my practice to seal intentions

Greetings,
Hope 2020 is off to a beautiful start! I'm not one for resolving to start a lot of giant tasks on January 1st, but I have wanted to connect with y'all more frequently. Look for me near the solstices, equinoxes, cross-quarter days.

We're nearing Imbolc, which is  the midpoint between winter solstice and spring equinox. It's considered a time to plant seeds and create intentions, so I wanted to share a simple but powerful practice I do when setting intentions. Late January tends to be when new year intentions lose momentum; this is a practice that can refresh and sustain them.

I used to think about life starting in the spring, when I could see flowers bloom and seedlings break through the ground. As I got older, I realized this is just when life is visible to me, that it actually started before, breaking and changing in the dark.

This is an apt metaphor. The more I live, the more projects I undertake, I realize that so much of the beginning is invisible, done in the dark. Sometimes even to me! When I work on my intentions, the universe is also churning. Other things are happening that will meet me eventually.

Here's what I do. For whatever occasion—new year, new moon, birthday, meaningful anniversary, or some other poignant date—I list my intentions in advance. As many of you probably experience, intentions are often simmering and become apparent as we give that space some thought and energy. But it's also worthwhile to dedicate some time to ponder and reflect. Do what suits you.

Then I carefully plan my day, so that I can give at least a little bit of time to every intention. In this case, "carefully" doesn't mean that you plan the day down to the minute. It means that you might have a bit of a squeeze, depending on what's going on in your life. The purpose is that by the end of the day, I've given at least a little time, energy, and attention to my intentions.

This underscores 2 important things. First, it reminds me that most of the time, intentions become real through ongoing steps, not a single giant act. As someone who frequently craves instant transformation, this is a much-needed and always relevant lesson. Second, this practice gives momentum right away. Rather than setting an intention and then not acting on it for days or longer, I bring all of it into existence immediately.

Perhaps that second thing is a compromise to my craving for instant gratification. Regardless, I've seen over the years how the container I create for my intentions is shaped my this first practice of making space for things right away.

When I've shared in conversation about this practice, some people can envision their own versions right away. Others need examples. If you are feeling the latter, see below. If you aren't interested in knowing some of my variations, skip to below the next photo.

Here are some ongoing intentions that I aim to strengthen at every opportunity:
~ play more music
~ meditate more
~ nourish my body: sleep, exercise, healthy food
~ connect more deeply with loved ones

In order to support the above intentions, I will make sure that I have at least a few minutes to dedicate towards all of my intentions. That could go many different ways. If Imbolc is not a busy day, it will look something like this:
~ wake up naturally
~ meditate for a few minutes
~ eat a nourishing, leisurely breakfast with my partner
~ play music
~ go to a park for a walk
~ eat a healthy late lunch/early dinner
~ spend time with a friend

Alternatively, if the appointed day is a busy work day, things go differently:
~ wake up early
~ meditate briefly
~ eat a nourishing but quick breakfast
~ work
~ take a break for a phone call with a friend
~ return to work
~ take a short walk in the neighborhood
~ eat late lunch/early dinner on the go, but aim for healthy
~ play music for a few minutes
~ spend time with my partner
~ meditate briefly before bed

I share these not as schedules that must be sustained in exactly this way. My point is that there are many ways to spend time on your intentions, regardless of how busy you are. One year, I moved on the weekend of Samhain. I also got very sick. I also had a huge event to manage. Moreover, I had a contract job on another continent beginning 3 days later. Everything was rough. I gave myself 2 minutes to meditate before the event. And I gave myself a pass on music because my body hurt so much.

OK, you might be thinking, that's lovely for ongoing changes in your day-to-day life. But what about big projects or changes in life? How does 5 minutes, or even 2, really matter? Plenty of things are bigger than that.

You're right. But big things are usually the sum of ongoing work, not sporadic marathon sessions on the occasional weekend. I speak from experience—I used to attempt to do things that way, when every few months I'd dive into something with zest and excitement and determination. A few months later, when I returned to continue, things just...hadn't moved.

Even if some intentions are not intended to be daily, I make them happen immediately, so they have some momentum. Then I don't find myself a month later, wishing I'd done that thing every week like I'd hoped to do.

Now I focus on ongoing work. This doesn't mean the same amount of time every day, nor does it mean every day at all for every single thing. But it does mean not relying on surges of work or inspiration. I aim to stay the course.

Here's a personal example that's also a teaser for a different newsletter. Last summer, I started developing a tarot deck. In the last 6 months, I've created:
~ Minor Arcana
~ Major Arcana
~ rough draft of the guide book
~ preliminary ideas for graphic design

Additionally, I've done dozens upon dozens of free readings. Years ago, I would have tried to block a weekend off to work on a single item of the above list, then ignored the project for a couple months because I had work and life happening. Then I'd return and try something else on the list.

Maybe that works for you. But I tried something else. I had 1 of those things at every turn of the wheel, and I dove into at least a few minutes of it THAT DAY. From that point, I'd set myself up to do a little bit as frequently as possible, often for stretches of a few weeks before a break. My inspiration was constant.

Here's how it went:
~ Lammas intention: finish Minor Arcana —> edit a little bit THAT DAY, continue small steps as often as possible
~ fall equinox: start Major Arcana —> brainstorm a little bit THAT DAY, continue along
~ Samhain: compile graphic design ideas —> measure other tarot decks THAT DAY, continue looking around and collecting ideas
~ winter solstice: finish guide —> start outline THAT DAY, continue writing

For Imbolc, my intention is to create online presence. I've already started: instagram.com/numinousspiral
You better believe there will be more steps done on Imbolc. Upcoming newsletters will have more info about it, including how to get free readings.

In the meantime, I'm wishing all the best for your intentions. I'd love to know your experiences with this practice. Forward this to someone who wants to dig deep and plant seeds.


Peace,
S.


PHOTO CREDITS: me :)
That bottom illustration (ink on paper) has been in my bedroom for many years, so that I see it often. Hand-drawn by Chelsea Darling: on IG @chelsea_darling

—
she / they
Siderealchemy