Do you celebrate Christmas?
Yes? Well, in that case, Merry Christmas!
No? Well, in that case, Happy Holidays!
And, in all cases, may you enjoy this potent time of year where the light begins to penetrate the darkness (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) as we cycle in to a New Year filled with the possibility of anything.
Will Duncan did a three part (actually the first three parts of what hopes to become a 21 or 24, I can't remember, part) talk this December, and I was lucky enough to attend them. In these first three talks Will discussed The Spiritual Path. They were chock full of information, and in many ways overwhelming, but, ultimately, beautiful and offered, not only a lot for me to consider, but many immediate tools to use to, essentially, be the best version of my Self.
Throughout the talks Will described a number of Spiritual Paths and in the second day he looked at the consistencies he observed across all different Paths.
The one that struck me most, and that I feel I have been lacking throughout this Practice, is Reverence. And, oddly (or maybe beautifully), a few weeks ago, when I felt like I was dragging myself through "the dread" to the mat every. single. day. I had reflected that I needed to bring something more to the mat, and the word reverence popped up.
I had this moment of clarity, but, I can't say I entirely succeeded in applying it. Although I did take a step to get there––getting on an early schedule again, doing my practice when the household is quiet and the trials and tribulations of the day have yet to creep into my awareness––it wasn't until this talk with Will that I felt a fire in my belly to truly revere this Practice.
I continue to have a lot of work to do, to bring the respect and honour this Practice deserves into my own practice. And often I find myself encountering fear. Afraid to revere this Practice in fear of the power it holds. The changes it can and will create. But I have this little fire in my belly. A fire ready to grow and burn brighter... Should I choose to allow it.
