Gathering in the Year

Gathering in the Year

"It is the year's end that the fisherman
tells of his fishing."
   ___ Scots Gaelic proverb


   The end of the calendar year is the time when we traditionally look forward and make good resolutions for the coming year. But before we can do that, we need also to make a summation of the past year's shape. It may be helpful to wind the year backward, retracing our steps from November back to January. As we go backward, month by month, we can consider the following questions: What was the major theme of this month? Which events made the greatest impression on my life? What did I achieve? What mistakes do I regret?. The point is not to indulge in blame and guilt but to neutrally survey our findings.
    Now look back over the year as a whole and make a summation of its overall pattern and effect upon you. What has this year meant in real terms to you. How has it changed the world? Which new figures and influences have come into your life?
   Now for the third part of this review. Looking at the year just past, move forward from January to December, asking questions about each month: What seeds were sown in this month that affect me now? What wisdom have I learned? Which patterns and connections are poised to continue unfolding in the year ahead?  Which obstruction or unhelpful aspects of my own behavior need to change? Having made our review, we can now consider the year ahead and lay down pathways of resolution and intention that will help guide our steps.

"Make your review of the year as suggested above."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]