Ellen Franklin, PhD &
Donna Carey, LAc
I realize…you feel the need to see clearly. But your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Without, everything seems discordant; only within does it coalesce into unity. Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside awakes. ~Carl Jung, Letters Volume I, Page 33.
In her astrological forecast for 2020, Lynn Wedekind identifies this year as a time for manifestation where we have the potential to activate the golden elixir and move into a golden age. I was really struck by these words and her forecast for 2020 as well as the opportunities and actions we might take to embody the golden light and birth into a golden age where unity prevails.
Language and the use of words has always been something important to both me and Donna, how we frame and shape ideas, the flow and sound of the spoken word, the beauty and majesty of the written word. Even the smell of ink in something newly printed brings a smile. This love of words led us to join friends Sarah and Rita in an annual ritual at New Years, something they began years ago, that we were delighted to join in on. Unlike resolutions made at New Year’s that are soon forgotten the choice of a word to guide our path through the year provided a rich opportunity to think about what frames our intentions, where are the opportunities for growth and deep movement in meaningful directions. I chose the word clarity and Donna chose escalation. We each share our perspectives on these words below and invite you to share your thoughts and ideas about 2020 as well.
Clarity – Ellen F. Franklin
My word for this year is Clarity. In this new decade I will turn 70. While we jokingly refer to this as the new 40, I have come to realize how important it is for me to have clarity of goals, purpose and intent as I move into the golden years of life. How can I do good in the world in simple ways and be clear about everything I undertake so that commitments are honored, and I am able to genuinely find ways to feed my creative spirit, while also understanding what is vital. What can I do to release regrets, hurts and anger, as well as the what ifs and should haves, so that they don’t escalate into something dark? Jung proposes that to gain clarity of vision requires an inward journey, to examine what is in our heart, for without this dissonance rather than true unity will prevail.
In my inward meditation on the word clarity I came to understand that it also represents transparency, the ability to illuminate and enlighten through words, images and sound. It is embodied in clean water that runs down our mountain streams and a rich singing voice that is clear and pure. I see that changes are required so that responsibilities are met and that I am also able to find that longed for precision of thought, stillness and serenity. In exploring ideas around how to promote greater clarity I recognize how essential it is to be out in the natural world to take the time to watch birds, hike or sit by a mountain stream. Understanding the dire condition facing our planet what actions can be taken to not give in to despair but to make a difference, even on a small scale. How might I best use my voice and words?
It is so important to take the time to recognize what really matters, simplify, let go of clutter and negativity and to make space within and without. I have gained clarity around some things and recognize that this is an ongoing process requiring deep and continued reflection. I will continue to teach, write and travel and expand my research on alleviating traumatic stress with Acutonics. Donna and I are still hard at work envisioning a new decade for Acutonics, what is it we most want to manifest for the greater good of our community and the clinical work that we all engage in.
Escalation – Donna Carey
As we enter 2020, a new decade, we have escalating world tensions and conflicts of all types. Religious, geographic, ethnic, sexual, gender, political affiliations and just about any identity imaginable. Fiction or alternative facts rather than actual facts pervade the political arena. We awoke to a new year of unprecedented environmental devastation a planet burning or drowning, worldwide chaos, leaders unable to lead, and the rhetoric of families arguing at dinnertime, to countries arguing about assets. As I reflect on all of this, my word for this year is Escalation. It informs the very nature of our lives in the twenty first century. There are three Hopi words that address where we are in human history, and it feels today that they are all happening simultaneously:
KOYAANISQATSI life out of balance
POWAQQATSI life in transformation
NAQOYQATSI life as war or a life of killing each other
In fiction writing we find these same themes represented in stories that depict man against nature, man against himself, and man against man. People, families, communities, nations, nature, and planets have coped with deeply wrenching and disturbing periods of chaos and upheaval such as we are experiencing today. The past offers multi-faceted lenses on how to respond to these challenges through different coping mechanisms. Perhaps the greatest and most effective of these has been acknowledgement of responsibility, brutally honest self-appraisal, and the deep learning that comes from genuine efforts to understanding the successes and failures of the past, so that we are able to identify and learn from the positive examples around the globe, recognizing that isolationism serves no one.
We also must look to the future to see if we are adequately coping with the current crisis. This brings me back to my choice of words for this year, which is escalation and the antidote to that, de-escalation. I remember seeing a news story not too long ago about the dangers of a moving escalator; how easy it is for something to become stuck in the mechanism. It is critical that when we step onto a moving escalator we know where the emergency stop button is, everybody should know this, for all of our safety. My word choice is really about this critically important action, that each one of us know how to stop, reflect, evaluate and act. And so, the focus for me and I hope for all of us, is to escalate our consciousness and awareness and to deescalate doing, so we can open up to this very precious time and evaluate whether we are learning from the past to move into and cope with the future.
We hope you will share your words and ideas about 2020 here.
We wish you a golden 2020, filled with manifestation, transformation, beauty, and peace.
Ellen & Donna