We are standing, yet again, at the edge of where our past year concludes and our new year is peaking over the horizon. What sort of lessons have we learned from this past year? What are we letting go of? What sort of experiences or projects are you looking forward to? Taking the time to sit and reflect with ourselves is a critical part of our journey; allowing a moment to pause, re-set, and prepare for yet another year to come.
Not every country celebrates the New Year on January 1st. The Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, is celebrated sometime between January 21st and February 20th, following the Chinese lunar calendar as a time to welcome in the Spring and the New Year with food, festivities, and honoring deities and ancestors.
The Balinese New Year, called Nyepi or “Day of Silence”, is celebrated in March, and marks the first day of the lunar-based Saka calendar. The eve of Nyepi is celebrated with fire rituals followed by a day for self-reflection and rest(most of the island is actually closed on this day).
No matter which calendar we follow, there is a universal theme– to recognize and celebrate the completion of one year, while welcoming in the new year.
In 2022 we focused on Mental Health and Belonging and this year we are focusing on you– the daily lived experiences of individuals and how we can support you. What sort of topics do you personally avoid discussing? Are there certain topics that are deeply personal to you that you wish you were discussing more? We encourage our Living Room Conversations LRC community to join us in welcoming our new theme – join or host a conversation of your own! Be part of several and share the impact of an open conversation with your communities! Here’s a list of conversation topics you can host [https://livingroom.s052.wptstaging.space/topics/]. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Let us know or create your own [https://livingroom.s052.wptstaging.space/create-your-own-topic/].
What sort of themes are you anchoring in this year? And how can Living Room Conversations (or conversations) support you? We’d love to hear from you!
We are grateful to be celebrating 2023 with you all – thank you to those who have been rocking with us, and welcome to those who are new! Happy New Year!
Resources:
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/special-report/chinese-new-year/
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/11-cultures-that-dont-celebrate-new-years-day-on-jan-1/nsmaojbot