5 Uplifting Rituals to Ring in the NEW YEAR
How do you ring in the New Year? Before bidding farewell to another year gone by, I like to clear bad energy to make space for positivity in the new year. These five rituals are a fun and symbolic way to release negative energy, acknowledge your blessings, and prepare your home and mind for another year.
1. Cleanse Your Home
A cleansing ritual rids your home of bad, old, or stale energy and invites good fortune in the new year. Follow these steps for a simple house cleansing ritual.
● Declutter, getting rid of broken items and anything that no longer serves you or makes you happy.
● Pay special attention to doors and entryways. In feng shui, cluttered doorways block energy from flowing freely.
● Clean your windows to maximize natural light and open doors and windows to let fresh air into your home.
● Smudge your home using a smudge stick to direct smoke into every room and corner.
2. Fix What’s Broken
It’s also good feng shui to fix anything that’s broken, stuck, or blocked in your home. If there’s a squeaky hinge, mis-hung cabinet, or slow-draining sink, repair it now to avoid bringing frustration into the new year.
Is your garage or basement a magnet for clutter? Stagnant energy accumulates in dark, cramped areas. Finishing your basement with bright lighting, light-colored walls, and warm flooring turns it into a place where you want to spend time. Basements do have special considerations like mold and humidity so talk to a contractor before starting this project.
3. Cleanse Your Aura
Your home isn’t the only place where energy can get blocked. When you’re feeling mentally stuck or mired in negativity, book a Reiki healing session with Anam Cara. Reiki is an ancient energy healing practice that releases stress to prevent disease and rebalance the mind, body, and spirit. It can help you step into the new year with restored energy and a positive outlook. Anam Cara offers one-hour Reiki treatments and distance Reiki for community members who can’t visit the sanctuary in person.
4. Tend to Your Physical Self
Nourish your physical form in addition to caring for your spiritual self. A physical self-care ritual sets the tone for prioritizing your health in the new year.
● Practice breathwork to release muscle tension, relieve pain, gain energy, and improve overall body awareness.
● Cleanse yourself of last year’s physical and spiritual grime with a ritual saltwater bath.
● Book an energetic pedicure with Anam Cara to nurture your feet and step into the new year relaxed and grounded.
● Set intentions with a yoga flow sequence that includes powerful poses like Warrior II and crescent moon lunge.
5. Count your Blessings
Each passing year includes challenges, blessings, disappointments, and opportunities. Journaling creates a space where you can check in and reflect without dwelling on the past. It’s also the perfect place to bring focus to your new year goals.
You don’t need to be a talented writer to benefit from journaling. Journal prompts get you started with questions designed for both reflecting and looking forward. Writing down things you’re grateful for is another way to get words flowing. When you’re done, you can tuck your journal away for future reference or tear out the pages and throw them away. It’s up to you!
You don’t need a list of resolutions to find meaning and purpose in the new year. A new year represents a fresh start, an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and begin anew as your best self. Use these new year rituals to honor the old and step into 2022 with a renewed spirit and focused intentions.
Author - Emma Grace Brown
