Now that America has moved through a peaceful but heavily guarded inauguration of our 46th President Joe Biden, we can breathe a sigh of relief that there was no violence and begin to adjust ourselves to the year ahead. We are asked to begin "afresh" with a focus on choosing unity over division. Part of this new beginning includes committing to wearing masks for another 100 days as well as following through with the vaccination program, seeking any medical information we may need as individuals and learning how the program works in our communities. Realistically, no one is ready to quite let down our guard just yet after the capitol attack, so we will remain watchful as a nation.
I am encouraging you today and tomorrow to consider the process of beginning afresh, spiritually. The passing year has been extraordinarily difficult, not just for us personally, but collectively. Beginning "afresh" inevitably means letting go, in different ways for each of us. Although there is a collective tension and watchfulness we must retain right now, with the Pandemic as well as political threats--we don't have to hold on to all of the difficulty, pain, fear, confusion, and resentment of this last year.
Charles Fillmore, the co-founder of Unity, wrote in his book Christian Healing, "God is in the universe as its constant 'breath' or inspiration; hence it is only necessary to find the point of contact in order to understand the One in whom we all 'live, and move, and have our being'... The point of contact is a willingness and a seeking on your part."
If we are seeking a fresh beginning on a spiritual level, one simple technique is to turn to our breath as a natural symbol of "out with the old, in with the new", trusting that we receive what we need and release what is no long needed. Along with the amazing intelligence of our physiology automatically regulating the breath, we can remember God as the breath of life. Breathing naturally, not controlling it, in this way becomes a form of affirmative prayer. We can inhale new life, new resolve, new inspiration, new peace and exhale our fatigue, our frustration, our fears, even our sadness and loss. Take a deep breath and allow a collective sigh of relief. Then allow yourself healing and renewal as you take in and let go. (Susan Nettleton)