Bringing in New Year 2017 at a Buddhist Centre
My first words for the new year were – ‘Bring it on’, I said to the girl next to me after a beautiful meditation and set of words said at the Buddhist Centre. It’s not something I’d usually say (or somewhere I usually visit) and is the title of popular cheerleader movie series back in 2000. It felt right in the moment. It had been 2 weeks since a break up and a new beginning.
I felt relaxed and at times relieved, though also a strange sensation creeped in and I felt naked, especially to men. Without realising it, as I had no need to bring it to awareness ‘being together with someone’ had been a part of my identity for almost 10 years.
Now it was just me, and I wondered why my vague story of moving towns that aren’t really that different or far from each other had people listening but not asking why. I didn’t want them to ask why and maybe they already sensed it?
Anyway the night was a great experience – I ate from the vegetarian buffett, each person brought something along and got chatting to people. There was one other newbie who though hadn’t done Kundalini yoga (yet) was a Gong master and offers classes in Reading. The room soon filled with people, I enjoyed trying new foods; the nut loaf, spicy samosas, mushrooms pastry slices and lemon Bundt Cake. No one seemed to take any of my homemade chocolate cookies so I took them home with me.
At 11pm we had a meditation, or rather a reading from a Buddhist in the space with large to little gold Buddahs and ornaments. I was very tired at this point, I was used to sleeping at 9pm though I felt happy and at peace to celebrate bringing in the new year with a group of likeminded people.
I drove home that night with a sense of wonder and excitement – I’m driving….and it’s 2017 now!