In a span of weeks we move from the pressures of consumerism and magic memory making to new year new you. It is easy to move from event to event, day to day, week to month without pausing for reflection. But for integration, growth and change to happen in our lives, we need spaces of pause, contemplation, even discomfort.
The holiday season can be an intense time. Often there are extra events, gatherings and demands on our time. We carry memories of celebrations past that impact our expectations and experiences of the present. Consider:
What was most lifegiving about your holiday celebrations?
What was disappointing or grievous?
What do you want to hold onto from the past month?
While the truth is that at any moment we can choose to make a fresh start, the turn of the calendar provides a natural opportunity for taking stock. In my work as a spiritual director, the image of the threshold has been very helpful for navigating changes and transitions.
There are many kinds of threshold moments-- small transitions within each day: moving from work to home, from sleep to waking; rhythms of time: moving from weekday to weekend, from sabbath to work; celebrations and seasons also offer us thresholds-- the space between two things.
As you cross the threshold into a new year, consider:
What word or phrase describes the year you lived in 2023?
What accomplishments or delights stand out?
What are you hopeful for in 2024?
What rhythm, habit or practice would you like to incorporate into your life in 2024?
Is there a word or phrase you can take with you to focus your hope for the year to come?
If these questions are helpful for you, I’d love to hear how.
If things are stirring that you would like to process in a soul care conversation, you can schedule a session here.
A Blessing for the Threshold of a New Year
May the passing of time be a gift
a treasure
May the change of the calendar be an invitation
an opportunity
May the small spaces between be a breath
lifegiving
And may each threshold create space
for your soul to be
You may also appreciate this reflection from last year that invites reflection on the liturgical season of Epiphany.
Thanks for the visual of a threshold. Perfect!