My 2017 New Year’s Message

Every new year I ask the divine, “What is my word to embrace this year as a thread to guide me along my journey in this new beginning?”

The word revealed to me this year is “Oneness.”

I have just finished a very deep dive into personal growth as a participant with my good friends transformational leaders Rich and Yvonne Dutra St. John and Justin in their eight-day intensive, “Why Have You Come to the Earth?”

I ask you: Do you remember why you have come? (I encourage you to listen to John Astin’s song, “Love, Serve, and Remember.”)

As part of this eight-day intensive program, I gathered one morning in a room of extremely diverse people–a group of 35. We were to begin at 9:30am in the miracle room at Challenge Day. Sitting there, I felt a familiar resistance to participating. (I always know when I’m supposed to do a workshop because my ego screams, “No! Don’t do it!”) That’s when I know there’s something really special for me.

I walked in knowing some familiar Challenge Day participants that I’ve worked with before—and of course, the leaders Rich and Yvonne are two of my closest friends.

Yet, I also walked into the room this day feeling a bit isolated in my work and on my own in my life with lots of responsibility and decisions to make every day.

That feeling didn’t last long though.

It takes me half a day or so, to adjust from being a leader to a participant–but then I drop in as my heart opens.

What I noticed throughout the week as the greatest miracle was the Oneness of the room—the one journey we were all on together.

In deep listening, loving, and holding space for each other, it didn’t matter what your income was.

It didn’t matter if you were Latina, Black, White, Indian or whatever race.

It didn’t matter your age or sexual orientation or gender.

Your political views didn’t matter much either.

It didn’t even matter what shame or shadow you carried into the room with you.

What became evident is that when each person laughed or cried, we all laughed and cried together as mirrors of each other.

By the week’s end, the room was so connected in health, in love, and especially in our humanity.

In our suffering and in our greatest joys, we are all the same.

Yes, the details of our lives born of ego separate us.

But, we are far more alike than we are different in our essence.

Each of us was born innocent and free; each of us came here with a special unique set of gifts to express.

If a room of 35 diverse people from all over the world of all ages can connect in Oneness, then this is what’s possible for the planet despite our perceived differences.

In my darkest hours of grief, I felt every widow and every Mother who had lost a child. I knew and understood and felt deep love and compassion for humanity.

Let’s begin this new year of 2017 by dropping barriers of separateness and noticing how we are more alike than different to help us live our most vibrant lives in connection—in our Oneness.

Cheers!

Treasure the gifts of life and love,
Kris