Happy New Year to All of you!
And just like that, a New Year has come. Shrouded in Sacred Nights, anticipation and a pinch of hope.
How do you desire this year to be? What are your hopes and dreams?
I’ve got many. But I’m also amid my wintering. Surrounded with softness and darkness. Needing to slow down, to rest, to hide myself from society. To alchemise my world into being I’m touching my inner darkness and my inner light. I can feel the newness brewing deep within. I can feel the seeds starting to sing their song of life. I can feel the embryos of genesis within me, but I also know it is not the right time yet. I am wintering, so I let them sleep deep within me dreaming their beautiful dreams. I will release them all when I come out of my hibernation, but not yet. Right now, I am in the wintertime.
We all need winter. It is necessary. Yet, we are trying so very hard to ignore it. How can we expect ourselves to stick to our New Year resolutions when we are not ready to create and make things happen just yet? We’ve created this myth of January 1st as a fresh start. But we are all still in our sleep mode, in hibernation. Why not honour it for a change? We need some time for stillness, for rest, we need to dissolve into ourselves and see what hides beneath. Why should we give into the pressure of productivity and change? It’s not Nature’s time for a new beginning and I am a part of Nature. She is asleep and getting ready. She is resting before her time of productivity will come. So will mine. And I am going to respect that for a change. Wouldn’t you like to do the same?
Feel into your rhythm. Give yourself a gift of time and allow yourself to rest for a little bit longer. Find the nourishment you need before spring will bloom you out of your cave. Give yourself the opportunity to dream. Be rather than do. There will come a time for ‘doing’ later with a new season. Find beauty in this peaceful liminal place. Look up at the moon, see the stars, don’t rush, just be. Give yourself the gift of compassion and kindness. The rest will fold into place beautifully. The rest will grow from those seeds. Nurture them, nurture yourself. When you will be ready to face the world again, when the springtime will inspire you out, please make a re-birth ceremony. Welcome the new and fresh start. Be curious. Explore. Venture out. Find new resolution if that agrees with your nature. And arm yourself again with compassion, love and hope so that you can see the beauty in the world and the beauty within each other.
As an offering, please accept this beautiful Native American Smoke Blessing. I’ve learnt that blessing from Nick Polizzi’s writing. If you feel inspired, burn some herbs and make your own smoke blessing. Honour the Spirit and yourself. Honour this beautiful planet we are living on. Honour all life. Be curious, be open and most of all validate every single moment. Even those that hurt you so much. They are important too. They can grow beauty even though you cannot see it in that moment. Trust and flow.
With love,
Agnieszka
A Native American Smoke Blessing
Oh Great Spirit,
I raise smoke to the four sacred winds and the four corners,
so that the blessings can reach my brothers and sisters in every corner of Great Mother Earth,
while the smoke disperses all over Father Sky, lit by Mother Moon.
Let the smoke pass to each their blessing,
and do away with all sorrows and unhappiness,
fill their homes with love,
and the light of your wisdom.
If any be sick, cure them,
If sad, make them happy,
If they have needs, fulfil them.
Protect them from all evil.
Please keep them well in good health,
give them long life and wealth.
Give them all your love as they love you.
They can give testimony to your power and mercy,
and most important your love.
Oh Great Spirit,
I love you with all my heart as I love my brothers and sisters all.
I am your servant and theirs.
I ask for only one thing – give me strength to keep going on doing as I do on this spirit path.
And so it is!
Aho.