Time to Burn the Bull!

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

On a recent Sunday morning at OneSpirit we began a wonderful process- our annual "Burning Bowl" ceremony.

It's a ritual of writing down on a piece of paper that which we are ready to release, with a commitment not to drag it into the new year.

We then place it in a fire, allowing the flames to consume the paper, signifying our release of the old "what has been" and opening to the new "what can be."

Someone told me they misread my e-mail announcement earlier in the week and thought that it was a "Burning Bull" ceremony.

Well, when it's all said and done, that works too, doesn't it?

Maybe it is all about burning the bull- that is to say, getting rid of, once and for all, any and all excuses for re-creating the same ol' same ol' again next year if it's not what honors the life we have come here to live.

As we launch ourselves anew into 2008, it's easy to find the "no bull" factor in Einstein's statement, isn't it? We can all relate to the inherent wisdom found in his words.

That's because there is a knowing self within us that is always calling us to the higher ground of our being, and it whispers very quietly. However, that very same self-knowing, when truly listened to, also affirms we have an active role to play in making desired changes in our lives that will last longer than a few weeks.

The challenge is, at times it seems very difficult to find the resolve to take the proper action. It's almost as if there's a silent battle going on between the reactive self- which has a burning desire for instant gratification- and the wisdom of the proactive self- which understands the rewards of delayed gratification.

Hoping to dodge the responsibility bullet, some of us may even get motivated enough to go to church on the first Sunday of the new year and pray for some form of divine intervention in the months ahead, perhaps fantasizing that God has found enough pity/favor/etc. with us that He will just sort of swoop down and zap us with what we need.

I know this is true because there was a time many years ago when I did just that. Then I discovered that my thinking really does create my reality, and no one could change my thinking but me.

One of the first things I learned was that the universe operates solely on the law of cause and effect. If we desire a different result (effect) in some specific area of our lives, we know we have to introduce a new intention (cause).

I know this is not a news flash to any person who is consciously working on waking up and living mindfully, but a little reminder at this time of year can't hurt. We do tend to go unconscious from time to time, especially if things have been challenging for us in the past.

The good news is we don't have to be an Einstein to introduce a new cause into our lives- we only need be awake and willing. For the willing, anything is possible. If we make space for the Divine within to show us the way- to lead us to the next step- It will. Ours is to trust the process by taking the appropriate action in faith.

So my question for you is this: Is there any area of your life where you are continuing to do the same thing over and over again, year after year, and at some level hoping things will one day magically change?

Having said all of this, I think it's equally important to remember that not everything we may need to release before we can enter a new year with peaceful hearts has to have a negative connotation.

There comes a time when we must also be willing to let go of the good memories of people, events and things from the past if clinging to those memories causes us to remain stuck there, restricting our ability to move forward in creating a healthy life today.

Irrespective of what it may be, make a decision to do what you need to do to take a proactive step toward making the changes your soul desires. If not now, when?

If you feel in need of support, I encourage you to seek it. Make an appointment to speak with your minister, a therapist or even a trusted friend.

As the old saying goes, today is the first day of the rest of your life. May it be a day you'll long remember because you decided to make a conscious choice to become cause to a new effect in 2008.

Now even Einstein would admit that's smart thinking. No bull.

Dennis Merritt Jones is the spiritual director for OneSpirit Center for Conscious Living in Simi Valley. His website is www.OneSpirit.org