Appreciate the Dark Night in the New Year

The dark night comes to us all. At some point the darkest night, which I now see will be the lightest, will happen to us all. We will all die. In the meantime, let us live, not expecting anything from the Universe or trying to change It. We can not change the direction that the water will flow. May we live then, expecting nothing, accepting and appreciating what is. May we live without the delusion that things and/or people are supposed to be going in a different direction and that we are the only ones that bear the truth and know the way.

Expecting nothing, accepting what is and appreciating what we have is one way to live with our expiration date in mind. When we realize that we will expire, that the dark night will happen to us all at a time and in a place most of us do not know, we can expect nothing as we only know what we know, and only in part. We can accept this fact and we can appreciate what we have right now more expressly. When we expect nothing, accept what is, and appreciate everything, we allow ourselves access to a more full life as we see our blessings for what they truly are: ours only for a time and to eventually slip away. Nothing is guaranteed or concrete but Truth and that is (in part and in my humble perspective): that there is an hour in which we will become complete light and move from dense to subtle energy. From a lighter perspective filled with knowledge and wisdom about our reality, we see clearer each day that what is before us is special, though temporary, and our presence is required.

So, how might you incorporate this into your new year effort and use it to push you through the smaller dark nights or challenging days ahead? Those will happen. We will have challenges. Staying even keeled, meditative, and contented can happen in tandem too, though. We do not have to ride every roller coaster in the park, do we? Nor do we have to ride the one that made us throw up last time. We can expect nothing, accept what is and choose, which, if any, and for how long by being present with all that each moment reveals, and then step boldly, with gratefulness, forward.

1. Begin by dropping your expectation. What you think you know is only part of the truth.

2. See anew. Accept what you see now. Take stock of what is before you now.

3. Then become grateful for what you see. It is by being grateful that we are allowed access to more of the view. It is through appreciation that we see the importance of this too, him too, her too, and take the time to sit with each for a time to discover some of their why and use the energy of and best of what is to move forward with grace.

See the view from the roller coaster analogy one more time if you would: with no expectations, see that the roller coaster ride has five loops. Accept it. That might be fun or not. Take the time to see what is before you, before you say no or yes, and accept what you see. We can stay even, calm, and okay with what is when we take the time to drop our expectations, accept, and find appreciation for revelation. It is from here that we decipher what is at this time sensible for us, individually and collectively. You are here with your own unique and poignant perspective so take the time to feel your way to it without all the baggage of the past or the loom of the future. Appreciate what is right now.

Let’s make this even more practical. When you struggle to get on your yoga mat or keep an open mind or forgive or finish that project, when you find yourself in the dark night this year for whatever reason, appreciate the struggle by doing this: 

1. Drop your expectations about why you think..., and circumstance, and sit with it.  Literally take a moment to be still and quiet with the feeling that is now surrounding this thing.

2. Ask yourself and be as honest as you can, what do I see before me or inside me that keeps me from wanting to do this thing? What is this presenting right now for me to see? Ask the feeling, why are you here right now? Then listen to yourself and accept what is right now.

3. Appreciate all of it. Really, see it and hold yourself compassionately and unconditionally. Do not hide from yourself. Do not shun or push this away. This information, your self study and revelation, is vital and ripe for your use. Whatever is here for you in this moment, feel all of it; appreciate it as the catalyst for whatever you should choose to do next. Once you have considered these things about yourself and see some of its truth, be grateful for what you see. Move with appreciation no matter how ugly the truth may seem. Though what you see may be ugly, appreciate it for all that it is. There is plenty to be grateful for in the ugly. Coach yourself to see the good in that too. Get good and ugly in your life and expose yourself to all of its adventure. Step by step, see the magic in and around yourself, even though... Remind yourself that things will not always be how they are right now, nor will they always look as we think they should.

But this IS how they look right now. And damn it, YOU CAN get fired up about it. Damn right, YOU CAN do that workout! You can crush it.  Take the energy of appreciation for all of life, good and ugly, to the mat, to the hilt. You ARE going to show up because now is all you have. 

_______________

How morbid to talk about death when we are bringing in the new. But I would argue, how fitting. We are not here in this space, in these bodies or with these things forever. Think about all that has come and gone in 2019, with appreciation, as you can. Appreciate that things are always becoming new and now is all we have. Appreciating the dark night makes all the difference in how well we flow with the precious light of our life.

Happy, healthy, free 2020!  

In appreciation for all that you are,

Courtney

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