Ten Green & Non-New-Agey Spiritual New Year's Resolutions. [Contribute Your Number One Aspiration]

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The climate crisis offers us the chance to experience what few generations in history have had the privilege of experiencing: a generational mission; a compelling moral purpose; a shared cause; and the thrill of being forced by circumstances to put aside the pettiness and conflict of politics and to embrace a genuine moral and spiritual challenge. ~ Al Gore.

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This is the darkest hour of the dark ages. Disease, famine and warfare are raging like the fierce north wind...The various schools of the sangha are fighting amongst themselves with sectarian bitterness; and although the Buddha's teaching was perfectly expounded and there have been many reliable teachings since then from other great gurus, yet they pursue intellectual speculations...the yogis of tantra are losing the insight of meditation.They spend their whole time going through villages and performing little ceremonies for material gain. - The Sadhana of Mahamudra, by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. ~ Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities.

Today is 2008. Tonight, a big party and the LED-lit ball in Times Square drops, everyone blows kazoos and smooches (or, if they're lucky, they get lucky). Tomorrow is 2009...and another year has drained out of the hourglass: this short, singular, precious human life: 2009 represents a chance to make a few changes so that we might better benefit others, and our planet.

Half-empty: 2009 is upon us...and our world, scientifically-speaking, is going to hell in a handbasket. Our world is, like a whirlpool, encircling upon itself in ever-faster, tighter downward (upward?) spirals.

Half-full: 2009 is upon us...and never before have we had Beethoven and the Beatles an iPod click away...never before can we travel the world with ease, access the ancient traditions of yoga and Buddhism with genuine, thoroughly trained teachers...never before has media been so democratized--just a free blog away, personal slash mass communication is at our fingertips.

As yoga teacher Richard Freeman said when I interviewed him with Rose Taylor at the Boulder Dushanbe Tea House sixpointtwofive years ago, just after I'd started what became, briefly, a national magazine, and now a web site, it's a horrible, challenging era--and he wouldn't trade it for any other epoch in human history. It's a time for ordinary heroes, for good parents and community activists, for those concerned not only with their own family but with leaving the world just a little bit better for the next seven generations.

So what can you do, if you're concerned 1) about being truly happy inside and 2) helping everyone else and the outside world to be happy and healthy?

Here's my (off the) Top (of my head) 10 Mindful New Year's Resolutions list--submitted at your feet for consideration among any other New Year's resolutions (please submit your own, below).

1. Meditate Two Minutes every morning: Or more. Meditation, no matter your religion, is simply mind training: helping you to be in the present moment, helping you not to get caught up in your own bullshit, complaining, storylines, or hopes and fears. So whether it connects you more closely to God, Allah or just the good ol'fashioned present moment, it's gym for the mind and heart.

2. Don't fill the Gaps: gaps between activities allow our minds to reopen, expand and have original, often time-and-effort-saving big ideas. So don't walk with your head down, lost in thought. Don't just text and call folks when you're driving or waiting. Don't read the NYer when you're on the can. Allow a little space in your life. Doing nothing, as a great Buddhist teacher once said, is the foundation for doing anything--and it's one thing we Americans are really, really bad at. So let go of one or two minutes of entertainment a day--and look out upon this life and world.

3. Own your Karma--it's fun, God knows why. Think about everything you do, and the effect (positive and or negative) it has. Take responsibility for it. That's why the Green movement, personally speaking, is less a fad than a way of life for me--as a Buddhist, I've sworn to try and take responsibility for being of some benefit to others, and our planet (all sentient beings, is how we put it)--and if I'm mindful of what I'm doing each day and minute, I'll naturally want to support local businesses, buy fair-trade, buy organics, recycle, turn lights off, compost, ride my bike...and have a good time doing so. It's not about being perfect, pure, or righteous: it's about caring.

4. Exercise: physical movement for at least half an hour a day, every day, is not only good for your health (duh) it's good for your mind, your heart, your emotions...it gets everything going and flowing, and gets your mind off of work or family or whatever it's become unhelpfully stuck upon. The key to continuity? Do something you enjoy. I enjoy bball, climbing, yoga, biking, the occasional visit to the gym (and their hot tub and sauna). In the last few months I stopped exercising almost entirely, however, and found it hard to get myself to do any of the above. So how'd I get myself back on the tracks? Got a few friends to join me.

5. Pets. If you're going to get a pet in 2009, get a rescue. Why? Right now, in the US, we're perpetuating n animal Holocaust every year...we kill millions of dogs and cats bc so many folks choose to buy from breeders or pet stores. Fact is, you can find almost any breed if you look on petfinder.com...as for training and temperament issues, just watch the Dog Whisperer and you'll realize that purepreed or mutt, 99% of the situation is your problem--meaning you can solve just about anything once you know how to.

6. Eat Meat only occasionally--and when you do, know where it comes from and how it was treated while it was alive (fed antibiotics? Free-range? Or factory farm?). Make like Michael Pollan and eat plants, mostly. You don't gotta be an overbearing, righteous hippie zealot--it's simply better for you, esp now that fish is so full of mercury it's now a no-no in all 50 states for pregnant ladies. So not only will you be sparing the occasional life, and taking a load off your health, but you'll be really, really enjoying the meat and fish you do eat, instead of just casually enjoying it /slash/ taking it for granted.

7. Green clean your home. The average American home's air is more polluted than the outside air, even in metropolitan areas. That's largely due to your undersink areas having more chemicals than the average laboratory pre-WWII, when, subsequently, chemical warfare companies turned their attention to the domestic market (Agent Orange fertilizer, anyone?). So go eco--there's lots of mostly far cheaper solutions, some of them time-tested (vinegar, baking soda, hot water), some of them brand spankin' new, that'll do the toughest jobs without leaving behind lots of toxic, cancer-related chemicals in your home and our waterways and air.

8. Make your next shower curtain non-PVC (I bought affordable organic hemp, cotton or linen curtain off ebay). PVC is connected with cancer--it's all bad, through and through. Keep it away from children (many rubber duckies and other toys are made of PVC!) and out of bathrooms, where heat and water make a toxic combination, at the least.

9. Right livelihood. Whether your job is of boring, local benefit (plumbing) or glamorous, far-reaching benefit (ecofashion) doesn't matter. Just try and synch your morals and what you spend 8 hours a day, or more, doing. This isn't obvious as it sounds--if it were, we'd all be doing something we believed in. Life is short: make 2009 the year when you want to jump out of bed in the morning.

10. Call your mom and dad and work out any nagging issues. Personally speaking, I haven't historically been around my dad too much, and while I love him we do have some funny history. My mom, on the other hand, was a huge hero for me back in the day...but I don't call or visit her often now that I'm all growns up. So I'll look to rectify both of those situations this year--because, again, as New Year's reminds us, life is short.

All that's off the top of my head. If you search at elephantjournal.com, you'll find articles relating to most of the above. Tie a mindful one on for me tonight--I gotta get Hotelephant cleaned and the keg (local microbrew) was just dropped off and we're having a huge pahty tonight and DJ Tadiohead is coming over. Happy New Year's!

Oh, if you comment with better suggestions, I might just ixnay one or two of the above and put yours in.

The above is adapted by permission of myself from the original.

Comments

[skanda]

Happy New Year Dear Waylon!

Not sure this makes sense to anyone but me... The following resolution came to me like a bolt of lightening late Dec 2008:

" Be the style you always dreamed of"

What this means to me: Tap into the perspective you had as a child and try to remember where your mind went when you fantasized about your future/what you'd be when you 'grew up'. Not so much regarding your profession but the style of person you envisioned becoming.

2008 reinforced to me the importance of working with your own nature/going with the flow. I realized that by analyzing where one's mind goes when fantasizing, you can begin to understand where your real talents lye. It's been my experience that when one taps into their real 'style', the result is effortless power. After all, we most efficiently manifest that which we can see most clearly (mentally).

Om Kriya Babaji Nama Aum

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Master Waylon you are a meteor, a powerhouse of loving, caring energy. Your blog is so very important. This is a powerful time and it is the only time as it is what is happening. With the advent of the internet and blogging we all have a voice.

Keep allowing your voice to be heard. The world is better off with 'Waylon."

May all your dreams come true,

In the dharma,

Ed

[Gyatak]

A few more, Part 2...

4) Stop practicing usury. There is a reason usury was seen as taboo by our ancestors. In addition to materializing value, institutionalizing the making of interest income on lending money places people in a system of perpetual debt -- in short, slavery.

5) Learn to spot the marks of the devil. (Say what?) The offering of security at the price of personal liberty is one. A faceless corporation that claims "to do it all for you" when all they want is your money is another. The seduction of convenience, enabling someone else to profit on a) taking away a task you normally do, 2) industrializing it and 3) selling it back to you for a profit is another. There are many more, but they all have a similar, slimy feel...

6) Have more fun. This was our household resolution. But first, let's look at the "not fun" list:

- Slogging away at jobs.
- Acting out of obligation.
- Doing what you're supposed to do because its safer.
- Making money.
- Making money at others' expense.
- Escaping life through mindless entertainment.

Now, here's the "fun" list:

- Fully enjoying the sacredness of what comes through the 6 senses.
- Being brave and acting from the heart.
- Really being there for others -- any and all of them.
- Directly expressing and bringing your inner vision for the world into reality.
- Enjoying the company of friends.
- Not needing anything.

[Gyatak]

A few more, Part 1...

1) Engage the mysterious side of life and quit trying to know so much. Conceptual knowing is a quick path to arrogance and cuts us off from direct relationship with the sacred world.

2) Quit supporting 21st-century feudalism. Think before you spend and then be generous. Every dollar spent is a vote for the seller. Sure you may save an extra $2 by buying that book at Amazon, but your local bookseller will lose his ability to make a living. And soon there will be no more local booksellers, and the livelihood opportunities for our progeny will be increasingly limited to working for multinational feudal lords (i.e., corporations).

3) Stop seeking wealth in money. Renounce hopes of making exorbitant profits. Monetized wealth is nothing other than the materialization of our sense of values. When the material representation becomes the goal, we have gone askew--big time. Almost every one of us has a secret dream to win the lottery and leave the system (or do good with it -- is that before or after buying a new car?). At this point in time, we need to be ruthless in redefining wealth in terms of real values -- not money. From Terry Gilliam's "The Brother's Grimm": "This forest used to be a sacred realm until the coming of the Christian king. Now it's nothing other than a bunch of property to be bought and sold at a profit."

[RevDannyFisher]

My new year's resolution:

http://chaplaindanny.blogspot.com/2009/01/make-new-years-resolution-for-burma.html

[Praia]

More 'Beingness' for Oneness.

[Boulderite]

To find ways for all of us to be happier with less. For many of us there is an adrenaline rush when we buy, but we don't get a corresponding rush when we don't buy. Perhaps it's tied both to "the thrill of the hunt" and a reinforced belief that spending makes us more attractive to others. Now that the economy is tanking, this is a great time to learn to feel good about keeping it simple, and then to not fall back into old habits once the economy turns around.

[etaibaron]

2009 resolution:
Learn Spanish so I can talk to more of my fellow Americans (or soon to be fellow Americans if Obama can help us out).

[Waylon Lewis - Huffpost Blogger]

Posting for a friend, the lovely Ms Deborah Bright:
GET INVOLVED with your community. Run for office, start a recycling center, make a community garden bloom. You may end up sitting on a city council with a bunch of fat white men but it is a great way to polish your skillful means and see what you really know about working with others. Read "The Tipping Point" and find out more about the "broken window" theory. You can uplift an entire village by painting murlas on falling down buildings. Crime was reduced dramatically by perky-olating the environment of the subway in NYC. And oh, by the way, if you don't do it, who will?

[LaN Monika]

There will be times in 2009 when I think one should think less + dance more. Do this.
Or look to Greek friends to be reminded why.

Commit to bettering whatever you happened to do on the 1st of January... I lectured... (and reflected on the space of airports).

Venture further. Step on soils that I haven't in the past. Communicate without English. Take others where they have never been... to touch places + talk with people they read about.

Promote flying...and stir arguments with environmentalists that only repeat 'statistics'... challenge them to understand the cultural capitol of aviation. Ask those that complain about planes to sell their cars and bike within their locales. Ask them what really would be lost? Probably not much compared to what may be lost in a world without cultural exchanges? What would be lost in a world without 'dirty architecture'? Probably not much either, so let's think more about architecture's role. Demand architect's treat environmental factors as design issues, and less as accessories. Placing a solar panel on the roof...I would argue is not the answer, but a band-aid.

Be less commitment-cynical (I'm talking human relations).

Spend time with a child fighting cancer.

Realize man's biggest fear is not what he is incapable of...but man's greatest fear comes in the realization of all that he is capable of ( I don't know the quote exactly, but its a good one )

[angelou]

Resolution:
To continue to take risks.
To meet difficulty with open curiosity.
To constantly question my own convictions...
To speak my mind without worry or second thought.

[stephdara]

Be kind, be smiling, be generous . . .

[Waylon Lewis - Huffpost Blogger]

Sounds good, but how! That's the trick. If only wishing made it so, we wouldn't need to make such a Resolution. Gaza, anyone?

[Nalanda Nick]

May all sentient beings be happy and free from suffering.
Sarva Mangalam!

[Waylon Lewis - Huffpost Blogger]

Amen, brother. Keep up the good work with Ponlop Rinpoche, he's amazing.

[Waylon Lewis - Huffpost Blogger]

Posting for a friend...

Subject: weird resolution

Hi Waylon, I can't figure out where to post my resolution!
OK, this sounds sooooo weird, but I spend a lot of time (the majority of my time) meditating, going on retreats and supporting Buddhism. So this year I have really decided to focus more on my business (design/marketing). I'm committed to networking and creating a lot of new, conscious, prosperous clients. I'd like to open an office down in Boulder or Denver.

PB www.clearskyproductions.com

[hungyeh]

How about knitting your sweaters and crocheting your underpants? - just kidding.
i actually totally adore you and what you're doing.

[Waylon Lewis - Huffpost Blogger]

You and me both.