A Year of Discovery
By Marlene Buffa
When the clock struck midnight at the end of December
31st, we realized that even though we may not want to move forward into
the New Year, we ran out of the old year. The end of the road. It's
done, it's over, it's gone. When we put the new calendar on the wall,
we begin with January and realize that we have 365 days to again create
the life we choose to live. Instead of mindlessly crossing off each day
as though it were something to endure, this year look at the coming
months as part of a grand adventure. Open each monthly treasure with
eager eyes and be willing to discover the gems of life!
January - Open Doors
Januarius, the Roman god of doors and gates invites up to
step through time into the possibility of living a fully engaged
existence. Our spiritual doors can either swing easily into the unknown
or remain so warped and stuck that life pries them open as they creak
and resist, pushing us reluctantly across the threshold. Providing a
means to enter into the future, January welcomes us to start again,
discover new ideas and possibilities and plan for the future.
February - Heartbeat
Life beats within every living creature, and in February
we honor the rhythm of life. Our hearts celebrate Valentine's Day and
the sharing of the most precious human emotion - love! Over time, the
symbolic heart grew to represent love. The pulse of life which keeps
our bodies alive, also keeps tempo with love. Our hearts may "skip a
beat" when the subject of our affection enters the room, or our hearts
may "sink" when we experience disappointment. When we discover the
passion which fuels our spiritual engines, we know we've met our
heart's desire.
March - Winds of change
Fresh air arrives in a flowing movement, on a current of
ever changing composition. We sense a storm brewing, or smell oncoming
rain. Wind brings with it a cleansing and sweeping away of old ideas
and dusty routines and requires only that we allow it to "blow over"
and experience the freshness of a new experience. Sure a strong breeze
may stir up a bit of dust and confuse things for awhile, but noticing
which of our old habits ceremoniously blew away, we understand how much
better off we are without them. Accepting constant change frees us to
discover an ever changing climate of possibilities.
April - Preparing for growth
Just as the earth begins to prepare for planting crops
with nourishing rain and warming temperatures, April offers us a chance
to experience a downpour of blessings to ready us for new opportunities
for growth. When we understand the storms of life not only serve to
fortify us with revitalizing force, we see that our preparatory lessons
- however harsh in impact - strengthen us to plant the seeds of what we
choose to grow in our lives.
May - Planting ideas
Traditionally in May, we plan for our lessons in the
coming year by planting seeds of inspiration notions of realization. From ideas which root from deep within our souls, to the wandering
vines of far-reaching dreams, we create our future with the small
little requests put into motion by digging deep in fertile soil of
possibility. The Universe then takes over the germinating and sprouting
of our ideas, no matter how big or small. You'll enjoy discovering that
an emphatic intention, deliberately planted in the rich soil of your
connection to the Infinite brings you!
June - Solstice
Like the farmer committed to his crops, June gives us a
solstice of change along with the steadfast yet unseen growth of our
energetic desires. The longest days of the year allow us extra time and
light in which to tend to and grow our ideas. The solstice also
represents a shift from days lengthening to shortening and gently
reminds us that although the rules of nature never change, we can
accept the transition from light to darkness and remain empowered by
the cycle. In the moments of darkness we learn that when we remain
eternally connected to the Infinite, we commit to living an ever
changing life of discovery!
July - Freedom
Trapped in the grid of calendar days and months, the year
stretches out before us as we plan our future. Take a revolutionary
step from what you did this time last year and dare to discover
something new to do. Think beyond what the month offers and in climate
and leisure time, and break free from what Thoreau called "a life of
quiet desperation." In the symbolic month of Freedom, this July dare to
venture into the freedom of your mind, your thoughts and your desires!
August - Movement
Shifting from the summer months to prepare for the
changes in autumn, we often look at August as a bridge between the
vacations we knew as children to the school year ahead. Passing
quickly, August reminds us our work is ahead of us and to amass the
momentum gained from a few months of recreation to a life of creation. We discover that movement brings change as we look toward our goals and
embrace the life lessons necessary to reach even higher.
September - Learning
We begin the harvest time of the year with eagerness to
reap our life's work. After a hearty spring of planting, a summer of
growing, fall's impending harvest gives us a chance to enjoy the
nourishment we deliberately created. In the Autumnal Equinox of our
lives, we reach a balance of work and restful resolve and discover that
the spiritual work we consciously and subconsciously performed benefits
us if we pluck it from its foundation and put it to good use!
October - New ideas
As Christopher Columbus found the new world, we venture
out of our comfort zones in October to seek new ideas and meaning. Fat
with the abundance of soulful crops, we are full-bellied with spirit
and able to allow ourselves the luxury of imagining a greater life. Halloween invites us to put on a face of someone else, even for one
night, to aspire to be something different, or perhaps even better than
we perceive ourselves to be. Discover something new about yourself
every day!
November - Gratitude
Giving thanks for all that we are, all we do, and all
that we have keeps the laws of physics and energy in motion. Even when
circumstances appear dire, gratitude finds a way to peek through and
remind us that a lesson dwells deep inside the well of uncertainty. Amidst a feast of gratitude our life works. Discovering a morsel of
positive thought brings about a cornucopia of daily blessings.
December - Rejuvenation
Winding down the calendar year, the Winter Solstice
shifts the planet from shorter to longer days. Our harvest long-since
stored for use in the coming winter months, December offers time for
rest and reflection. Our spirits celebrate the much anticipated lighter
days while using the darkness to turn within and rebuild our souls. Take the time to discover all the ways you move from darkness to light,
and from storing your good to gladly sharing it with the world.
As long as people attempted to capture time in a calendar, restrictions on timepieces, measurement and ceremony moved into our consciousness. Cultures created rules about when a ritual is performed, when crops get planted, and even when to celebrate and when to relax. As you flip through the man-made calendar, know that you alone hold the key to discovering how you will live in the coming days, weeks and months. It's your life! Live it well and cherish every minute.
Marlene Buffa
Taking a quiet sideways glance at life, Marlene offers
insight through her words from experiences. . A student of new-thought
teachings, Marlene finds practical spirituality around every corner and
seeks wisdom through observation of life's inter-relationships. Sometimes playful, sometimes poignant, always thought-provoking, her
writing inspires readers in meaningful ways
https://www.WordsOfMind.com.