Bernd’s weekly blog No.5 : The Power of Beginnings

So, here we go. 2023 is coming to a close. In a very brief time, maybe even already by the time you are reading this, the curtains will once again shut on a year in the life of Planet Earth, a year in the life of humanity.

I’ve really been in two minds about this whole thing my whole life. On the one hand, these dates are so manufactured. I tend to not be so into manufactured things as something worth getting deep and excited about, merely as tools (take, for example, this laptop I am typing these words on! Great, useful tool, but certainly not something that’s going to bring me ecstatic flights of eternal joy…), and the idea of a number divorced from nature, just purely human-made, does not on the surface seem so worthy of taking note of.

However, on the other hand! Now there’s the thing… you see, symbolism and opportunity for celebration and a fresh start? This I can get behind! The force of the entire human race, the energy behind it, has decreed that this is a big ending and a new beginning just on the other side, and we can actually ride this wave of energy and find a lot of good in it.

This is emblematic of the constant duality in our own life, something the yogis of old have talked about for thousands of years. On the one side of it all, there is pure reality. Vast and open, brilliant and wild, and nothing to do with our small (in comparison at least) human hopes and fears. On the other side, we have those human hopes and fears, constant changes, material reality in all its myriad forms. And the interesting thing here is that we can’t just live in one or the other. The yogi’s journey is one of constant connection to the numinous truth of ultimate reality, or at least seeking to connect, and yet also one of bringing all the possible depth found in that search into one’s daily life.

Where does this bring these little ramblings? My suggestion, of course!

Do something that connects you to deeper reality, as soon as you can. If you are reading this, prior to NYE, otherwise simply at the earliest opportunity. This could involve a full session of yogic/meditative practise, or simply sitting with a sunset (minus phone or conversation or other distraction) or other nature experience. This is your part of taking a little time to at least make a small connection to the depths underneath all of our daily life concerns. Do it well, and really dive into it. Do it with the intention of emptying yourself of all that makes up your usual, day to day, experience. Empty out your worries, stresses, plans, and all the rest of “you,” simply leaping into whatever you can that brings you a feeling more cosmic in nature (think large scale if that word doesn’t resonate!).

At the end of this experience, take some time in silence. Nothing formal. You could even sit with your beverage of choice! Relax. Allow the experience to wind down, and see what arises. Whatever thoughts, ideas, feelings come, if you really carried these instructions out well, are important and noteworthy. There may well be a clue in among the ideas that arise, a clue to your next chapter.

Just enjoy, then put it aside.

Fast forward to the New Year (by the way, these instructions could be carried out any time of the year! Whenever they are required, do). 

Your new chapter begins. No matter what you feel needs to be engaged with, needs to be accomplished, whatever dreams you may have (more on those in a blog post coming soon to a screen near you), don’t act right away. Beginnings are important! My strong recommendation is to begin with another ritualistic act of sorts. Those who are around, I am leading such a practise with such an intention at The Path on Wednesday the 3rd of January, 0800-1200! See this site or IG for details. The name is Next Chapter: Power and Transformation.

However this is obviously not the only way! If you missed it, or are not around, or simply not willing to spend 4 hours with this weirdo, you can make your own version. Ideally, it includes the yogic trinity of body, breath, and awareness. You can actually be quite loose with this if you are not already in any way aware of how to do any of this stuff. For the body, you could surf, dance, work out, whatever you like. Breath? Hey I’ll happily send you a short breath practise. Reach out if you’d like it. I’ll even do one live on IG on Tuesday the 2nd (on the The Path IG if you’re reading this after the event. Scroll back to 2.1.24). Awareness? At a minimum, sit in nature for let’s say half an hour, meditate if you know how. 

Begin this experience by setting a direction. You could say for yourself, for example, “may this practise start off my new chapter with connection, depth, and presence, and may it help any needed information float up from the subconscious underworld within me.” Your own words are better, as long as you feel them. Then go through this little calibration of body, breath, and mind, putting everything you can into it all. At the end, celebrate! A meal, some company, whatever feels celebratory. Congratulate yourself. You have made a good beginning.

Then get on with life. Whatever needs doing, do it. If you have things to accomplish, accomplish them. Loved ones to take care of, take care of them. Work to do, just get it done. 

And… notice how it is. Having connected in a deeper way, it will all feel at the very least subtly different. Sometimes it’s really not subtle at all! You will find yourself living your life with a sense of being supported, a feeling of being actually connected to it all, rather than just going through the motions. 

To keep this a living process, do find some regular ways of connecting to the primordial reality. Yogic practise is my chosen methodology, but of course there are others out there. Whatever really helps you connect. Connect regularly, and keep riding the wave of this glorious beginning you have made.

Now go forth and live well! Please do reach out to me anytime. If you don’t know how to reach me, my IG is berndwindhofer, which is usually the simplest way. Hope to see old friends, and make new ones, as we dive into the new year.

With boundless love,

Bernd.