Change of year...

Having been in the UK for nearly 10 years (more about this shortly) I hope you'll forgive me that I still remain attached to some French traditions... One of them being that we send to loved ones our best wishes for the new year... in January. According to the tradition, we even have until January 31st - until the year isn't so new any longer... And so I have received many Christmas cards from friends to which I have not replied yet. But I will. It's a promise!!

At this time of year I felt the need to look back at 2006 and take time to remember inner and outer events, acknowledge the transformations that arose, celebrate the discovery of unknown - or rather obscure - corners of the real me... in a word take time to wrap it up properly. Some of you might have done so for a good many years but as for me it was a first.

I still feel strongly about the bomb attacks in Dahab back in April, a place I grew to love for its feeling of unconsciousness. I bet that feel might have gone now as the world has caught up with this small garden of Eden. (see Dahab, my sacred womb posted in April 2006)

I will remember 2006 as being a major year in my life, not least because I committed to spend three full days in complete darkness (see my experience of Darkness visible in full, posted on 20th Oct 2006). The experience was frightening but I learnt more about myself in those three days than I had in the first few decades of my life.

It will have been my first full years of dancing the 5 Rhythms and I am lost for words as to how much this meditation will have unlocked in my life. I guess the deepest experience (that is, if I can take only one...) came about in September during a Heartbeat workshop in London... suddenly it became cristal clear that my emotions don't belong to me, that they have their own lives to live... it was right across my face and deeply rooted in my heart that should I acknowledge them and let them go, they'd feed me of their energy. On the contrary should I try to own them and make them mine they would drain me of my own energy... Please visit the link a call to dance for more info about what the 5 Rhythms are and see emotions, emotions, emotions

France lost against Italy in the World Cup Final, Zidane being sent off for... well, you all know what for. What a shame. Allez les bleus!



Last but certainly not least, this year will remain in my heart as the beginning of a healing process in our family. Several events along the year make me believe that we are on an awesome personal and collective journey that allows us to meet and acknowledge the other for who one is, without judgement or expectation.

Now in 2007, it is time for wishes and resolutions. On my wishlist, far ahead of all others, come the desire for all of us human beings to be more respectful of our planet Earth. I believe that she will go on in the coming centuries with or without us, but I'd rather imagine it with us.
May 2007 be plentiful and may we accept and take responsibility for both the pleasant and the less pleasant of what happens in our personal lives.

Happy 2007

clairem