I felt resistance to having a word of the year this time round, though the thought that kept creeping up on me was that last year’s word of 2016 was the only word that was the difference that made the difference.

Past words: Remarkable, Will, Present – all had no memorable impact to my years.

The word that did was my word for 2016, which is two words but said together – Sat Nam.

Sat Nam translates to Sat – Truth and Nam – Name/Identity. It is also translated as ‘truth is my name’, ‘I am truth’, ‘truth is my name’. It can be used as a greeting meaning ‘I see your true nature’ or ‘I recognise the divinity in you’.

A long Saaaaaattt Naaam is said at the end of a Kundalini meditation/Kriya and I’ve said it each morning all year after yoga. Saying it, singing it – including it everyday in some way has been the difference that made a difference. Unlike the other years I really applied it and good things came from it.

‘This mantra is more than what it means in translation. It is an experience. By chanting “Sat Nam” or meditating upon it with your breath, you call into your awareness the state of the vibration of truth. You create an internal experience of what these words represent. Truth, enlightenment, consciousness and above all awareness, comes into your experience.’ – Spirit Voyage 

I will continue to use Sat Nam throughout this year, my word for 2017 is – TRUST.

I was tempted to have Truth as my word for the year but I felt that is what I embodied last year and continue to do so. Trust came forward as having inner faith and trust are so important, when we have trust we move forward in the direction of dreams, let go and surrender and things flow more easily.

I trust that I am on an unfolding path, to love where I am going, where I will be living, what I will be doing.

I trust that everything is always working out for me.

I trust that though I can’t predict the future I will positively affirm and visualise, I will plan, put into action what I want and trust the journey.

I trust that it is perfectly ok to have this year open to personal development and keep up with the expansion of who-I-really-am.

I trust that I am infinite.

A great video about trust is from Brene Brown A lesson about trust from her daughter, about how small moments build up our level of trust with people.

‘There is an opportunity to build trust and there is an opportunity to betray’. – Dr. John Gottman

Another talk I really enjoyed is Building Trust by James Davis, in it he talks about his experience of jumping off a mountain and the 3 keys to trust.

Finally, moving to a spiritual and holy text, the Japji Sahib that I am learning in my Kundalini Level 1 training brings up trust in a beautiful and practical way. Pauree’s 13-15 include the word ‘trust’ several times, they encourage us to trust what we hear when we listen to our intuitive inner voice, our true selves and when we trust that there will be no obstacles on our path.