It’s that time of the year–everyone is doing their end-of-the-year reviews and planning visions for 2014!

I’ve sifted through so many exercises and suggestions for starting the year off right, and I’m starting to get a feel for what works best for me.

I’d love to share with you what resonates…

For me, it’s not about New Year’s resolutions exactly–it *is* about having clear intentions.

An intention is softer than a resolution or goal. There is room to change direction. Struggling with your desired intention does not make you a failure.

It is merely the clear, honest truth of what you desire for yourself, and that clarity is powerful.

It all starts with the intention.

For the creative artist, the manifester, the magician, this is like standing in front of a blank canvas or a mound of clay knowing you can create the reality you want most to live in.

But you are working with the ultimate medium: spacetime, matter, your life.

Since the New Year began, I’ve talked to several people who have no solid intentions for the New Year.

I have no judgement about this, but I can’t help feeling like  they are choosing to allow their coming experiences to form haphazardly, guided by external influences or hard-wired subconscious patterns (which are not always helpful).

Now I’m not saying there is anything wrong with taking it day by day and living in a space of surrender–in fact, I believe this is an important part of living a  balanced life.

But living from balance also means recognizing the creative power we all hold within.

A New Year is a new chance to wipe the slate clean. I invite you to call up the Sorceress within and ask her what she wants to create in 2014.

Hear her voice. Set her intentions.

~ The Ritual ~

PartI: Release 2013

It’s time to grab your journal, cuddle up with a warm cup of tea, and do some free writing!

Finding the Story

What is your story for 2013?

When you look back over the past year, do you notice any themes?

One of my themes was exploration. It was a time to recognize who I am, what I like, to find my authenticity. The journey meant noticing contrast in the process, realizing what I don’t like and gaining strength in reaffirming what I do.

Another big theme for me was The Return of the Return, an archetypal story I read about in a book called Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of the Soul by Michael Meade. It’s about going on a seeking journey, only to find that the journey leads you back to yourself, that you end where you began.

Also, deep healing (especially with the help of acupuncture) and following my intuition.

When I think about ” The Story” I always like to think about synchronicity experiences as well. I believe they are the external manifestation of what we are experiencing internally and can be symbolic, like a waking dream.

Did you have any synchronicity experiences in 2013?

If so, when did they occur?

Do you see any patterns that link your synchronicity experiences to certain emotions, decisions, or experiences?

I had many all throughout the year. Mine seemed to happen when I felt the possibility that something I desired was “real” or after setting a serious intention.  Interestingly, I read this this is Step 3  in one particular Law of Attraction method, from the book Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don’t by Michale J. Losier.

My synchronicity experiences taught me about boundaries this year, that I need to listen to what I feel even if it contradicts the voice of “should.” Even if I don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, I do have to consider my own. And I need to honor my inner experience so that it doesn’t have to manifest externally as a message to get my attention!

Part II: Acceptance

Of course, there were things that didn’t go the way you wanted them to. Take some time to journal about these things and reflect on them. During this time of reflection and release, simply accept what is, knowing that you did the best that you could at the time, given your circumstances.

Here are some difficult things I needed to accept and release:

My primary goal for 2013 had been to grow my Coaching practice and start a Group Coaching program called Make Money Following  Your Passion. After planning the initial stages of the program, my business partner and I realized that we both wanted to focus on growing our private practices, working one on one with clients. Neither of us had the stamina to do both at the same time, so it was with a heavy heart that I realized I would need to postpone the Group Coaching program. But I’m happy to say that the effort I put into growing my practice was worth it–I really was able to double my Coaching practice and I plan to continue this growth before beginning any related projects.

I also lost two of five family dogs in 2013, Nagual and Queenie. I am sad that they are no longer with us, but I truly believe their souls have moved on and they remain in my heart.

~

If there is something you need to release from 2013, here are two suggestions for cleansing rituals:

·         1)  Burn sage and waft the smoke around your body in a downward sweeping motion, imagining releasing painful feelings and experiences. You may want to do this outside or open a window for further release of the smoke (Please be careful when burning sage not to set anything on fire!)

·         2) A variation on the sage cleansing is to gather some wildflowers or treat yourself to a gorgeous bouquet and use it the same way, sweeping down your body from head to toe as if you are using a cleansing broom, imagining painful feelings and experiences being absorbed by the plants. When you are finished, throw the bouquet over your shoulder in a place you are not likely to return for awhile and don’t look back.

Part III: Following the Pleasure

In the book The Law of Attraction, Esther and Jerry Hicks talk about the importance of noticing what you like. According to the law of attraction, focusing on what you like and what feels good brings you more of it. In order to consciously direct the law of attraction, it is important to be very clear about what you like and what you want to attract.

What were the highlights of 2013 for you? What did you love and want do you want more of?

Here are mine:

Sensitivity: In 2013, I discovered something I already knew but never formally acknowledged–that I’m a Highly Sensitive Person and that I love working with other Highly Sensitive People! (For more info. on Highly Sensitive People, check out the book The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron) On a related note, I also explored similar traits such as emotional empathy, intuition, and introversion, since I identify with all of these as well. These are parts of myself I’m learning to accept and nurture.

Acupuncture: I had tried acupuncture before, but had never given it a real go for more than one session (and it needs to be done twice per week consistently to yield the best results). So in the summer of 2013, I did six weeks of acupuncture despite my dread of needles, and found the results to be amazing! I experienced deep healing and relaxation and am still feeling the results six months later.

Dressing Up: I noticed when doing an exercise about following my desires that I *love* dressing up! And not just wearing something nice to go out to dinner, but also being able to to wear costume clothes on a regular basis.For the past couple years, I had decided not to spend much money on clothes, since I already had a full wardrobe and wasn’t going to goth/industrial clubs anymore. But I realized in early 2013, that my needs had changed. I realized I was going out to dinner a lot and needed more casual dresses to wear. I also noticed that I truly missed my club days, because I loved getting dressed up. Since goth/industrial parties aren’t as prevalent as they used to be, I kept an eye out for new events that I could wear fun clothes to and have since discovered Steampunk and Lolita fashion! I’ve also discovered having a Pinterest board for Dressing Up is way too much fun–check it out.

 ~ Make Magic in 2014 ~

I like to keep it simple. I’m setting a few intentions–desires I can explore and call in without pressuring myself with a timeline or threats of failure:

I intend to double my Coaching practice again and work with more people.

I intend to nurture myself through relaxation and surrender to what is without resisting.

I intend to live from love.

What will 2014 look like for you? I would love it if you would share your intentions in the comments below. The simple act of writing and sharing is a powerful place to start!