Friday, December 28, 2012

Meditate on This


About this time last year I blogged about my version of the New Year’s resolution. I don’t make promises to myself that I’m not likely to keep. Instead, I choose a phrase or a sentence or two that I’ll meditate on for the upcoming year. That’s right, a whole year.

Sometimes I sit in formal meditation and focus on the Saying of the Year. Other times, I just let it float in the background of my life to see what happens.

My Saying of the Year for 2012 was an Eckhart Tolle quote: “You do not live life; life lives you. Life is the dancer. You are the dance.” Those sentences have shimmied in and out of my conscious thoughts for a solid twelve months now, and they have changed my perspective on the world. That’s what the Saying of the Year is for, and it has never failed to live up to that expectation.

Every year, I’ve waited – patiently or not – for the handful of words that will fulfill this purpose. I have found that I can’t just pick a quote that appeals to me. The Saying has to make itself known, has to come to me. The pearl may be found but it cannot be sought, as they say.

This year, however, is different. The little voice, the one in the back of my head that prods me every now and then to keep me on track, says I need to open myself up a bit. Instead of just asking the universe for my Saying of the Year, I need to ask you, my readers.

Yes, you.

So here’s my request: Please share with me, either in the comments on this blog or on my Facebook page, a quote or saying that has meaning to you, and that you think may work for my Saying of the Year. It can even be a cliché; I’ve had remarkable results meditating on clichés. Feel free to express how the saying has affected your thoughts and what meaning it has for you.

I can’t say how I’ll choose the right one. I may use one of those online random generators to pick a comment, but more likely I’ll go old-school: write them out on paper and have my husband or daughter draw one out of a hat. And I’ll be sure to let you know which one I choose, however I do it. I'll be making the choice late in the day on New Year's Eve, so you have a little time to think about your recommendation.

Please consider this your invitation to pick out a Saying of the Year for yourself as well. You don’t have to practice formal meditation, though I’ve found it to be a helpful addition to my life. Just letting those words float around in your mindspace for an extended period can create wonders.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments, and I wish you all a wondrous, joyful New Year!