January Gardenias

Do you practice picking a word (or flower) of the year? As an artist and coach, I find this annual self-inquiry process has become a revered ceremonial quest that brings a deeply soulful sense of satisfaction. In the words of a treasured mentor, “intention is like a carrier wave.”

The word “harmony” came to me after weeks of deliberation and delightedly has been echoed in welcoming today’s new moon & Lunar New Year; a validation its resonance will continue to be magnified with set intention. I imagine the transportive aroma of gardenias as a further embodiment during times of prolific sea change.

A wise sage in the form of a cab driver first introduced me to the practice six years ago. I’ll never forget the afternoon buzzing through Koreatown, LA, in a dismal rain, a classical symphony blasting triumphantly en route to explore a new art gallery. In a bit of a sensory daydream, the driver out-of-the-blue, rather pointedly asked me what my word of the year was. He went on to explain what his word was, his wife and daughter’s words and the very specific rationale for why they were chosen. It struck me that their words were more like prayers.

Opening the cab door to exit, a bit saddened to leave the intimate conversation, I knew with every fiber of my being, my word was “poetic.” Later on the cab back, with a different driver, we debated how you can tell the wellness of a city based on the presence and vitality of its bird songs. Another truth I had not yet explored.

Unsurprisingly, the year continued to be poetically inspired. I send a heartfelt thank you to these kind souls for introducing such a phenomenal practice and sparking something far deeper within me. If you have not yet selected a word, flower, color, or mantra of the year, I encourage you to consider one. Whether it arrives intuitively or through deeper meditation, enjoy the beauty that unfolds.