Many new years have frequently begun with a sense of urgency. I have journals filled with to-do lists and a backlog of things to fix this year about my life or myself. The Happy New Year subtext reads that “This is a time to take stock, winnow out our flaws, and start doing something about them Now, on January 1—a mystical date connecting us to a mysterious portal within ourselves toward increasing perfection.” As though our resolve, fueled by a flurry of consumerism, over-indulgence and concentrated family time, is now at its strongest to finally tackle our darker habits, our entrenched attitudes and that pesky belly fat.

Actually many of these goals are quite noble, or at least reflect a desire to align with nobler parts of ourselves that we know will actually improve our health, relationships and service to others. The yoga tradition says, therefore, that if you’re serious about these things, that there’s a way to get there. My teacher, Karen Sprute-Francovich spoke quite eloquently on the subject in a recent class. She said, basically, that our New Year’s intentions typically are just not asking the right question. January 1 is not meant to be used as a time to tally our flaws and figure out ways to fix them, but rather to ask “How do I best align with the Light that already exists within me?”

The notion of self-improvement is a bit of a prickly proposition within the context of yoga—though that’s often the underlying motivation that many people have for doing the practice (or making New Year’s resolutions.) You see, the study and practice of yoga, at its essence, is the study of the Self—that is, the undying Light of Consciousness that lives within, imbues, and enlivens all things—and cannot be improved upon. The tradition tells us that at our basic essence we already Are that light, just really condensed, uniquely coalesced, and free; and that in that freedom, we have myriad ways of clouding, occluding, blocking and forgetting about that Light. So, at New Year’s, or at any other time, our task is simply to clear the pathways to our own source of Light. “How?” you ask. Why, *practice* of course. (Hello! This is a Yoga Blog : ) !) And within the context of practice, we align ourselves to our highest intentions, our highest visions, our noblest goals and aims.

This is what I’ll be doing, anyway. I’m unlikely to do away with my list-making. But some years on the mat have finally begun to teach me of the benevolence and potency of this work. My yoga practice, at its best, is done with sincerity, and with trust-- that rather than thinking that I'm just a problem to be solved, that I can instead aim to be a better carrier of that Light Wave. And then, gradually, daily things, such as diet, activities and attitudes, begin to structure themselves in a manner more conducive to my nobler purposes, and more reflective of an authentic source of Radiance that I didn't create, but have the continuing invitation to engage with and express. As we all do.

So, here’s to the Light within each of you. Happy New Year! Cheers!

And Namaste,

Karen