The Year of the Rainbow
With the year coming to a close, during my morning walk I was reflecting on the past and how might I want to greet the New Year. I walk my two dogs most mornings, and this morning was not much different. The weather has been very cold and I knew that I needed to bundle up! When I stepped off the curb, I was surprise to feel soft rain falling on me. I kept walking, and picked up my pace a bit. Just so happy to be out, the dogs never seem to mind the weather. The air felt very clean and inviting. It felt as though the misty rain and I connected to something far greater than myself. Don’t they say water is a conduit? That’s what it felt like to me.
With the rain falling in a soft mist, I started to think about the softness of life. Now I know life doesn’t always feel soft. It can feel quite hard a lot of times, yet in this moment as I walked with my dogs, my world felt soft. I began to reflect on receptivity. Even the word ‘receptivity’ has a soft, feminine quality, and to me is defined as being open to receive. The word and definition are deep but not always the easiest way of being.
Yet this idea washed over and through me like it was the only way to be.
I arrived to a location in my walk where I met a creek surround by trees. As I continued to reflect on the year, I was hit with an overwhelming feeling of love.
Through this feeling of receptivity and reflection came a willingness or idea to greet my life in the New Year with love.
Yes, again this sounds so obvious and cliché yet not always easy to do.
Hmmm…I wondered, “What if my first reaction to every circumstance was love?” Maybe it is not always easy to do when we encounter a difficult person or situation, but wouldn’t it be a fun experiment anyway?
As I approached the most strenuous stretch of my hike, I found myself pushing up the hill thinking, “What is my New Year’s resolution? Do I want to create a fire ceremony or vision board to commemorate and solidify my intentions for the New Year? What should I ‘do’?”
I noticed how funny the actions of my steps were in alignment with sparking action in my mind. None of these ideas felt quite right as I have done many vision boards and various ceremonies in previous New Years’. This year, I just wasn’t feeling it. As I reached the top of the hill and drew in a few deep breaths, I connected back with the thought of being. How do I want to be? How do I want to greet the New Year? The words of love and receptivity washed over me once again.
As I entered back into my neighborhood on the last stretch of my walk, I noticed the rain had stopped. The day had become a bit brighter as if the sun was trying to come out. I looked to the sky and right there before me was the most beautiful rainbow. It was unlike any rainbow I had ever seen; although I could see the full rainbow from end to end, it had the softest, most muted colors. I stopped and gazed at it for a long time. It looked as if the universe painted the perfect pastel rainbow, unlike many vibrant ones I’ve seen in the past. The softest, subtle colors spanned right before me.
And, here it where it struck me: this rainbow was my vision board, wonderfully created by nature for my very own New Year’s ceremony. It was arched perfectly before me, with its softness, receptivity, and love that I choose to be.
As I open up to all the New Year will be, my heart is filled with love and gratitude. I am open to more creativity, more co-creation, and importantly, more community guided all by love and receptivity.
I’d love to know how you celebrate and honor the New Year. Drop me a line and share your thoughts. Many wishes for a very Happy New Year!
Joanne Starkman, Founder of Innersense Organic Beauty
