Dear Friends,

Here’s a scrap of conversation I overheard one New Year’s Day, drifting down the trail from the family hiking ahead of me in the rain-greened hills above my house:

Mother: Does anybody have any resolutions for the New Year?
Pre-teen daughter (putting both hands over her ears): Mom! Please stop talking RIGHT NOW!

I get it—New Year’s resolutions can be irritating.

The word “resolution” might ooze with striving and self-judgment: I must replace the current inadequate model of Me with an upgraded Me who eats more brussels sprouts and watches less TikTok!

But a “word for the year” feels different. It’s more like a sun-warmed stone we carry in our pocket–a talisman we touch to remind ourselves of the inherent qualities of heart and mind that we most wish to nourish and express, not in some future moment, but right now.

This year, one of my dear ones chose “focus.” Someone else, “serenity.” Another, “sisterhood.” Another, “competence.”

My own word for 2025 is “deepen.” I don’t yearn to heap up new projects, new adventures, new dharma concepts or yogic techniques. I want to be more fully present for what’s already here. I aspire to drop below the scrum of daily distraction to connect with spirit’s deep aquifers–so each activity can blossom like an amaryllis bulb in a bowl of clear water. These are tough times in our country and our world. I want to burrow my roots into what matters most, so I can respond with care and wisdom.

What’s your word for 2025?

Warmly,
Anne