I Am In Them

Edvard Munch, "Girl Looking Out the Window," 1893

With the new year, come resolutions.

Not everyone does this, I've found, but I do. In fact, I usually begin compiling my resolutions at my birthday, in early December, when another year has truly passed. December's a difficult month to institute disciplinary changes, though, so, like most, I start in January. 

I think resolutions are so hard because they require daily commitment. Over and over again, choosing to stay true to your resolve. Since resolutions are usually painful changes, it's very difficult to make this commitment, day after day. It's the reason most of us fail, the reason the gyms go back to their normal crowds in mid-February or so.

My method last year was the most successful I've ever used, so I'm using the same strategy this year. I'm dividing my life into the areas in which I want to make changes and improvements: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional. The physical list is always the longest and the hardest to stick to, but last year I managed to lose twenty pounds and keep it off. It wasn't the forty I wanted to lose, but it was a good start and this years' resolution will be to finish the job. 

Only the job is never finished, is it? There's never a place where you're just - done. I have to eat right, every day. I have to exercise, every day. And every day simply doesn't happen. The key, I think, is to not let one bad day - or even one bad week - derail the effort completely. Scarlett had it right: tomorrow is another day. 

The spiritual resolution is what I'll be focusing on here. Developing a daily practice of rituals, prayers, spells - to do every day those things I am sporadic with now. With that in mind, I want to find a quote, spell, piece of folklore, or some other lesson to share every day. 

Today I'd like to share a quote from Edvard Munch. He's most famous for his painting "The Scream." It sums up quite well what I think is the likely meaning of "eternal life." 

I don't think there's much consensus on what Pagans believe about the afterlife. Reincarnation seems to be a popular theory, and it certainly makes sense when one looks at the world and how it functions. We are part of this organism called the Earth; from her we were born and to her we will return. But what of our souls, the anima that makes us individuals? Does it linger on? 

I have no idea.