The Gita & The New Year

One year ends, another begins. I remember when I was twelve years old, sitting in a classroom one morning, watching the clock on the wall, thinking that the end of the school day was such a long way off. Over the years, during this slow, agonizing torture, my fervent prayer was to hasten the day of my graduation. Now, at the age of 62, the years roll relentlessly by. It’s an undeniable fact that the older you get the quicker the years go by.

But back to the new year. On one hand, New Year’s Day is just another day. But our culture and the human psyche demands more. If we’re sitting quietly at home on New Year’s Eve, we’re made to feel that there is something wrong with us. Everyone around us is engaged in so much hoopla and fanfare. And the previous year is assessed. The media spews forth lists with facts and figures. The ten best movies of the year, books of the year, man of the year, the year in pictures, the important events of the year, the famous people who died that year. And we are also encouraged to make our new year’s resolutions. We collectively pause to look back to see what we’ve been through, and what and who we’ve survived. And we take a deep breath to brace ourselves as we move forward into the unknown.

It’s amazing how we can come up with an unending stream of things for the mind to focus on, to talk about, to dissect, to elaborate upon. It seems to be both a need and an art form as we constantly glean the whys and wherefores from events, situations and happenstances. The interesting thing is that this tendency also is found in those on the path of transcendence. The difference is that the spiritualist sees all events and situations in light of the Creator and the sacred teachings. The spiritualist makes it his/her profession and passion to extract the sacred, rather than mundane sensual satisfaction, from the world.

Basically, this is the art of yoga. By harnessing and regulating the body and the mind, we can begin to focus on the transcendent reality as we view the world around us. Krishna explains in Bhagavad Gita, “A true yogi observes Me in all beings.” (6:29)
So at this time, at the end of one year and the beginning of another, we can remember Krishna’s words, “I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all things.” (10:32)

This is an opportunity for us to practice seeing Sri Krishna – how He is both in the adventure, mystery, freshness, and anticipation of a beginning, and how He is the gravity and finality of an ending. And in the middle, we can also find Him along the way on our journey. Look for Him. See how He is working in your life, for in this way we can remain “happy by constantly being in touch with the Supreme Consciousness.” (6:28)

I pray that the new year finds you and your family in good health and spirits.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare