Marguerite’s Words Of Wisdom For January
2014-01-20
Happy 2014 to all my special folks! Many people I know were quite happy to say goodbye to 2013, as many of them lost loved ones last year. My daughter, Julie, experienced the passing of two grandparents, a great aunt, and 2 great uncles. My dear Mother-in-law, Varna, said good bye to both her husband and her only brother. My Aunt Eileen buried her beloved husband, and then 2 sisters, each a month apart. I am learning to create a spiritual relationship with my Mom who made her transition in September. So here we all are, quite ready to make this New Year different than last year!
How do we begin anew? What can we use to shift the energy from what was, to what is NOW? My favorite New Year tradition is to have a Burning Bowl Ceremony. Each year on New Year’s Eve, my church uses this ceremony to symbolize “out with the OLD and in with the NEW!” I look forward to it every year, as a time to clear my heart of anything that no longer serves me.
All you need for this ceremony is a candle, a nonflammable bowl, some paper and a pen. You can also use your fireplace or barbeque grill, if you want. Last month at Unity of Charleston, we used the outdoor fire pit and some amazing flash paper that, when lit on fire, disappears faster than you can say flash paper!
Put on some relaxing meditation music. Sit in the silence for a few minutes, asking God to guide you in your decisions. Then, write on the paper whatever you need to release. It could be a concept like “negative thinking”. It could be a belief system, such as “Everyone I love leaves me”. It could be an event, such as funerals. It could be a feeling, such as loneliness. The wording is chosen by what is important to YOU. You have the choice to write one thing or several. Then you light the paper in the flame and drop it into the bowl, realizing it is now gone.
If you perform your ceremony with others, have a discussion after everyone has burned their papers. Talk about what you would now like to create in the New Year. For example, “I released the feeling of loneliness and now I want to create more quality time with those I love and even new friends.” Some people find it helpful to write down what they want to create in the New Year, and put it in their wallet to be read at the end of the year.
Feel free to share your experiences with the Burning Bowl Ceremony on this page, as I would like to make it more interactive. It can be a place where folks can love and support one another, by sharing their stories.
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