I have been a big person my whole life. The idea of New Year's Resolutions (NYR) have always meant something about dieting or weight loss to me - at least on some level. As a pagan, I need to think about the idea of resolutions differently and this is hard in our weight and appearance obsessed society.
A friend of mine has declared her NYRs to be about getting back in control of her life. She wants to be more disciplined. She wants to get up early every morning to do ritual and make sure there is time in her life every day for prayer and magick. Now that is a NYR I can sink my teeth into.
I have another friend who is that disciplined already. She is up at 5 am every morning to do her ritual and prayers. I want to BE her when I grow up. I think she is a fine example of someone who is committed to her faith and the practice of her faith and is willing to put her money where her mouth is, so to speak.
A good NYR should be about self evaluation. As pagans, we must make our own time to self-evaluate and determine what we are doing that we should stop and what we aren't doing that we should start. Each person is their own High Priest/ess. There is no one who has authority to tell you that you MUST do X, Y, or Z in order to be right with the Divine. The responsibility lies entirely with you. This means that you have no one to blame but yourself when you are not meeting the need.
Does this mean that I don't go to my coven mates to discuss sticky issues? Does this mean that I don't listen to the well intentioned advice offered by my elders when they see I might be screwing up? Oh, heck no! I pay attention. I take notes. I write it down. I suggest you do the same.
This is also a great time of year to get out the new calendar and write down all the Sabbats and Esbats and who is doing what in the coven. We take turns in our coven hosting the various holidays and full moons. We plan a few group fun activities for the coming year. We try to do a retreat in early summer that is usually camping (via hotel, of course!). We make plans to do things together as a coven - a spiritual group. How is this not a NYR? I think, in an important way, it is.
Either way, I'm talking about taking a look at what is going on in your spiritual life, who you spend your time with, and setting some goals. There can be only good in that.
Comments
I think my NYR will be to meditate everyday, if only for a few minutes. When you let the stress of day to day life build up, your health goes south. Meditation, for me at least, is a way to let go of the stress. It is kind of like an extended grounding and centering.
My nyr is to not only get myself practicing more, but to really start teaching my daughter about the craft and getting her more involved as well.
I think my NYR will be to meditate everyday, if only for a few minutes. When you let the stress of day to day life build up, your health goes south. Meditation, for me at least, is a way to let go of the stress. It is kind of like an extended grounding and centering.
I think my NYR will be to meditate everyday, if only for a few minutes. When you let the stress of day to day life build up, your health goes south. Meditation, for me at least, is a way to let go of the stress. It is kind of like an extended grounding and centering.
Is everyone else seeing my comment 3 times? I only hit send the once.
Yep, seeing it three times. No biggie! LOL!
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