Greetings Reader -

It’s time once again to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another.

And the first way I want to celebrate is by celebrating you: thank you for being here, for being who you are, for reading my emails, for being a part of this community, and for sharing your journey with me.

The second way is by sharing a bit of inspiration I got from a podcast I listening to recently (The Gray Area—episode date November 25). It was an interview with marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, who talked about the importance of thinking in terms of the best case scenario and doing what we can to move ourselves and the world in the direction of that scenario.

This, of course, requires a genuine belief in the possibility of a best case scenario.

Which is totally reasonable because there's always a best case scenario. It may not be as good as we want it to be, but it's just logical that there always has to be a best case scenario to be hoped for and worked toward no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.

Dr. Johnson was specifically speaking about how we can and should respond to the inevitability of global warming, but the principle is applicable in any area of concern we have for ourselves personally and for the world at large.

Those of us on the path of yoga have to add two things to genuine belief in a best case scenario: determination to do the right thing just because it's the right thing to do and acceptance of the fact that the ultimate outcome is beyond our control.

Which means that every outcome, no matter what it is, is an opportunity to imagine a new possible best case scenario and do our best to make it happen while simultaneously letting go of our attachment to that scenario, even as we work toward it.

Yes, yoga is a tricky business, but this is yoga's formula for developing an inner state of contentment (santoṣa) that isn't shaken by external circumstances.

The traditional commentators on the Yoga-sutras tell us that the highest happiness—happiness in the mode of illumination—doesn't depend on fleeting externalities because it's an inherent property of the tranquil mind.

And the path to a tranquil mind runs through action without attachment to the results of our actions.

An important point: detachment is not the same thing as pessimism or resignation. On the contrary, detachment, when appropriately applied, lends itself to freedom and optimism.

Here's why: If we think that there is only one possible or acceptable future, our freedom is eliminated—we are subjugated by the tyranny of a singular possibility—and our optimism is either constrained to the hope for that one future or extinguished if that future is unwanted.

On the other hand, detachment from a singular future means freedom to create or respond to any future. And freedom is the natural foundation for optimism.

For me, detachment paired with compassion and sincerity in the course of working towards the realization of a best case scenario produces what I call "rational optimism."

One of the best ways I’ve found to generate rational optimism about future possibilities is to end the year by sitting with two sets of questions. The first set of questions are reflective questions that prompt a look back over the past year:

• What was the most significant spiritual realization I had this past year?
• What was the most joyful experience I had this past year?
• Who really showed up for me this past year?
• How have I changed over the last 365 days?

The second set of questions are projective questions that prompt a look forward to the new year:

• What kind of personal spiritual growth do I want for myself this coming year?
• What kind of goals am I best suited to help others achieve?
• Who do I really need to show up for this coming year?
• How can I apply my most significant spiritual realization from this past year to the ways in which I’ll engage with the world in the new year?

These are the same questions I ask myself every year, but the answers are always new. Try them for yourself and see where they take you.

I hope that 2024 is ending on a high note for you and that 2025 starts on an even higher one.

Wishing you all good fortune for the year to come,

- Hari-k

P.S.: My first workshop of the year is coming up soon! I hope you'll join me on Sunday, January 12 at 12:00 pm EST for The Three Pillars of Yoga: a live online exploration of the essential foundation of a comprehensive yoga practice described in Yoga-sutra II.1. Through a close reading of the original Sanskrit and insightful commentary from sages who preserved and expanded on these teachings across a millennium, we’ll unpack the essence of each of the three "actions of yoga," its relevance, and the transformative impact it can bring to your life.

Tuition is $37, but you can use the discount code OPTIMISM2025 when you checkout to get $5 off the regular enrollment price. CLICK HERE for complete information and enrollment.