2019/2020 Reflection & Intention Ceremony

Hello Beautiful soul-

As we begin to close out another year, I would like to invite you to get out your journal or piece of paper and begin to reflect on everything you have celebrated this past year.  I do a Reflection Ceremony every year and it not only reminds me of everything I’ve done the past year, but it is also a great way to close out the year with gratitude and plant the seed of intention for the upcoming year.  Here are 4 steps to create the life you desire as we embark not on just on another year, but another decade!  

Step 1: Reflection– Sit quietly and begin to explore the feelings of the year. What you’ve actually done is important, of course, but understanding some of the deeper waves of emotion and spirit that have washed through your life this past year can bring some strong insights.  Ask yourself, “What has been wonderful and magical about this past year?  What am I celebrating?  What is one aspect about myself that I have especially loved this year? What am I proud of?”  Move through these questions in a gentle, loving way and take your time.  Many accomplishments do not come without road blocks or detours.  It’s all apart of the journey and be sure to move through these in a loving and compassionate way.  Savor your answers as your write them down.  

Step 2: Gratitude: After you’ve taken your time to write out all you are celebrating this past year, go back and give thanks to each one.  You can say something like, “I am extremely grateful for_________”, then pause and take a deep breath in and as you exhale imagine that gratitude washing through your body from the crown of your head all the way to tips of your toes. 

Step 3: Release: If you find that there are old beliefs, attitudes or behaviors that are not serving you and you don’t want to carry into the New Year, you can write these down on a separate piece of paper and rip it up or burn it.  This is a ceremony I like to do during the Full Moon, but I find it to be extremely powerful to do at the end of the year so that it doesn’t follow me into the New Year.  And you do not have to spend much time on this step, you don’t want to focus on the things that have not gone right, you just want to clear them from your energetic space.  

Step 4: Intention: This is one of my favorite and often a question which rises, “How do I set an intention which actually works?”  Every year, millions of people set New Years Resolutions and become disappointed when they fall short of reaching their desired goal.  Instead of setting a resolution, put out an intention.  Deepak Chopra says it best: “Intentions are the starting point of every dream – the seed of creation”.  An intention is a statement of pure, clear focus that kick-starts the process of aligning your whole being and your whole life to your desire.  Write out your intention from a place of love (never fear).  I like to get really clear on what I want, then I write it down and place it where I can see it every day so I can align my energy to my intention daily.  I will meditate on it, focus on it and connect with it every day.  I will even see it happening, creating and forming in my mind’s eye before it happens. If you are visual you can also create a vision board with your intention(s) and connect with it that way as well.  

Much love and blessings always, 

Dena