New Years Rituals
Sacred ceremony and rituals play a heavy role in my life and intention setting. It’s in my indigenous blood. I find such clarity and notice a huge shift my spiritual gifts and intuition heightens post-ceremony. Every year is different for me but what I keep as a constant are these rituals to bring in abundance, clarity, and a fresh start to my New Year. I’m so thrilled to share these New Year Rituals with you.
*NOTE: I gather my ceremonial traditions and rituals from a handful of different teachers and elders I’ve worked with closely throughout my life. For me, I focus on my intentions and how I want to feel. I don’t follow any specific religion or traditional practices. Feel free to tweak these rituals to fit to your desired liking.
What Are Rituals?
Rituals are powered by intentions. When it comes to rituals, they are often done for a celebratory purpose. In indigenous and ancient traditions, rituals have been celebrated since the earliest recorded history of man-kind. Rituals involve the execution of deliberate actions – meaning, you best believe if you’re taking the time to set intentions and actions- get ready for big results! With the heightened energy of new beginnings in the beginning of the year, a New Years Rituals is perfect to add to your practice.
“Ancient traditional rituals have been construed and twisted in many history books- creating fear and skepticism of the unknown. “
Our cultural evolution and historical religious widespread crusades and conquests have greatly impacted the way many view rituals and sacred ceremonies. Ancient traditional rituals have been construed and twisted in many history books- creating fear and skepticism of the unknown. Pagan, Aztec, and Mayan Sacrificial Rituals are highlighted in books as barbaric and often times misunderstood. However, the general public knows very little of other rituals that were practiced in times of antiquity such as Norse rituals during Yule (which have been adopted in many of our Christmas traditions).
New Years Rituals I’ve Adopted
I follow many ancient traditions, and actually consider October 31st, Samhain, to be more of my energetic and calendar New Year. However, I respect the high energy that is available to us on the end of our Georgian Calendar for New Years Eve and New Years Day. For me, I feel like it is a great time to recalibrate and re-align. In my sacred New Year ceremonies I like to first set intentions. I set intentions and claim the energy I wish to most resonate with- I don’t do resolutions. I also really enjoy spending time utilizing my hands and making vision boards for the year. Sometimes I do this on New Years Eve as I contemplate the upcoming year. There are several different herbs and crystals I utilize during my ritual as well and I’ll go into more detail later.
When To Do Rituals
It’s important to first understand your intentions and be very clear. Depending on the day you perform your ritual highly depends on your intentions. If I’m doing any ritual on New Years Eve, I’m typically doing a “letting go” ritual or setting intentions on things I wish to leave behind. If there are toxic behaviors, people, situations, that seem to be the root of your obstacles, this is a great time full of big energy to perform those types of rituals. On the other hand, you can certainly do many of these rituals in the New Year, depending on the ritual and your intention. As an example, I like to cleanse a lot of my ceremonial tools and crystals for a fresh new start. I like to spend time with my tarot decks and cleanse the energies and thank my ancestors for their messages and blessings. I’ll go more in depth and share some of my favorite New Years rituals.
Cleanse + Clear My Space
I do this on a weekly basis, however, on New Years Eve or a few days prior to that, I like to do an end of the year ritual. I spend a day cleaning my space (room, office, home environment etc.,). I set intentions the entire time I’m cleaning to clean away any negative residue that has been left over throughout the year, and my space is now clean and energetically clear. I like to take this time as a time for reflection as well. However, I think it’s very important to stay as present as possible during the cleaning process. I like to think sometimes, “What is the most intentionally way I can clean this room?” “How can I clean (add any special product or something you value) with the utmost respect and honor?”. I also like to put on some good music (depending on my mood it can be anything from Ella Fitzgerald to kirtan) and make sure all my windows are open.
I set intentions the entire time I’m cleaning to clean away any negative residue that has been left over throughout the year, and my space is now clean and energetically clear.
I make 90% of my home cleaners, and I like to make specific blends for specific intention settings. For cleaning and clearing I like to use lavendar, lemon and sweet orange essential oils in my zero waste homemade cleaning products. Lavender oil contains antibiotic, antiseptic, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Lavender is also known for its soothing and calming effects, so it makes perfect sense that it also helps ward off negative energies. Lemon oil also has a lot of great antibacterial properties that are great for cleaning, but has also been historically used as a psychic cleanser.
I understand, living in California this is very easy to perform but I’m also aware there is this thing called snow that other people around the world experience. If keeping your doors and windows aren’t an option, do your best to get some air flow through the house even if its small increments at a time.
After my home is cleaned, I like to perform an overall energetic clearing. I typically use sage and I will go throughout every room starting at 12 oclock and going clockwise. I sage any doors or windows, I thank my ancestors for protecting my home, I thank my angels for guarding me with a roof over my head, I clear out any old and stagnant energy, and close with my last room being my bedroom.
The point of cleaning and clearing my space not only gives me a fresh new start, I’m also energetically opening up space for new things to come in.
What You’ll Need
Best Time For Ritual
It’s best to do this on New Year’s Eve or a few days prior.
Write Down New Years Intentions
The beginning of a New Year is the prime time to set your intentions and reflect on the previous year. Intentions are statements and declarations of what you desire and consciously intend to be, learn, do, have, feel or experience in a coming period of time, such as the coming New Year. A well-set intention is a statement of pure, clear, and decisive focus that kick starts the process of aligning to your desires. Intentions contain more commitment than desires. Intentions are less specific—less rigid and, thus, less likely to trigger unhealthy attachment to outcomes—than goals.
The difference between an intention and a goal are vastly different. Goals are focused on the future. They’re more about a destination or a specific achievement. Instead of setting resolutions or goals that can easily come and go, try setting intentions that will help you live as the best version of yourself. The act of setting intentions helps to focus your mind, prioritize what’s most important and start making transformations and practicing alchemy from within.
What You’ll Need
- Pen
- Paper
- Intention / Affirmation Journal (optional)
Best Time For Ritual
It’s best to do this ritual on New Years Eve.
Burning / Releasing Intentions
A burning ceremony is a transformative ritual that is done on Full Moons, New Moons, and sacred, holy days. Burning intentions are performed as a way to release the past and negativity. In many indigenous cultures, burning ceremonies and Grandfather fire symbolizes strength, power, wisdom, knowledge, passion, and purification. When I spend time reflecting on my intentions of what I want to bring into my reality for the upcoming year, I also reflect on the things I want to let go and release. I find a place of solitude and make sure I’m grounded when writing what I want to release. This can be written in bullet points, as a poem, a short story, however you feel most connected. The point is to be clear and intentional with what you wish to release. By burning away the past, you can free yourself from any regrets, sorrow, toxicity, or pain, and look forward to a better future.
What You’ll Need
- Pen
- Paper
- Lighter or Match
- Safe Burning-friendly surface: Large metal/glass bowl or cauldron, a pan, a fireplace or fire pit, or stone clearing, etc.
Best Time For New Years Ritual
It’s best to do this ritual on New Years Eve, New Years Day or a few days after.
Cleansing Crystals, Tarot Decks, Ceremonial Tools
I have written before about the importance of cleansing and clearing. It’s so important to cleanse your crystals on a regular basis as most crystals will absorb negative energy from their surroundings. There are several ways to cleanse your crystals, tarot decks and ceremonial tools. I prefer to smudge my tools with sage and palo santo. In ancient traditions, sage has been said to to clear ALL energy – the good and the bad. Palo Santo on the other hand is said to cleanse all negative and bring in the good energy. For this reason, I prefer to use Palo Santo during my New Years Rituals. In order to cleanse my tools, I set an intention and begin grounding techniques. Once I’m in a content state, I pass over my crystals, tarot deck, and tools with my palo santo, setting my clearing intentions.
What You’ll Need
- Palo Santo -or-
- Sage
- Lighter or Match
- Your collection of crystals, tarot decks, ceremonial tools, etc.,
Best Time For Ritual
It’s best to do this ritual on New Years Day or a few days after.
Practice Your Rituals with Intention
I can’t stress enough how important it is to practice your New Years rituals with pure intention. When we purge, release, let go – we do so for the better of our souls. We make room for more abundance and blessings to fill our life. When we ask to bring in love, opportunities, blessings, manifest abundance – we do so for our highest good and are open to receiving. When we don’t focus clearly on our desires and our intentions are cloudy- filled with resentment, judgement, or maybe we don’t fully believe in our own power that is within us – it makes it more difficult to fully receive what we’re asking for. May this new decade of 2020 be full of blessings, learning, abundance, growing, and may you know yourself on a deeper level. Aho.
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