I will conceive.
    I will create.
    I will birth.
    I will unveil.
    I will begin...my life as a mother, again.

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

    I begin to sit in silence and be found....

    love, Inge

    ReplyDelete