From The Innkeepers

Beginning Anew

January 2020

The month of January is traditionally a time of beginning anew.  We’ve turned the page not only on another year, but in this case, on another decade.  The name of this month is taken from Roman mythology.  In the pantheon of Roman gods, Janus is the god who had two heads on one body.  One of his heads was faced to look behind him and the other was faced to look forward.  So, it is with us in the month of January. Like the two headed god we look back on all that has been in our lives, especially in the past year, but we also look forward, anticipating all that is yet to come in the days and months that lay ahead.  As we begin this new year we, like Janus, we should look in both directions- to the past in order to give thanks as well as to assess and learn from our mistakes.  By remembering we create and inhabit a living connection with ourselves and our world.  Memory is the foundation and the cornerstone from which we support and build the future.  It can enable us to look to the future with hopeful eyes striving not to repeat our mistakes or become further entrenched in behavior patterns that were not life affirming and life giving.

It has not escaped media pundits that numerically this year of 2020 has something in common with what eye doctors consider perfect vision.  To be sure, clear seeing is important to have 2020 vision on a physical level, but perhaps more importantly clear seeing is something to strive for on a spiritual or soul level as well.  Thus, I asked myself the question, “What does it mean to have 2020 vision of the spirit?”  For each of us, the answer will differ but as for myself clear inner seeing has to do with paying attention to matters of the heart.   It means living with integrity and working out of a sense of who we know our best selves to be.  It means sharing from the abundance of blessings that have been given to us.

To that end I wish to impart this new year and new decade blessing upon you by paraphrasing the John O’Donohue’s Matins prayer:

May we live …

Compassionate of heart

Clear in word

Gracious in awareness

Courageous in thought

Generous in love.

Here’s to focusing on and sharpening our 2020 vision of the spirit in the coming days.

May it be so for you.

Marcia