Written by Leo Babauta
As we enter the last month of the year, it’s a dark and quiet season for many of us.
It’s the perfect time for reflection.
I like to use the month of December for deep reflection, and in my Fearless Living Academy, I like to use what I call the “Sacred Bow” (which means “bowing in honor of the past year”) The ceremony is held every year. In this ritual you will:
Spend time reflecting on what we accomplished, experienced, and learned over the past year Identify what goals and projects we missed and what we can learn from them Imagine the next year with goals and intentions. Make those intentions a reality.
Please join us at Fearless Living Academy and be a part of this sacred bow process.
In this article, I’ll share some additional ways to deepen your reflection in December.
think about life and meaning
Life passes by very quickly. With each passing day, it feels like the river is rushing faster, and you barely have time to notice that the water will pass by before it runs out.
Taking time for quiet and quiet means you can take time to reflect on your life. About my life, about other people’s lives. About what it means, or what I want it to mean.
What have I learned over the years to make life more meaningful to me?
What I’m finding here these days is a sense of the sacredness and depth of each moment. We are often so focused on getting things done, dealing with the situation at hand, or being distracted that we don’t notice. . As you slowly enter the stillness, its depth and sacredness become more familiar to you.
Reflect on your practice and growth
I think the end of the year is an important time to look back on your life so far. Am I becoming more mindful, practicing with anxiety and fear, learning to be more aware of my patterns as they emerge?
This is a journey of continuous growth and it is very important to take time to reflect on it regularly.
What are you practicing these days? What are you learning from that practice? What kind of growth do you feel?
Thinking about darkness, silence, and death
December is a great month to slow down and think about three things.
Darkness: Where I live now (Northern California), December is the darkest month of the year. When we moved here from Guam we found it depressing. And that continued for many years after I moved…until recent years when I decided to start examining my relationship with darkness. It’s been a deep reflection for me, and I’m starting to open up to the beauty and wonder of the darkness both outside and inside me. Silence: It’s also a month where things feel frozen, and I’m learning to accept that too. I’m a person who likes to move quickly, but there’s a lot of wisdom in silence. You have to practice going against your default tendencies. Sitting outside in the stillness and noticing what emerges in that stillness is a practice I resist and love. Death: As a society, we tend to fear death. That’s understandable. But winter is death that opens space for new life, and I accept it as an affirmation of life. I think back to the loved ones I lost and how much they still mean to me. I reflect on my death and accept it to some extent.
Do any of these topics resonate with you?
As we approach the end of the year, we recommend that you take some time to think carefully.
Once again, if you would like to participate in the Sacred Bow Ceremony, please join us at Fearless Living Academy.
