Crystal clear. That's where I'd like my thoughts, my dreams, my actions to be. But life isn't always as lucid as we'd like. Emotions, situations, people and events cloud our thoughts and fill our minds, not always for the better.
A new year always comes with the prospect of starting over. Whether that's a New Year's resolution to lead a healthier lifestyle, an opportunity for better work/life balance or a change of direction in life, January is the beginning; the kickstart we often need to get us going.
New year, new start
For me, a new start begins with mental clarity: Finding a clear space in my head so I can reflect on last year's goals and how (or whether!) I achieved them; picking through my labyrinth of thoughts to find a new coherent direction and identifying the physical, mental and spiritual tools to help me establish – and work towards – a new set of intentions.
So, this month I'm taking this theme onto the mat to explore what it means in our practice. We'll take time to sit in silence so we can go within and connect with our deeper selves; we'll set intentions for the new year and work towards self-awareness of where we are right now in this moment and where we hope to be in future months.
Yamas: brahmacharya
In the spirit of this theme, this month we'll also explore one of Yoga Sutra's five yamas: brahmacharya. Yamas are the social restraints or moral codes by which yogis live their lives. Translated as the 'right use of energy' brahmacharya is about how we channel our vital energy into personal and spiritual growth rather than external, material desires. Thus, working with this yama can help focus our energy inward, helping us find and embrace our new path for the year ahead.
Perhaps there's an area of your life that can benefit from greater clarity. What might you change going forward? How can you channel this through your yoga practice? Consider exploring this theme whenever you can this month and let us start the year with clarity of thought, action and intention.
See you on the mat.
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