Embrace. Yes, that is my word of the year.

Last year, it was “Time becomes Space” which seemed so much cooler and not so…girly.

But—Embrace.

Yes, it’s a beautiful word.

Words of the year was introduced to me by Heather. Everyone chooses their own word, based on their own internal messages.

And we have found, upon sharing this with most people in our close circle, almost everyone quickly hears their word—resounding innerly—when posed the question.

What is your word of the year?

A week late, but in the tradition of further recognizing the qualities of time in the cycle of the year, here are some thoughts:

We spend the twelve nights of Christmas using computers as little as possible, and instead spend the time in intensive socializing and reading. I made this chart based on a small book by Sergei Prokofieff, drawing on Steiner’s insights, called the Twelve Holy Nights and the Spiritual Hierarchies.

As the twelve nights began to wrap up, I sensed a distinct flavor that was familiar from the previous year. In an attempt to chart how the year flows (for me, but also for my husband) this is the current model:

I always see the year as a counter-clockwise circle, with September as the starting point at position hand-4 on a clock.

A commenter requested a larger version of an image I used in this presentation.

I made this picture a few years ago, and I think it was an attempt at mapping the details of the human being and the earthly cultural epochs, large epochs, and cosmic epochs on the same page, using details from Theosophy and How to Know Higher Worlds, as well as the Apocalypse Lectures from 1907 ish.

I’m currently reading Steiner’s science lectures (GA 320-327, approx) and thinking about the cosmic and microcosmic order that is reflected throughout anthroposophy, allowing one to see the patterns, pre-capitulations, and re-capitulations between cycles and phenomena.

As someone who enjoys patterns (an apophenic), it is always that urge toward order and harmony that draws me in.