Moving Forward in 2012
by Ana Palles
New Year’s resolutions have always been a good idea. One of the best ways of preparing the ground for those New Year resolutions is to clear away all the old debris from the previous year. I always do a house clearing sometime during the day of the 31st so that I can prepare the space to welcome in the coming year. I feel it is important to bless both the old year and the New Year, even if the old year has had its share of hardship.
Blessing from the heart for the lessons learned and for all we have received during the year, is important because blessing and gratitude attracts more blessings and gratitude. As I bless the New Year coming in, I light a candle. Looking into the flame, I remember that we carry the light inside us, forward into the New Year.
We all have our little rituals to start off the year. Whether personal or in our business teams, many of us incorporate changing out the old to bring in the new.
To help us along, I am including a simple activity for the New Year. The exercise below was sent to me by Ruth Muhr, a Healing Touch Instructor and Practitioner who does wonderful training with the support groups she leads. For the exercise, write down and answer the below questions on separate pieces of paper.
The first part is about taking stock. It is an easy six question year review. Ruth staples ribbons to the bottom of the sheets of paper. After everyone has written their words, she has them tear the sheet in half, and literally “tie up the loose ends” of the year. Finally, she has them put it in a large bowl to be burned.
Burning is important. Committing something to the fire is showing a willingness to change, transform and clear out the past. I really like Ruth’s assignment because the action of tying up those loose ends serves as an excellent reminder for us that the past is over. It is time to let things go and begin afresh. The New Year offers us a unique opportunity because so many people around the world are also doing their own New Year rituals with similar themes. A large part of humanity is metaphorically shedding the old for the New Year ahead. There is a lot of power when many act in unison.
Now that we’ve cleared space, we bring our new dreams in with the second part of the exercise. After writing your answers, bless your sheet and either place it in a special place, such as your altar, or try an old Celtic tradition. Wet down your sheet and wrap it around a few of your favorite seeds in a ball. Plant the ball in a pot inside and nurture it. Watch it sprout!
Here’s wishing all of you a great start to the New Year. May this truly be a year of breakthrough and prosperity for all!
Taking Stock in 2011
- What did you do well in 2011?
- What did you complete in 2011?
- What nourished your soul in 2011?
- What is unfinished in 2011?
- What disappointed you in 2011?
- What depleted your energy in 2011?
Dreams of 2012
- What dreams do you have for 2012?
- What will energize and nourish you in 2012?
- What can you release in 2012?
- What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
I have all the time I need to do the things I need to do, and the things I want to do. Regrets of the past and concerns for the future rob me of the now.