Meditation for a New Year

Before the New Year kicks off, it's important to recognize the strength that we've all shown by making it through 2020. We experienced challenges and stressors that were unlike any we'd faced before as a global people, and many of us realized for the first time and in such a meaningful manner the deep value that our social support systems actually played in our lives. We faced isolation, disconnection, anxiety, fear, and scarcity of basic resources. Many of us are still grieving losses, reeling from economic hardship, looking for meaning, and hoping that the new year will bring us a sense of relief and a new lease on life.

I think it's time to release the negative energy and feelings that just weigh us down that may be lingering from the past year and look to the new year with optimism and positive feelings. Let's set an intention for the coming year that will help us keep our thoughts and actions on track as we focus on resilience and support—of ourselves and others.

So, let's bring our attention to this moment. Now, let's all take a moment and just let the dust of the day, the season, and the year settle. Relax into your chair, letting the weight and the worries of the moment just fall away.

Take a slow deep breath, in through your nose, filling your lungs, and expanding your chest and belly. Now let your breath slowly escape through your mouth. Breathing out stress. Feel the muscles in your forehead, your face, and the back of your neck relax as you exhale. Letting the thoughts drop away.

Now take another slow, deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs, expanding your chest and belly. As you exhale slowly through your mouth, let the muscles in your throat, your chest, your shoulders, your arms and your hands relax, letting go of any tension. Settling in.

Take another slow, deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs, expanding your chest and belly. As you let it slowly escape through your mouth, allow your back, from your shoulder blades all the way down through your lower back and your hips, relax and settle in as you exhale. Letting go of tension.

Now, take a fourth slow deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs, expanding your chest and belly. As you slowly exhale through your mouth, feel your legs relax from your hips down to your knees and down to your ankles and now to the bottoms of your feet.

Take one final slow deep breath in, filling your lungs, expanding your chest and belly. Now, as you slowly exhale through your mouth, let go of any remaining tension anywhere in your body, breathing it out. Feel your feet firmly planted on the ground. Feeling grounded.

Mentally determine your intention for the coming year—what do you want to nurture? To invite into your life? To experience? To offer to others? Imagine that you are writing your intention into your heart and your DNA.

Now, let your breathing return to its normal rhythm, staying relaxed, staying grounded. You feel relaxed and ready to handle any stressors that might arise over the coming days and weeks as we move into the new year.

Now, slowly open your eyes and bring your attention back to the room where you are. Feeling relaxed and ready to face the holiday season—calm and relaxed and eager to welcome the new year and the opportunities for personal growth and development it will bring. Now, let the new year begin.