The Bridge ~ 2014 - 2015

The last few days of a year always feel like a bridge to me. Standing midway on a bridge, I could look back at 2014, looking ahead is the upcoming year. Now as January 1 approaches, I am no longer in the middle of the bridge, but closer to one end of it. Just a couple of days ago, I facilitated a meeting and within the group, I led a ceremony of letting go & creating. I'm going to tell you about that ceremony now. Feel free to do it for yourself, today or tomorrow, or anytime that you are at a crossroad, looking back & moving forward. You can do this in a group, with someone special, or on your own.

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Gather these items: 2 candles, a sheet of paper, markers / colored pencils / a pen.
Find a comfortable space where you will not be interrupted (inside or outside).  Sit in a relaxed position and place one candle in front of you. Light it. Have your sheet of paper and writing materials nearby. Take a few minutes to close your eyes and think about the past year (or period of time). As you remember different parts of the year, you may recall both good and bad times. Bring everything to the forefront. As you think of things you want to let go of - experiences, situations, people, feelings, characteristics, interactions state them out loud and imagine you are throwing them into the fire (the lit candle). As you remember things you want to keep - accomplishments, experiences, interactions, feelings, relationships, characteristics write them down on the paper. Write them in any format you choose - use color, draw them, write the words out, make them into a design - whatever you feel drawn to do. Spend several minutes offering what you want to let go of to the fire and writing down that which you want to keep. Add to the paper new ideas as well - things you think of that you'd like to have in your life, but don't right now. Once you feel really complete with offering all that you want to let go of into the fire, light the second candle. Place the paper with everything written on it in front of you and put the 2nd candle on top of it. Close your eyes and spend a few minutes breathing and imagining the life you want. Imagine everything you wrote on that paper exists in  your life right now. Imagine that as you go into the new year (or the new phase) this is your life. Spend a few minutes really breathing this into yourself. Expand yourself, with your breath, making space for your life to be exactly how you want it.

Blessings for the new year!