Resolve To Focus On Joy In The New Year-Commit To Community-Twist Away The Old!
- rockbriarfarm
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Over the past several years, I have explored the eight limbs of yoga at the beginning of each year. I plan to do a version of that this year, but in a less formalized way.
My feelings about New Year's resolutions are ambivalent. While I admire commitment to positive change, I also believe in living one’s life with a bit of flexibility built in. New Years resolutions tend to be rigid and unwavering, thus setting oneself up for failure and the ensuing negative feelings about us.
Over the past weeks we have been focusing in our practice on inner peace and finding joy in the small things. For me this has been a challenging time, however, I have been feeling rejuvenated in recent days and believe that my meditative focus on these goals has been helpful. I feel healthier! My New Year’s goal (not resolution!) is going to be to continue focusing on more focused meditation, my breath, and working activities into every day which bring me joy. Instead of vowing to run a marathon (certainly a worthy goal), perhaps add the goal to take a walk or short run into your day. If you love to read but have been neglecting it because you are "too busy", set a goal for 20 minutes. Perhaps a knitting session or baking a loaf of bread will spark happiness. Act on that “wish list” item that you set aside every year. For me, I am hoping this year will find me taking a ballet class (a prior passion) and learning to swim (really swim, not just staying afloat). Let's embrace all the joy we can; give yourself permission!
In addition, I always advocate starting the new year with a renewed commitment to the greater good. Again, rather than over committing, perhaps think of something that you believe in and a way to support it. Perhaps give a few hours per month to your local soup kitchen, or to volunteer for a cleanup of a local park. There are so many opportunities out there to do small things that collectively do so much good. Doing these generous small things can provide us with feelings of well-being in addition to helping our community.
I like to say if I learn one small new thing every day, it is a good day. As we enter 2026, I will keep that sentiment and suggest we also approach each day with kindness to ourselves and others and find one small joy each day as well!
Our Physical Practice - Twisting Away The Old
In addition to being extremely beneficial for alleviating back pain, improving range of motion and overall flexibility, twisting postures also symbolize a wringing out (of the old, of toxins, of badness) and allowing the new (fresh oxygen, breath, joy) in. Some yoga practitioners believe that twisting postures actually “wrings out” toxins from your organs and stimulate circulation. I like the symbolism of twisting or wringing bad things out and getting things healthfully flowing. So let's twist out anything negative from 2025 and charge into the year of the horse with joy!
Meditation – Blessings and Focus For a New Year
“Adere to: faith, unity and sacrifice. Avoid: backbiting, falsehood and crookedness. Admire: frankness, honesty, and large-heartedness. Control: Tongue, temper and tossing of the mind. Cultivate: cosmic love, forgiveness, and patience. Hate: lust, anger and pride” - Swami Sivananda, Indian Spiritual Leader
A Blessing for the New Year - JOHN O’DONOHUE
On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.
And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The grey window
And the ghost of loss
Gets in to you,
May a flock of colours,
Indigo, red, green,
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
In the currach of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.
Nurturing With Food – New Years Black Eyed Peas and Greens Soup
I repeat this recipe every new year and just finished this year's batch up last night! I love legumes and greens combined and black eye peas are considered good luck in some regions and cultures and are eaten on New Years Day. Although we are already a few days into January, eating this "lucky" and healthy combination of healthy and delicous foods can bring us luck at any time. Great for these cold winter days!
See you on the mat!
Namaste,
Julia Anne
Comments