by Rowena Eghanian of the Baha’i Community of Greater Dandenong
We have experienced the festivities of the season; now the cracking, loud herald of New Year is upon us: and with it the ever-loud promotion of New Year resolutions.
Somewhere in all this, I hope you are finding moments of peace and joy.
Not from material things wrapped up or obtained – but rather, in finding yourself: being present in places, with people and importantly the abundance of divine and spiritual gifts that abound us from the observation of our natural surroundings.
As we have said farewell to 2024, many people felt the weight of the world upon them.
Economic, global, and national concerns weigh heavily, amidst personal worries that we each navigate.
So the usual resolutions cast at us from our accumulated algorithms are once again likely to be loud and fleeting.
How can we each action meaningful change for 2025?
In the Baha’i writings a resolution is offered that we can aim to implement – all year round:
“We must now highly resolve to arise and lay hold of all those instrumentalities that promote the peace and well-being and happiness, the knowledge, culture and industry, the dignity, value and station, of the entire human race.
“Thus, through the restoring waters of pure intention and unselfish effort, the earth of human potentialities will blossom with its own latent excellence and flower into praiseworthy qualities …”
What kind of efforts can we each cultivate; to aid these praiseworthy qualities to blossom?
• Let’s begin and end each day with gratitude: gratitude for life, and the love of the Creator each one of our lives represents.
• Love: expressed not only in words but through unselfish actions – to our entire (human) family.
• Time: quiet and solitary meditation looking inwardly on thoughts, feelings and inherent spiritual qualities; identifying which qualities could be refined or strengthened in 2025?
• Service: efforts which contribute to the well-being of community and by further extension to the uplifting transformation of society.
• Commitment: volunteering time, knowledge, efforts, skills. Conscientiously adjusting personal attitudes, working to eliminate any ingrained prejudices: striving for peace.
This New Year let’s shed the worry of the weight and each commit to expand our care, attention and hope for the world – with unified, pure and intentional resolutions.
