A celebration, a milestone, and a beginning – all of these words mark the profoundness of a birthdate like that of a lighthouse on a stormy night.
I took a different route this time and went on a Birthday Quest. This `reset and calibrate` kind of work was powerful!
Yesterday I shared a talk on my own process that may inspire you too. You can watch the replay on my Modern Bridge to Ancient Wisdom Facebook Group.
While my process was very organic and fluid, looking back I saw a clear structure in it that I can outline in 6 steps:
1. Intentionality:
I can hear the thoughts rising in many minds. `Oh birthdays what a consumerist, empty idea, couldn`t care less`, `Why bother about a simple day`, `I get so stressed and lonely around those days`, `What should I do this year?`...
The first step, therefore, is acknowledging the importance of such hiatus moments in our lives and making use of them rather than avoiding, fighting, or chasing them.
Before you start, it’s important to decide the time frame, purpose, and intensity of the Quest. Do you want to focus on spiritual growth or just find a way to have fun? Make sure you choose the option that really suits you.
My intention was to turn it into a mid-term review (as it literally is the end of the first 6 months of the year) and re-calibrate while connecting with `neglected` parts of me and my life.
2. Guided Inner Contemplation:
Now that you’ve set your intention, it’s time to go deep into yourself. Through meditation and mindful awareness, connect with your inner self and discover what really matters to you. Who do you want to be? What do you want to experience?
Here I relied on several resources remembering that a mind that generates the very problems cannot resolve them. My resources were kundalini practice to change my state, podcasts, and programs to get inspired, and most important of all my own coach to have a mirror as well as guidance.
3. Re-building connection to art and nature:
This step is about regaining emotional balance and discovering the world around you. A long period of busy work made it easy for me to neglect the most inspirational aspects of life. So I took deliberate time to go to concerts, listen to new tracks, and browse for artistic inspiration online when it was not available around.
4. Grounding and strengthening your root:
This was one of the most fundamental steps for me to bring back to the liveliness and connectedness of my earlier life. For me, grounding and roots are about family, old friends, and Istanbul. So that is what I did. I took a short and spontaneous trip to Istanbul. I spent quality time with family and friends; walked for hours and hours around the town. At every step of the way I stayed with my intentions; while planning or just following the natural flow.
5. Intentional planning of your birthday:
Now that you’ve got to know yourself better, it’s time to plan your birthday. Have fun but make sure you are careful not to forget the purpose of the Quest.
It really doesn't matter what you do; a solo retreat at home meditating, journaling, and listening to music is also an amazing plan for me.
I chose to fly to Bodrum for just a few nights and spend an amazing Mediterranean getaway with my close friends. Without any planning, I ended up doing what I love the most exactly during my solar return; swimming in turquoise waters!
Choose to be selfish or give back – it’s up to you!
6. Integration:
At the end of the Quest, look back and take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come. Don’t forget to be proud of yourself. Go ahead and treat yourself to something you truly enjoy.
I spent a deluxe day at my favorite spa and hotel resting after the long trip and enjoying the fresh and inspired state of mind that immediately reflected in the quality of my work, relations, and daily life.
No matter what you do, make sure that you close the cycle of the Birthday Quest.
Interested in doing a Birthday Quest of your own? I am happy to be your coach or mentor in this process. Just reply to this email and we will get it rolling.
