LIMI MONTOYA

THE MEXICA TRADITION OF NEMONTEMI (THE LAST DAYS OF THE YEAR) — HOW MY INTUITION LED ME TO IT AND HOW I PRACTICE IT
The Mexica calendar (commonly referred to as the Aztec calendar), has 360 days, and five “extra days”. In the Nahuatl language, those five extra days are called Nemontemi. One interpretation of the word is “complete what has been lived.”
Traditionally, the Mexica people used those extra five days as a time for reflecting on the completed year. It was a period of introspection and preparation for the new year.
My Personal Nemontemi
I began my personal Nemontemi practice in 2014. At the time I didn’t know about the Mexica tradition of the extra five days. I just intuitively noticed that the last six days of the year felt like an in between space and time. A transition point between the past year and the new year.
After Christmas, once all the presents are opened, empty boxes are stacked high, and wrapping paper litters the floor, my attention naturally turns to the New Year.
And if not mindful, I miss out on the final gift of the season: the last six days of the year.
I noticed that the last six days are the perfect time to reflect on blessings and gifts received all year. These days can be a time for reviewing lessons learned and challenges met. The last six days of the year can be a sacred time and space in which intentions and plans are set for the new year.
And that’s how I arrived at my personal practice of Nemontemi.
Time for Introspection
My personal practice during this period is to reflect and review on the first three days. From December 26 through 28, I review my journals and electronic notes, and outline the things that stand out. This one ritual helps to reinforce or recall lessons learned, it sharpens the memory of moments past, and highlights patterns repeated throughout the year.
By the end of December 28, I am filled with gratitude for everything that happened in the year, I have a greater sense of clarity and purpose, and in this state of gratitude I am ready to set intentions and make plans for the new year.
Time for Intentions
On December 29 I begin reviewing my life mission. In doing so, I notice whether or not my actions in the past year aligned with my mission. If my actions didn’t align, then I identify where I can course correct and refocus.
A better alignment to my mission makes it easier to set my intentions for the new year.
Now that I’m filled with gratitude and clarity, more aligned with my mission, and focused on my intentions, I’m ready to plan my desired outcomes for the new year.
The last two days of the year (December 30 and 31) is when I plan. I begin with the end in mind, and focus on how each outcome will further my life mission. I visualize myself making the effort and working toward my desired outcomes. I imagine the excitement and satisfaction of achievement in my body. Then, and only then, do I write down the desired outcomes.
After writing down my desired outcomes, I make a bullet point list of those outcomes, and put that list in my planner. This ensures that I constantly see my desired outcomes as I plan my weeks and days, and it keeps me on track throughout the year.
My wish for you
However you spend the last six days of the year, I wish you an abundance of joy, peace, and love.
May you close out the year in a beautiful way, and may your hopes for the new year be realized.
I AM RICH
A couple of days ago I reflected on all the good things that happened in my life during 2016. I had a quick snapshot of lessons learned, achievements reached, and relationships strengthened. I saw growth, and meaningful moments, and laughter. I was filled with gratitude, love, and profound contentment. Then it hit me.
I’M RICH!
I am rich in love.
I am rich in faith.
I am rich in hope.
I am rich in relationships.
I am rich in wisdom.
I am rich in purpose.
I am rich in service.
I am rich in Spirit.
I am rich in peace.
I am rich in joy.
Oh I’ve had my share of setbacks, mistakes, heartbreak, and disappointments. I’ve struggled, and stumbled, and sunk.
Do I have a lot of money in the bank? Not yet.
Thankfully, I have more today than I did yesterday.
Am I making my journey alongside the love of my life? Not yet.
Journeys take preparation. We’ll come together when we’re both ready.
Have I made a lasting contribution to humanity? Not yet.
I do make daily contributions in the lives of the ones I love.
Truly Rich
The world likes to define rich as being famous and having a gazillion dollars. Those who follow this line of thinking are never happy because they always want more. Every increase, every achievement, every “success” is more empty than the previous one. Until finally, life is hollow and meaningless.
The truly rich enjoy the present because to them it is a gift. Life makes them rich in connection, not possession. They are abundant in collaboration rather than competition. Giving and receiving replaces taking and expecting. Loving appreciation overcomes judgmental rejection.
If you desire to be truly rich, your heart must open wide to Life and the Universe. Only then will you be ready to receive all that Life and the Universe want to give.
REFUSE TO BLEND IN
Craig Sager passed away today after an inspiring two year battle with cancer.
He was know as the NBA sideline reporter with the crazy suits. When he was presented with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award earlier this year at the ESPYS, Sager said:
Whatever I might’ve imagined a terminal diagnosis would do to my spirit, it’s summoned quite the opposite – the greatest appreciation for life itself.
So I will never give up. And I will never give in. I will continue to keep fighting, sucking the marrow out of life, as life sucks the marrow out of me. I will live my life full of love and full of fun. It’s the only way I know how.
How’s that for a life purpose and lasting legacy?!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WnTOV5efjw?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=540&h=304]
The 3 Gs of Service
Service is one of the most powerful ways to connect with others. The human spirit needs connection. It is driven to reach out and be part of something bigger than itself.
So if you feel like connecting with someone, go serve them!
Besides being able to connect, here are three other reasons for serving others.
1. Gratitude
Those who serve best do so from a deep sense of gratitude. They recognize that serving others is a way of acknowledging the immediate goodness of God and his abundant blessings. The gratitude they feel translates into a desire to be of service to others, and to help wherever possible. Their motto is: “Because I have been given much, I too must give…Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.”
2. God’s Love
A person’s secret prayer is usually answered through the service of others. Those acts of service become a demonstration of God’s love. Especially when the need is great, and the prayers have been earnest.
When you are the instrument of service, you also feel God’s love for you. No matter how weak or unworthy you feel, if God uses you to answer the prayer of another, He obviously believes in you and trusts you enough for that service.
3. Growth
One of the rewards for selfless service is growth. Growth in the person being served, growth in the one serving, and growth in the community at large.
When you serve or receive service, everybody wins. When everybody wins, we become better, stronger, united. This is how the human family grows.
Go Serve!
You want to show gratitude? Go serve!
You want to witness God’s love? Go serve!
You want to grow and help another grow? Go serve!
Is your BUT getting in the way?
A “but” mindset interrupts your desires and ideas. It stops creativity dead in its tracks.
The word “but” interrupts anything that was said before, completely negates it, and sends a signal to your brain that the important information is what comes after “but.”
For example:
I want to travel…BUT I don’t have money.
I want to write a novel…BUT I have writer’s block.
I want to get in shape…BUUUUT I never have time to exercise.
Do you see how the “BUT” completely interrupts the fist part and leaves you hanging with the last piece of information?
AND
Don’t let “BUT” get in the way. Switch it to “AND” instead. The word “and” brings everything together, challenging you to make choices when contradictory ideas are juxtaposed. Observe:
I want to travel AND I don’t have money.
Ok, so what are you going to do about it?
I want to write a novel AND I have writer’s block.
Ok, how will you get past the block?
I want to get in shape AND I never have time to exercise.
Ok, when will you make time?
“AND” keeps you moving forward. It empowers you to take control of each situation, AND puts you in a more creative state. *see what I did there?*
Let “AND” become your new superpower. You’ll be amazed at how much this one little change will affect the way you feel, think, and act.
Fit, Healthy, or Whole. Which are you?
You are a complete system consisting of body, mind, and spirit. The quality of your life depends on how well you manage each part.
Fitness, Health, and Wholeness are not the same thing. Fitness relates to how much physical activity you can do. Health is focused on you being free of illness or injury. Wholeness is centered on your emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Here is another way of looking at the difference between Fitness, Health, and Wholeness:
- Fitness is about your body.
- Health is about your body and mind.
- Wholeness is about your body, mind, and spirit.
Look. Feel. Be.
Fitness tends to pay attention to how you look. Health becomes a matter whether or not you feel sick. Wholeness usually translates to how happy you are.
Be. Feel. Look.
Begin with BEing whole, and you will FEEL better. When you FEEL better, you LOOK better. Put Wholeness first, and soon Health and Fitness follow.
AND
Fitness, Health, and Wholeness are not mutually exclusive. It’s not a case of either/or. It’s a matter of AND.
You can be fit AND healthy AND whole.
There is no “one little secret to being fit.” No “key to health.” No “formula for wholeness.” Because you are a system of all three, you must manage all three. It takes intentional planning and diligent effort. Some days you’ll do better than others. Do it consistently enough, and you will become Whole, Healthy, and Fit.
Practical Spirituality
Spirituality is a skill you can develop, and is essential to your progress as a person. If you want to live a life full of joy, meaning, and purpose; then you must grow in spirituality.
Spirituality impels [you] to conquer difficulties and acquire more and more strength. – David O. McKay
SBNR
Over the last 50 years, individuals all over the world have increasingly self identified as being Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR). This means they consider themselves spiritual, but do not affiliate with any organized religion. In the U.S. alone, “one-fifth of the U.S. public – and a third of adults under 30 – are religiously unaffiliated today.”¹And even though these individuals do not practice a particular religion, most of them do believe in God.²
So what about you? Do you consider yourself spiritual but not religious? Have you developed the skill of spirituality?
Skill
Spirituality is the skill of self–mastery and communion with the Infinite (i.e. God, Spirit, Source, Light, the Universe). This simple definition is tremendously practical because it can be practiced by the most ardent believer and the staunchest non–believer alike.
A spiritual person seeks to master Self and to be at one with the Infinite. Think about the most spiritual people in your life. What is their level of self–mastery? How connected do they feel to the Infinite? Do they not seem to be connected to everyone and everything around them? If you asked them, they would most likely tell you they’ve been practicing the skill of spirituality for a long time, and that they still have a long way to go before they master it.
The skill of spirituality helps you develop inner strength. It puts things into proper perspective, and gives you a clear view of things as they really are. Nature becomes a temple. Music becomes a language of truth. The body becomes an instrument for channeling the Infinite.
As your spirituality increases, so does your wholeness, purpose, and fulfillment.
Developing the Skill
Like any skill, spirituality is developed through practice. Present practice. Striving to be better now than you were a moment ago. Letting yesterday go and resolving to be better today.
What must you practice? Everything that helps you master Self and be at one with the Infinite.
Common traits of the spiritually skillful are:
1. Awareness – being attuned to the expressions of Self, others, and the Infinite. The key is to create space for the expression of all three, and to listen for the Truth in each expression. Feelings, thoughts, words, and actions are carefully chosen because these influence the harmony between all three expressions, and either sharpen or dull awareness.
2. Prayer/Meditation – moments of reflection where the deepest desires are expressed, and intense listening is the prevailing attitude. The overall goal is to bring back or manifest the clarity of Truth, to feel or perceive the presence of the Infinite, and to reconcile the relationship between Self and the Infinite.
3. Ritual – a series of actions, behaviors, or practices that are consistently repeated, often with intention and reverence. Ritual does not have to be religious. It can be anything that requires focus, discipline, and commitment to regular practice. This includes yoga, exercise of some sort, playing an instrument, painting, writing, and other creative activities. Even washing the car each week can be a ritual.
4. Love – for Self, others, and the Infinite. Usually expressed in the form of appreciation, compassion, humor, kindness, and respect. To love one is to love many. Those who love most are most grateful. Love for Self includes appreciation of imperfections. Love for others includes nature and all of its creatures. Love for the Infinite includes patience for the uncertain and unknown.
5. Giving – a selfless desire to provide as much as possible to others. Born of love and the recognition that much has been received. It is usually done in private and without expectation of reciprocation. Generously giving helps the spiritually skillful to master Self because it turns the focus to others. The giver finds her own needs and wants met as she meets the needs and wants of others.
6. Study – continual learning; especially of Truth. The spiritually skillful recognize that mastery over Self and communion with the Infinite require a deeper and deeper understanding of Self and the Infinite. The need for study becomes obvious because the more you learn, the more you realize how much you don’t know. Mastery doesn’t mean becoming an expert. Rather, it means being a continual student.
7. Sacrifice – willfully giving up one thing for something far better. It requires the faith, hope, and trust because there is no guarantee that the future benefit will actually be received. And it comes in all shapes and sizes. Some sacrifice a half hour of sleep in order to receive the benefit of an early work out. Others sacrifice the pursuit of personal gain in exchange for more time with loved ones. Ultimately, mastery of Self and communion with the Infinite requires giving up the old Self.
Within Reach
Spirituality is like water. Where more is present, Life thrives. Where there is little, Life is a barren desert.
And just as nature has its times, rhythms, and seasons of growth; so too does the skill of spirituality.
Few achieve mastery in this life. But all can develop the skill of spirituality.
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The Oppression of Nice
I am not nice.
Not at all.
I used to be nice. I used be very nice. But not anymore. Why?
Because I learned the difference between being nice and being kind. NIceness is focused on pleasing others at the expense of Self. Kindness is focused on love and respect for Self and others.
When I was nice, it was because I wanted to win the acceptance and approval of others. Every time I was nice, it was at the expense of my self worth.
HIDDEN MESSAGE
When we insist on someone being nice, we are effectively telling them that we do not and will not like them unless they behave in a way that is pleasing to us. This hidden message is most apparent, and most detrimental, when told to children.
A couple of days ago my two year old niece Harper was fidgety at the dinner table. Her attention was on Curious George rather than her food. Her mom (my youngest sister), wanting for Harper to finish dinner, encouraged her to eat up before bath time. Harper replied with a firm “NO!”, and threw some food on the table. My sister attempted to correct this outburst by saying “Harper, not nice.”
And there it was! The hidden message of “being nice.” I heard and saw the conditioning and oppression of nice right before my eyes. By saying “not nice,” my sister was telling Harper that she needed to be nice in order to be liked.
Don’t get me wrong. My sister is a great mom, and she does everything a single mother can do to raise her daughter. She didn’t intend to tell Harper that she wouldn’t be liked unless she complied with “being nice.” She was just trying to instill good manners at the dinner table.
(Disclaimer…I am not a parent, nor have I ever been a parent. So I can only begin to imagine the difficulty of teaching a child good values while at the same time instilling discipline).
The point is, the oppression of nice begins early on in life. As early as two years old. And if you’re still not convince, recall the lyrics of the song “Santa Clause is Coming to Town.”
You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list
He’s checking it twice;
He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
The message is that Santa Clause is coming, and the child will only get a gift if she doesn’t cry or pout, and is nice.
Is it any wonder then that many individuals grow up to be people pleasers who are nice to everybody else except themselves? Individuals who suppress their true identity, and fear being their true Self because they don’t want to be “mean”, “naughty” or “not nice?”
THE POWER OF KINDNESS
Logic doesn’t penetrate the heart and spirit of a person. Only kindness does.
It washes over a person’s heart, melting icy indifference with compassionate caring and warm respect. It softens the hardened heart with soft tones of understanding. It recognizes the worth of the spirit, and honors it as divinely great.
When I learned to love and respect myself, kindness naturally blossomed and radiated to everyone I met. I saw we are all worthy of love and respect, and that we are all trying our best under our own particular circumstances. I understood that the only acceptance and approval needed was from Father.*
*(when I say Father, I mean God. You may use another term for Her/Him: Gaia, Spirit, Source, etc. Father is the one I prefer).
A person filled with love and respect for Self and others will naturally be kind. She will think of others as herself. She will serve out of love. She will set healthy boundaries and know how to say no. She will listen to others compassionately, and keep her own voice.
Kindness leaves an indelible mark on the heart and spirit. It improves living and working environments. It strengthens relationships. It affects generations to come. The kindness you show today will ripple into future.
Be kind.
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Just watched Tarzan with my 2 year old niece, and was reminded of this beautiful song. The message in the lyrics is powerful and full of truth. Give it a listen!
Oh, the power to be strong
And the wisdom to be wise
All these things will
come to you in time
On this journey that you’re making
There’ll be answers that you’ll seek
And it’s you who’ll climb the mountain
It’s you who’ll reach the peak
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you’ll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you’ll be
Though there’s no one there to guide you
No one to take your hand
But with faith and understanding
You will journey from boy to man
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you’ll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you’ll be
In learning you will teach
And in teaching you will learn
You’ll find your place beside the
ones you love
Oh, and all the things you dreamed of
The visions that you saw
Well, the time is drawing near now
It’s yours to claim in all
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you’ll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you’ll be
Son of Man,
Son of Man’s a man for all to see
A SONG FULL OF WISDOM
I just watched Tarzan with my 2 year old niece, and was reminded of this beautiful song. The message in the lyrics is powerful and full of truth. Give it a listen!
Oh, the power to be strong
And the wisdom to be wise
All these things will
come to you in time
On this journey that you’re making
There’ll be answers that you’ll seek
And it’s you who’ll climb the mountain
It’s you who’ll reach the peak
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you’ll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you’ll be
Though there’s no one there to guide you
No one to take your hand
But with faith and understanding
You will journey from boy to man
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you’ll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you’ll be
In learning you will teach
And in teaching you will learn
You’ll find your place beside the
ones you love
Oh, and all the things you dreamed of
The visions that you saw
Well, the time is drawing near now
It’s yours to claim in all
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you’ll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you’ll be
Son of Man,
Son of Man’s a man for all to see