A BOLD EXPERIMENT

I have been posting a blog approximately every week and have been doing that many years.  Starting today, December 1, 2022,  I am going to try and post a blog every day with the theme “A Month’s Journey Inside.”  I may or may not be successful but I believe it’s worth giving it a good shot.  So, here we go.  This first in the series will be longer than those that follow because of the introduction. Most of the following 30 posts will be much shorter as you will see.

We are coming out of a time where many people had time to focus on their internal lives. With lockdowns and quarantines there was a renewed interest in resources that considered the interior life, the private thoughts and feelings that we discover when spending time alone.  One that emerged for some of us again was Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” published in 1946.  It was a chronicle of Frankl’s experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and it describes his psychotherapeutic method, which involved identifying a purpose in life to feel positive about, and then actively imagining that outcome.

There are numerous ways to find a renewed purpose in life, clarity in moving forward toward a goal and increased meaning in how we enrich our lives on a daily basis. Setting aside a few moments each day is a worthwhile investment in time for that purpose.  The intention of each of these daily, 2- minute meditations is to provide a structure to reflect on how we can find meaning in ordinary, everyday observations. We recommend reading, reflecting and then writing down your reflections

We have not put a calendar date on any meditation so that anyone can start anytime and check them off whether for an entire month or any other schedule that works, whether once every day, every other day or one day every week. Many people find early mornings before beginning the rest of the day a good time, others set aside a few moments in the evening before bedtime.  The mantra is whatever works. You can do this in 30 days or in 30 weeks.

DAY ONE – STARTING

We start something new by beginning. One of the most familiar texts in Holy Scriptures is “In the beginning…”

Taking the first step in a new journey is the most important one.  Starting something new may be the easy part.  Keeping it going on a regular basis with a commitment to continuing is often the more challenging, self-imposed assignment. Writers often struggle with spending time in the seat when they feel stuck or blocked although the best writers say to keep writing regardless. Learning a new skill or a new language or starting a new job or a new relationship all have that one thing in common, a beginning.  Moving to a new community means leaving one behind in order to go to another place.  Starting over.

It is possible to begin again what was once started and then, for whatever reason, discontinued.  Whether you call it unfinished, postponed, deferred or canceled doesn’t matter.  What matters is my willingness to begin.  It may be brand new, never tried or done before or it could be familiar and forgotten.  In either case, now is the time to decide to begin, to consciously choose a beginning and thus it becomes my reality.

I consider what I require of myself to start this journey inward. What are the things that come to mind that I can give to this process of exploration and discovery?  I can first of all give this time and set aside this time each day for myself in a quiet space to look inside to discover more about who I am and here find purpose and meaning.  I look forward to meeting myself here in this interior space and developing a habit of mindful reflections and contemplation.

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