Do You Make Resolutions or Intentions?

Although I celebrate New Year’s Eve and toast the New Year, I actually begin my celebration on Solstice – Darkest Night.  

That’s when I light candles in each room and on my small altar.  It is also when I choose my One Word – that one word that will inform my intentions for the year.  My 2015 One Word is: TransForm. Below is my mini poster for fridge, desk and wallet

Solstice is also when I consider and pen my intentions (not resolutions) for the lengthening of days that lead to Spring and earth’s rebirth.  I’m not going to begin them all on day one, but slowing work my way month by month through the 25 items on my 2015 Intention’s ToDo List.

1. I intend to stock my Etsy Store this year.  So when an artist friend in Sacramento challenged me to join in the 30 paintings in 30 days January Challenge,  I’ll finally stock my Etsy on-line store this year.
2. I intend to stick to my morning pages (read Julia Cameron’s Artist’s Way). I’ve been diligently doing since Solstice. 
3. I intend to keep up my Blog more consistently than I have this past year.  With this post being my first of 2015, I plan on posting at least 2 if not 3 days a week.

More to come – Happy 2015 y’all.

Do you celebrate solstice?

Winter Solstice is my time to contemplate the past; celebrate my successes; glean a few lessons from my failures; and set a few goals, née, resolutions, for the year ahead.  Darkest night behind me, Sunday morning I brewed a pot of tea instead ofcoffee; I set some sage to smoldering beside the candles on the altar and lit one candle in every room around my home; I open a new journal to page 1; and begin to plan for the coming year. 

This year’s solstice, at least in part, was spent at various parties amidst friends.  By day, I began an early spring cleaning/rearranging of my studio/office (aka my aerie).  By night I enjoyed the festive mingling and conversations with friends; listening to live music, over-indulging in good food and wine. 

Still, however late I arrived home on Friday and Saturday evenings, I lit the candles that I had set out before leaving the house and recited my annual evocation, née petition, née spell, for prophetic dreams of the path that lies ahead of me for the coming year.

I am one with the uni verse – See me.

Let me slip easily into the stream of time – Hear me.

Let me acknowledge my past, and accept my now – Help me.

Let me see in dream a little of my path ahead – Grant me.

That given time to contemplate, I may make better choices – Guide me.

As I give myself up to the ‘I am’ and slip into dream. Protect me.

So mote it be.

Old Year/New Year

It's been a year of incredible loss.  The February fire took most all of my worldly goods and the life of one of the sweetest men I've ever known. I don't miss the things, but I do miss my friend.

I pulled an old poem from my archives which speaks to me now, as it did when I wrote it at another trying year's end many years ago. 

Old Year, New Year.

Old and gray – tired and worn

many died – more were born

much was said – so little done

with the rising and setting of each sun.

Farewell to thee with tears we say

and greet the new with laughter gay

So much could, should, would have done

but alas, I’d just begun and the year was gone.

And so, today I make firm resolution

to do much more by this year’s conclusion.

© Perle Champion

Homage

old and gray – tired and worn

many died – more were born

much was said – so little done

with the rising and setting of each sun.

farewell to thee with tears we say

and greet the new with laughter gay

so much could, should, would have done

alas, the year was gone and I’d just begun.

 

and so, I make firm resolution

to do much more by this new year’s conclusion.

© Perle Champion