December, a Month of Reflection
Udumbara
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December offers time for reflection and bowing in reverence to the year past.
For many of us, the last month of the year is a darker and quieter one, perfect for reflection.
- Spend some time reflecting on what we accomplished and learned over the past year
- Get clear on what goals and projects we fell short on and what we can learn from them
- Envision our coming year’s goals and intentions
- Create structure to make our intentions a reality
In the meantime, I’ll share some additional ways that I like to deepen my reflections in December.
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3 December Reflections
1. Life and Meaning
Life rushes by so fast. Day by day, it feels like a rushing river, and I barely have time to notice the water passing by before it’s gone.Taking some time in quiet and stillness allows me to slow down and reflect on my life—and human life in general. I reflect on what life means to me or what I want it to mean.
What have I learned in recent years that adds to the meaning of my life?
Lately, I’ve found a sense of sacredness and depth in each moment that I often didn’t notice before because I was so focused on getting things done, dealing with the situation at hand, or letting myself be distracted. When I become still, that depth and sacredness become more accessible.
2. Practice and Growth
The end of the year is an important time for me to reflect on my life practices. Have I been deepening my mindfulness, practicing with uncertainty and fear, and learning to become more aware of my patterns as they manifest?As an ongoing journey of growth, it’s immensely important that I take time to reflect on my practices on a regular basis.
3. Darkness, Stillness, and Death
December is a beautiful month to slow down and reflect on three things:- Darkness: December is the darkest month of the year in Northern California, where I now live. I found that depressing when we moved here from Guam, and the feeling continued for years. However, I have been examining my relationship to darkness in recent years. It’s a profound reflection for me, and I am starting to open to the beauty and wonder of darkness, both outside of myself and within.
- Stillness: December is also a month when things feel frozen and still, and I’m learning to embrace that. I like to move quickly, but there’s so much wisdom in stillness. I have to practice against my default tendency. Sitting outside in stillness and noticing what shows up in that stillness is a practice that I simultaneously resist and love.
- Death: As a society, we tend to fear death. That’s understandable. But winter is a death that opens space for new life, and I embrace it as an affirmation of life. I reflect on the loved ones I’ve lost and how much they still mean to me. I reflect upon and find some degree of acceptance of my own impending death.
