Sacred Practices To The New Year
I love the fire ceremony and thought I would share as I had a big ha-ha while doing it. I realized my memories of the past, and my limiting beliefs and memores were keeping me in the frame of mind of 'abandoment' 'emptiness' 'scarcity' and 'what did I do wrong feeling' as I face several people moving on in my life. I did nothing wrong; it's just life being life. My feelings of hurt and sadness and pain were coming from old beliefs. Whoo-Hooo.....I think I had a major shift. It still doesn't mean I won't miss them! 2014
3 Sacred Practices To Open The New Year
Posted by Nick Polizzi
What an exciting time of year it is. In the opening days of 2014, many of us are looking back on 2013 to find the areas of our lives that can be improved upon in the coming months. In this annual phase of introspection, a common practice is to list out the things we are determined to do differently and create a pact with ourselves to follow through. I am a big fan of the new years resolution ritual, but I’d like to share a few alternative methods that we find to be just as powerful.
Below are three traditional practices that have been used for centuries to transcend the past and start things afresh in the new year. A mentor once told me, “Nick, you can only hold on to so many things at once – to make room for new experiences, we often need to let go of things that are no longer serving us.” That said, some of the rituals below are about “cleaning house”.
1.) The Fire Ceremony:
When done with the right frame of mind, this practice can work wonders. When I was first shown the fire ceremony a few years ago I experienced an immediate inner shift once it was complete.
Take a few sheets of paper, the thinner the better, and cut them into ten strips. Using a pen or marker write down the ten limiting beliefs, memories, habits, or fears that are holding you back. This exercise requires some soul searching, so give yourself some time. What are your emotional triggers? Why haven’t you taken that next step in your personal evolution? What is that bit of negative self-talk that comes up when you reach for the stars? Engage your shadow and write it down.
Once you have your emotional blocks captured in ink on paper, light a small fire. A fireplace is ideal, but a candle and a metal wastebasket will work just fine.
One by one, read the words on each piece of paper aloud, feeling the full intensity of what you wrote. You can see where this is going
After you read each note, hold it over the flame and say “It is time for us to part ways. Goodbye.” Exhale as each piece of paper ignites and disappears.
2.) Pick Ten and Pass Them On:
We all have possessions that we no longer need, but for some reason we attach a nostalgia to certain items that makes it difficult to let them go. We become collectors, or even worse, hoarders, of objects that are no longer of use to our personal growth. This not only clutters our life and creates stagnation, but is also a wasted opportunity to share the wealth with others who could make use of these items NOW.
Choose 10 items, big or small, in your home that you haven’t used in over 12 months (fire extinguishers excluded!), and choose a friend or family member to gift each of these belongings to. Another option is to drop them off at Goodwill. Sounds easy, but this might feel like ripping off a bandaid!
There is often an unexpected emotional “a-ha” when we let go of material things and give to others.
3.) Blessing the home:
Many cultures usher in the new year by doing a thorough cleaning of the home – this has both practical and symbolic significance. In Mexico, there is deep ritual attached to the actual mopping of the floor and the dumping of the water bucket into the street. The front and back doors of the home are then opened and closed as a symbol of welcoming in the new year and leaving the past behind.
After this ceremonial house cleanse, a great finishing touch is to perform a water blessing. This is really easy and will remove stagnant energy from your home.
Important: make sure to set the right intention before you start.
Choose one of your favorite essential oils (lemon, rose, sage and cedar are mine!) and add a few drops to a cup of water. Pour into a clean spray bottle. Shake it up and move consciously through each room of your home, blessing each corner with thoughts of gratitude. Spray as you go!
3 Sacred Practices To Open The New Year
Posted by Nick Polizzi
What an exciting time of year it is. In the opening days of 2014, many of us are looking back on 2013 to find the areas of our lives that can be improved upon in the coming months. In this annual phase of introspection, a common practice is to list out the things we are determined to do differently and create a pact with ourselves to follow through. I am a big fan of the new years resolution ritual, but I’d like to share a few alternative methods that we find to be just as powerful.
Below are three traditional practices that have been used for centuries to transcend the past and start things afresh in the new year. A mentor once told me, “Nick, you can only hold on to so many things at once – to make room for new experiences, we often need to let go of things that are no longer serving us.” That said, some of the rituals below are about “cleaning house”.
1.) The Fire Ceremony:
When done with the right frame of mind, this practice can work wonders. When I was first shown the fire ceremony a few years ago I experienced an immediate inner shift once it was complete.
Take a few sheets of paper, the thinner the better, and cut them into ten strips. Using a pen or marker write down the ten limiting beliefs, memories, habits, or fears that are holding you back. This exercise requires some soul searching, so give yourself some time. What are your emotional triggers? Why haven’t you taken that next step in your personal evolution? What is that bit of negative self-talk that comes up when you reach for the stars? Engage your shadow and write it down.
Once you have your emotional blocks captured in ink on paper, light a small fire. A fireplace is ideal, but a candle and a metal wastebasket will work just fine.
One by one, read the words on each piece of paper aloud, feeling the full intensity of what you wrote. You can see where this is going
After you read each note, hold it over the flame and say “It is time for us to part ways. Goodbye.” Exhale as each piece of paper ignites and disappears.
2.) Pick Ten and Pass Them On:
We all have possessions that we no longer need, but for some reason we attach a nostalgia to certain items that makes it difficult to let them go. We become collectors, or even worse, hoarders, of objects that are no longer of use to our personal growth. This not only clutters our life and creates stagnation, but is also a wasted opportunity to share the wealth with others who could make use of these items NOW.
Choose 10 items, big or small, in your home that you haven’t used in over 12 months (fire extinguishers excluded!), and choose a friend or family member to gift each of these belongings to. Another option is to drop them off at Goodwill. Sounds easy, but this might feel like ripping off a bandaid!
There is often an unexpected emotional “a-ha” when we let go of material things and give to others.
3.) Blessing the home:
Many cultures usher in the new year by doing a thorough cleaning of the home – this has both practical and symbolic significance. In Mexico, there is deep ritual attached to the actual mopping of the floor and the dumping of the water bucket into the street. The front and back doors of the home are then opened and closed as a symbol of welcoming in the new year and leaving the past behind.
After this ceremonial house cleanse, a great finishing touch is to perform a water blessing. This is really easy and will remove stagnant energy from your home.
Important: make sure to set the right intention before you start.
Choose one of your favorite essential oils (lemon, rose, sage and cedar are mine!) and add a few drops to a cup of water. Pour into a clean spray bottle. Shake it up and move consciously through each room of your home, blessing each corner with thoughts of gratitude. Spray as you go!
Replies
Hi Vicki,
Thank you for sharing these with us. I believe we do have to let go to make room for the new. :-)
Hugs,
Shari
Thanks for sharing too, from me. This is on my list for Spring Cleaning! It will be time to de-clutter soon, externally and internally; objects and beliefs both.
As far as giving it to friends to help the clutter their homes, maybe Goodwill is better. Giving it to friends may be a symbol of a gift, and then an obligation to accept it to them! (How\'s that for projective mind-reading on my part? LOL!)
Simplifying Hugs,
Rich
Vicki,
Wonderful sharing. Thank you.
I did the fire ceremony at the beginning of the year and the de-cluttering continues. The ritual from Mexico is new to me and I really like it.
I respond in a way similar to yours when people move on. Though for me it\'s a mixture of \"abandonment\" and \"sadness\" and maybe a touch of fear of what\'s to come.
But, if I were to sit down and write down what actually happened after people left my circle of connection the fear would probably disappear. It\'s old stuff and an old message that believes I\'m not good enough and that\'s why they left.
I can trace this back to my four-year-old self. My mom left. I knew of no reason so came to believe it was something about me; I did something, or didn\'t do something, or said something or didn\'t say something, or she left me behind because I was the only one of my five sibblings that had brown skin.
Breaks my heart to know how we, as children, blame ourselves and forge false beliefs that shape our lives--until we become aware of those beliefs and make the choice to change.
Some people in my small community are moving and I feel that familiar deep sadness only this time, I think I will hold a celebration instead of a wake.
I will celebrate the ever-changing faces of life.
xx
Hi Vicky
I like the fire ceremony. Thanks. I too have lots of \'stuff\' to get rid of. it is a work in progress; material things as well as emotional baggage. Emotionally I am feeling overloaded for sure...maybe I will have a number of fires.
I\'ve seen them do the water thing in Mexico and wondered about it. Never thought to ask for an explanation....thanks
hugs
rick
I think I will do this. Thank you Vicki xxxx
Thank you for sharing this Vicki. Hugs and prayers to you. Be gentle with yourself right now
Did this at my grp. tonight and they were very receptive! Tore the pieces up as we read them and released them. When we were finished, I then took them and burned them in my little smoky Joe grill. It was too cold to do it all outside. We could see them burning up thru my patio doors. Good-bye too our old beliefs and memories. We decided were going to do this at every gathering. Very powerful!