The road to hell is paved with good intentions

Peace.

I’ve taken my time to get into the swing of things this year after coming into some new insight around my energy patterns, also known as 7 yearly cycles. it’s said that this knowledge comes from observation of nature and celestial events. In light of this learning, I took time to write and reflect on my intentions and path for 2025. I like the sound of that number, there’s something promising about this year maybe i'm anticipating some changes, new opportunities and a deeper appreciation and acceptance of myself as I grow closer to 40. 

But i recently learned something significant about this year, according to mathematics, 2025 is a perfect square year, which is a rare. The last one happened 89 years ago in 1936. now, these perfect square years are said to be ruled by number 9 in numerology, 9 is a powerful number because it represents completion, rebirth and readiness for new beginnings. So, what i'll be sharing here is partly from my personal affirmations. as someone who hasn't received much guidance on becoming a man, I have explored many versions of myself and others to develop my own framework and rules for my version of manhood. Though it might take different forms as i grow, i have found this exercise to be empowering for me and many other mystics, philosophers and people who employ this as a practice.   

One of the mantras I live by is, “as a mature accountable nurturer of my untapped potential, I seek to create peace and harmony among the people I meet and the spaces I occupy.” I’ve lived this for a big part of my life without really being intentional about it, it just came naturally to me. Maybe because i’m an only child who was in need of friends but many people I've known consider me a cool, easy going person to be around and a safe space for them in many instances where friends have trusted me with very private stuff about themselves, so my intention for this year is to live this part of me as authentically as I can.  

I am aware that this sounds like a noble pursuit with good intentions but when these intentions are left unchecked, they can regress from peace and harmorny to confilct and destruction of my self and others so, taking time to question and reflect on this way of being is crucial.

Carl jung’s beautiful work reminds us of the hidden influence of our dark side or what many know as the shadow. as we grow into our own or our influece in the world grows, every man needs to harmonize his internal energies and find a balance the between a well-meaning tyrant and a custodian of peace, love and the higher ideals in life. I know our fast paced, results driven and often invalidating society may find these ideals trivial in comparison to the pusuit of success, wealth, loud confidence and being seen. but working on yourself will go a long way in helping you be at peace with yourself and standing firm on the values you live by.  

Greek philosopher socrates once said “the unexamined life is not worth living” and I think these words are still relevant in our time, you see many examples of this in our politicians, communities, comments on social media and to be honest in some of these spaces we work and earn a living. It is in this vein that i encourage you listening to this episode (or reading these words) to resist the temptation to only live for the outter world at the expense of your inner world. when we talk about an unexamined / unconscious life we are talking about a life deprived of meaning and purpose of existence.  

For many, examining or reflecting on your life may be seen as self absorbtion and over thiking but how else can one experience a rich, undivided and generative life if we take no time to consider our ways of being, doing and working? 

So, my request to you for this year or maybe we can say this quarter is to really delve into those parts of yourself that haven’t been examined or maybe you already believe yourself to be a certain way, and if that’s the case then when last did you check in on those values or virtues and are they still serving you and the people around you in the ways you intended?  

Peace and love.