Conscious New Years Eve

A few years ago, I took part in a New Years Eve celebration at a wonderful retreat place in California called Spirit Rock. The evening was comprised of dancing, meditation, stories, and intention.

As we rung in the New Year, not with champagne in hand, but silently still on our mediation cushions, I felt the power of a conscious New Years Eve celebration. We weren’t pledging to hit the gym or to stop eating chocolate; we were being silent with ourselves, reflecting on the year passed, and easily thinking about what we want to bring into the New Year ahead of us.

We were letting go of the old and silently bringing in the new.

There is an importance of shedding this time of year. Perhaps it’s your over crowded closet or the way you keep lining up events in your calendar. Can we be with what we want to let go of? We can decide if it’s letting go of a bad habit, a few more things than we really need, or a negative way we view ourselves. The possibilities of what we want to let go of can be vast.

The other important part of this sacred time is also getting in touch with what we might want to bring into our New Year. We may want more connection with friends, more abundance financially, or even more travel. Whatever it is, have fun with it and be creative.

I usually recommend writing these intentions on some paper. You can decorate them, paint them or do whatever feels right for you. If there is a fire pit or way to burn them, this too can be powerful. If you are not near a safe source of fire, you can always tear them up into little pieces and throw them away. Whichever way you decide to go, just be mindful as you let them go. Remember, even the things you want to bring into your life, need to be let go. If you want to create a reminder through the year of what you want to bring in, you may consider creating a vision board.

Exercise for the New Year:

1. Write down what you want to shed or let go of from this past year
2. Write down on a separate piece of paper what you want to bring into this year
3. After spending some time creating these pieces of paper of what you want to shed and bring into your life, destroy them and let them go as well.

It is a powerful time and in my experience, a time that deserves some thought and intention.

With more flexibility and less rigidity, you may find yourself flowing towards what you really want for this year.