Things I Love Thursday: Taking Stock Of 2011!

Things I Love Thursday

Oh my! I’ve been so run off my feet putting together Radical Self Love Bootcamp that I have really & truly barely had a moment for anything else! Mostly I’ve been typing furiously, drinking a lot of peppermint tea & taking plenty of cuddle breaks with Hank & Dolly when my poor brain needs a rest! The programme launches on Saturday, & I’m extremely excited about launching it off into cyberspace with a big kiss!

In other news, I signed up for Gwyneth Paltrow’s newsletter, GOOP, way back when she started it. I don’t read every one I get — sometimes I don’t have time — but this morning, I did. In it, Gwyneth wrote about Rosh Hashanah, something I knew nothing about. I’m not religious, but I love to read about the traditions & beliefs of other people. There is so much to learn from all areas of life, & wisdom that is thousands of years old is no exception!

Here is an excerpt that I really enjoyed…

From Michael Berg:

“Rosh Hashanah is an important time of the year; there are blessings available to every person during this time. It is the beginning of the lunar calendar year, and is therefore called the “head” (Rosh) or beginning of the Year (Hashanah). The Kabbalists also call this time the seed of the coming year. We know that the seed of a tree, even before it is planted, holds within it all the potential that the tree will become. It will take time even after the seed is planted for the tree to manifest its complete growth and potential. Nevertheless, the seed that was planted already determines much of what will grow and happen next. If you plant an apple seed, no matter what you do afterwards, you will not be able to grow an orange tree. This is what occurs on Rosh Hashanah; we are creating and planting the seeds for the coming year. We want to have a year filled with great blessings and happiness so we take the opportunity through our thoughts and actions now to draw all of the energy that we will manifest later. Everything that we do on the days of Rosh Hashanah (this Thursday and Friday) is meant to assist us in planting the right and best seeds for the blessings that we want and will need in the coming year.

Another beautiful teaching is that on this day everything is renewed. One of the greatest sources of unhappiness is that everything ages and becomes old. Usually we are more excited and in love in the beginning of a relationship than 10 years into the marriage. Many of the gifts that come into our lives are exciting and fulfilling in the beginning, but then they become old. Even if we still appreciate them, it is not usually with the same joy and vigor as in the beginning. But it does not have to be so. We can and are meant to renew ourselves, our relationships, our lives, and our blessings at least once a year. One of the gifts available to us on Rosh Hashanah is the ability to draw the energy of renewal to the important areas of our life. Think about the areas of your life that have become old, and blessings that you want to fulfill with the energy of renewal. Through this consciousness you draw the energy of newness into every area of your life.

There are many tools that we can use during the two days of Rosh Hashanah but there are two important connections that we can all make. The first is to take time during these two days and think about our past year, the good, the better, and the not so good. Then ask yourself, “What do I want to change from last year?”, “what do I want to make better?” Also, “what blessings do we want to draw for ourselves and our family in the next year?” The supernal gates open up during these two days and by opening ourselves up to the flow of light and energy from above we can receive endless blessings.”

This is so brilliant. I love any opportunity to cast my mind back & take stock on the past year! This sounds like the perfect way to make the most of the remainder of 2011, & to get yourself ready for 2012. I will definitely be casting my mind back over the year during the next two days… How about you?

It reminds me of a quote from Sophia Loren, actually.

“Actually, I rather like birthdays. It is a good reason to talk to yourself, to ask yourself what you have been doing, what you are doing and what you will do. Girls who can’t go off and talk to themselves stay girls and never become women. Women who can’t take stock turn to drink, take pills or worse, but I can take stock. I can send for the bill of life and add it up too. If I ever feel depressed I consider what I have done and what I have accomplished — starting from nothing and arriving now with so much happiness.” (Sophia Loren)

Things I Love Thursday

Here’s to a beautiful new year!