My new year starts with an empty page an open heart full of gratitude for my past years and the years to come and a tender knowing that I have just stepped into a new story. A story, in which I can be with myself with Love and Grace; a story in which I know I can choose my thoughts, my beliefs, my dreams; a story of greatness of spirit, greatness of dreams about myself and what is possible. By being a mouse I also grow my capacity to be an eagle. By deeply relating to everything inside of me, I grow my ability to relate to everything around me. By practicing self-care I grow my capacity to care for others and this beloved earth. By relaxing into being I strengthen my capacity to act, awake and consciously. With this year I have very consciously chosen to step into a new story, including a new love-story. In all its meanings. I woke up today to this tender moment when my conscious choice, suddenly was also echoed and resonated deeply in my body and heart. When it really arrives. I think it comes from a place of humbleness and love for Life. From the way we light a candle, or we send love to somebody when blowing it out, from the way we clean the kitchen, from the love with which we tend to the very ordinary simple daily tasks. It is about time that we see the sacredness and deep value in all this, again. Remembering and honoring how my mother or my grandfather or the owner of the little shop across the street does something simple in a very loving way. This for me is an expression of Intimacy with life.

Yesterday I took a bath, remembering my loving relationship with all waters of life, including my own tears. I related to the many rites of passages and rituals that are celebrated all over the world and in all times, involving water. As I stepped out of the bath-tub, I asked the water to take from me, to keep what I didn’t want to take into my 2016. And I choose what I wanted to invite instead. I cleaned the house and made it beautiful, as if I wanted to make it welcoming for all the good spirits of 2016 to come home. For years I had this tradition to jump into the new year across or down from something holding those with me, by the hand. There is also this tradition of eating and feeding others one grape for every stroke of the clock, as the New Year is heralded, accompanied with a good wish. What is your sacred tradition? What is the one you can easily and with joy practice every day, like burning a little incense, making a prayer or honoring the waters of life under the shower? Last year I sat in silence into my new year as part of a 10 day Vipassana Meditation and this year after another year of much Movement (Medicine), for the first time ever I sang Mantras from my heart for this blessed year of 2016. That felt like the best way to welcome a year of Love. A new story.