Hello & Goodbye — 5 Creative Ways to Activate Your Vision as we Step Into this Powerful Year of Transition, Transformation and Healing.
Tapping into the Healing Power of Ritual to Release the Past & Set the Your Desired Future into Motion.
We are embarking upon a powerful year of transformation and change. The energies of 2021 are just beginning to take root. Regardless of your political affiliation, the January 20th inauguration in the United States of America is giving rise to new possibilities in this country and the world. Any time a new leader is elected, new possibilities are set into motion.
This year in particular we are witnessing the rise of a new global message that goes beyond politics. We are embracing the notion that everyone’s voice is important. We are also experiencing a rise in feminine leadership. From the 22 year old poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, to the 69 year old first lady, Dr. Jill Biden, we are beginning to embrace the idea that wisdom is ageless and timeless. We have heard powerful voices singing traditional songs. From the outrageous Lady Gaga, to J-Lo, each performance at the inauguration was imbued with passion and hope.
And we are just beginning to scratch the surface of a new kind of masculine leadership, one that is not primarily focused on power over, but on partnering with. We are witnessing this rise within government as well as leaders in the private sector. And we are experiencing a renewed enthusiasm as evidenced by Garth Brooks embrace of all Presidents, former Presidents, VPs and First Ladies. After his powerful rendition of Amazing Grace he hugged everyone — from Mike Pence to the Obamas, the Bush’s and the Clintons. (In his enthusiasm he seemed to forget he was mask-less, though!)
We are experiencing a yearning for ways to climb out of old ideologies that have kept us bound; and to breathe new life into our dreams and desires. We are coming together in an effort to rise out of this pandemic, and begin shaping a new world. We do this not only for ourselves, but for the generations who follow.
It takes more than politicians to create a new future. We need to recommit to treating each other with respect in what we say and how we act. We have seen what is at stake when we lose sight of the things most of our parents taught us from a very young age. How we treat people matters!
What if beginning this year, each one of us engaged in a conscious examination of our beliefs? What if we commit to rooting out those ways in which our own actions creep out of alignment with our deeply held values, and began paying more attention to who and how we want to show up in our families, business endeavors, and our community? Remember, we model for our children, grandchildren, and all those with whom we interact with what we do, as well as what we say. Yes, our Words matter. Words are the seedlings of our dreams. Words coupled with Action powerfully set our dreams into motion.
This article has been designed as a way forward. In it you will find:
- a contextualization of 2020;
- a peek into possibilities for 2021 and beyond, and;
- ideas on how to use the healing power of ritual to release the past and assist with shaping a future that is in alignment with our closely held beliefs and desires.
These writings have been divided into three parts. Part One examines the lessons 2020 unveiled, and proposes possibilities for healing and unification emerging in 2021. Part Two offers some background on the healing power and history of rituals. Part Three details several rituals that can assist in the powerful activation of your personal visions and dreams.
For those who want to quickly dive into the rituals themselves, you can click on the link below to go directly to an article detailing the Rituals.
Enacting the Healing Power of Ritual | by Jeanne Michele | Jan, 2021 | Medium
Wishing you a powerful dive into your own vision and dreams, and a potent activation of your voice within a world that truly needs what you have to offer.
Part One: 2020 & 2021 — A Time of Healing & Change.
2021. Emergence. Alignment. Transition. Healing.
We are in the midst of a cultural and global shift, the likes of which we have never before experienced in this magnitude. The past has set the stage for the future and 2020 has been a powerful player in this transformation.
Removing ourselves from the stranglehold of 2020 has proven to be a bit more difficult than anticipated. 2021 didn’t get off to a rocking start. We are just now beginning to dive into its possibilities for healing and reshaping our world!
What we set into motion in the present, impacts the future we live into for years to come. I invite you to consider the type of future you would like to step into as we move forward into What’s Next as individuals, families, and a society. So many things are bubbling to the surface, inviting us to seek out deeper clarification and healing.
Removing ourselves from the stranglehold of 2020 has proven to be a bit more difficult than anticipated. 2021 didn’t get off to a rocking start. We are just now beginning to dive into its possibilities for healing and reshaping our world!
What we set into motion in the present, impacts the future we live into for years to come. I invite you to consider the type of future you would like to step into as we move forward into What’s Next as individuals, families, and a society. So many things are bubbling to the surface, inviting us to seek out deeper clarification and healing.
We are stepping into the age of Partnership. We are relinquishing the idea that one particular sex, one country, one point of view, is superior to another. We are just beginning to scratch the surface on recognizing the power of diverse thinking to create a better world.
What was is struggling to let go into what is yet to be. The more of us who carve out our own visions and dreams, the more powerfully we can contribute to the creation of What’s Next.
The upliftment of the planet depends upon us all. When each of us, in our own way, commits to:
· show up authentically in the present moment,
· align our actions with our deeply held values and beliefs,
· Pay attention to what we say and how we say it,
· “Seek first to understand, then be understood” (Thank you Stephen Covey),
· Listen to understand, not to formulate the rebuttal in our head,
· Deeply Listen and step into what each of us is called to do in this life time;
we contribute to the greater good and help usher in the new paradigm that is being birthed within this historic time on the planet.
This is a critical time for us to move through whatever has been in the way of our stepping into the most authentic version of ourselves. This is a time to: Release. Forgive. Tap In. Heal. Appreciate. Create.
We need the genius of skilled thinkers from different backgrounds and cultures to collaborate to create solutions to the complex challenges facing the world today. Without it we may not survive.
Yes, collaboration with people who think differently than you can be challenging. And yet, the more we are able to tap into the power of partnership and collaboration, the more impactful solutions we will be able to create.
Remember the Latin phrase upon which this country was founded that you no doubt memorized as a child? E pluribus unum. It means out of the many one. We each bring something important and valuable to the table. As we clear the past, set our intention for the future, we make room for our unique essence to shine. It is from this place that we offer a greater contribution to our families, our communities and our world. The world is in critical need of what you have to offer. The rituals in Part Three are designed to help you begin the clearing and intention setting process.
2020. The Year that turned us inside out.
2020 was the year that showed us parts of our collective selves that we would rather not see, or even believe existed. This past year has set the stage for the emerging age of partnership and collaboration. and called us forth in very powerful and often painful ways.
2020, the year of clear seeing, has brought us face to face with much pain and anguish, personal and communal. It feels as if we have been cut wide open and the toxins of all of our woundings have come pouring out into the streets, forever changing life as we have known it. This has been a year of grieving the safety of our own complacency. So much loss. Land. Great numbers of animals. People we love. Futures that will never come to fruition as we had hoped. Our belief in our leaders’ abilities to keep us safe.
We have witnessed a resurgence of a lot of ugly this year as deep prejudice and darkness has been released from the underbelly of our world, particularly in the west. Much grief, sadness, and loss has been unleashed. And we mourn. We mourn for parts of what was that we have clung to, fearing that which may still be lingering in the dark recesses of the world psyche. And we mourn for a lost innocence cloaked within the safety of our complacency and complicity with a system that inherently favored some over others.
2020 has been the great equalizer. None of us has been immune to its powerful cries. 2020 has challenged us, individually, communally and country-wide, to deeply consider what we stand for, and how we want to stand for it. This year has called us out of the lull of our complacency. It has demanded that we take a deep look at ourselves.
It is paradoxical that as we become more self-reliant, we are simultaneously creating more powerful partnerships. We are beginning to realize the importance of our voice, each of our voices, in powerfully ushering in a new paradigm. We are looking within to rediscover ourselves. And we have found that who we are and what we have to say matters.
In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. Albert Camus
In the United states more people have exercised their right to vote than at any other point in our nation’s history. And we have helped others exercise theirs as well. Many of us returned to struggling communities to help empower people who ordinarily may not have voted to cast their ballot, even providing transportation to help them do so. We are realizing the importance of making our voices heard, sometimes in unexpected ways. The world has been in a state of severe unrest with fear claiming many victims. 2020 has shown us a brokenness that we haven’t wanted to look at or even admit was there. The truth is, as painful as it may be at times, you can’t heal what you don’t look at. 2020 has definitely provided us with plenty to see.
And the Earth rested.
In the midst of all the chaos and loss of 2020, we have witnessed a blossoming of the natural world.
We have had so little regard for the natural world, mostly viewing it as something we concur and control. It is in this area that we can learn from our indigenous brothers and sisters, who believe we are part of this earth home and the way we treat it either supports its growth or contributes to its demise.
2020 brought so many things to a screeching halt. We were mandated to stay close to home, resulting in lessening our footprint on the earth. As we did so we made room for the natural environment to breathe a little more easily. We have seen waterways clearing and plant life re-emerging. Even in the midst of extreme political polarization, we have seen people emerge to take better care of neighbors and people in other areas who are hurting.
And now it is that time of year to review, grieve, honor and release what we have seen, lost, and wish we might have done differently. It is time to let go of the old to make way for the new. Ritual offers powerful ways to do just that. Part Three offers several ideas for rituals you can create and engage in either solo or with friends. I invite you to make them your own. The most potent power of ritual is deep engagement. Rituals offer a freeing of your busy intellect and call forth that which lives in the deeper realms of your psyche.
Part Two: The Healing Power of Ritual
Rituals offer opportunities to connect with the Sacred in very personal and communal ways. A ritual can be something simple you create on your own. An example is mindfully walking through a Labyrinth, focusing on what you want to release on the way in, pausing for a prayer at the center, then focusing on what you would like to create more of as you slowly wind your way back through to the exit. (If a physical labyrinth isn’t available to you, you could create a drawing of one and trace its path with your finger. There are samples available to print online.) A ritual can also be an elaborate communal celebration. Either way, rituals are powerful rites of initiation activating a non-linear part of our psyche.
Communal rituals are ceremonious demarcations in time. Weddings. Funerals. Baptisms. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Quinceañeras. Most recently in the U.S. we experienced our Inauguration Ritual, a quadrennial (every 4 years) ceremony enacted to mark the movement from one administration into the next.
Each of these rituals mark a transition from one state into the next; a letting go of what was in order to create a space for what is to be. Many native traditions have rites of passage for boys to be welcomed into manhood by their tribe. How many families engage in the ritual celebration of the upcoming Super Bowl Sunday with friends and family? These too involve a letting go (of a season) and a demarcation in time. Rituals, whether secular or spiritual, bring us together. They offer an opportunity for communion with one another in celebration of a specific rite of passage.
All new beginnings start with an idea, dream or desire. Your desire is like wet clay to a sculptor. It is a process of addition and subtraction. Without removal of the excess clay, the sculpture would never simply remain a blob of clay. All works of art, including projects, take shape through carving into a bigger form, releasing what doesn’t belong, and fine tuning the detail along the way.
It can be both exciting and terrifying to take a leap of faith into creating something yet to be. This is especially true when activating a big dream or life change.
Breathing life into your desires is the first step of birthing something new into being. Rituals can quicken this process as they transcend the ordinary functions of the intellect, and activate your deeper wisdom. Rituals offer a deeper inner alignment with that part of your Self that extends beyond your concrete physical senses.
Self-Realization is a dynamic process of self discovery seeded in the courageous commitment to the ongoing shaping of your visions and dreams.
It is important to nurture the seedlings of desire, in upcoming months, in order to keep them alive and growing. Working with someone, or a group of someone’s who hold you accountable to your goals and objectives increases the likelihood of creating and bringing what you want into concrete form.
Native and tribal peoples have been keenly aware of the power of ritual to activate change.
Native peoples tend to live in closer communion with the earth and her cycles. They are more adept at tapping into ways of knowing and experiencing the world outside the realm of the thinking mind. Native rituals honor the passage of time, nature and transitions marked by seasonal shifts such as the winter and summer solstice, full and new moon, and astrological movements.
There is much we are learning from native peoples about the healing power of community and ritual to enact change and deepen connection.
Life is an interconnective web in which nature and all beings are interwoven into one great tapestry. We in the Western World are just beginning to tap into a greater honoring of the earth wisdom that many native peoples have been more keenly aware of. Life is shifting and we who are on the earth at this particular time are being called forward to assist in this process.
As each one of us strips away whatever is keeping us from more fully living into who we are meant to be, we become bridge builders for others to do the same. Each step forward we take builds momentum for others to do the same. Part Three offers several rituals to help you release that which has been keeping you stuck in order to clear the way for what you want to step into as you move into the future.
Part Three: The Rituals
Here are 5 creative ways for you to enact rituals to help you access the powerful energy that lies within your deepest connection to yourSelf and connect with that which is beyond human understanding. Each offers a way to more fully activate your dreams and visions.
While these are listed as Steps, you may choose the one(s) that most speak to you, or you may set aside various times to engage with them all. (Step One and Step Two go together.) The more fully you engage, the more deeply you activate the process.
While a new year is a great time to initiate this process, you can call on ritual any time you want to release and step into new ways of seeing and connecting with your higher aspirations and the world.
Reflect. Release. Reimagine. Renew. Choose.
You may engage in these rituals solo or with friends. If you are not seeing friends in person due to the pandemic, these processes also work well over Zoom. The great thing about Zoom is that you can connect with friends who live in a variety of different places.
Supplies Needed for Engagement with all 5 Steps:
- Journal or Blank Paper
- Two Small Sticks
- Access to Fire (either outdoors or fireplace). If you don’t have a fire place you can CAREFULLY use Epsom Salt and alcohol. 2 parts salt to one part alcohol. Place salt in pie pan. Place pie pan in sand, dirt or someplace it is surrounded by non-flammable substance. You can light it on fire just before you are ready to perform the fire ritual below.
- Plant or flower to plant.
- Rock, crystal, or some type of small pocket figurine.
Step One: Reflect.
Take some time to reflect upon your past year. (While this is a great process to initiate in the new year, you may start the reflection process at any time.)
Take out a piece of paper or a journal and begin answering these questions. (Please make sure you think of at least three answers to each question. If you come up with more than three that is just fine.)
Part One
What are the top three things you learned about yourself?
What are the top three things that surprised you?
What are the top three things you want more of?
What is one daring dream that you have that really lights up your world?
Dream Tending — If you are still searching, and haven’t quite identified your Daring Dream or something that lights up your world, you can engage in Dream Tending. There are two ways to do this. The first is Dream Incubation. Just before bed, spend a few quiet moments deeply breathing. Then offer a prayer request for guidance. Dreams offer powerful insight when we tap into them and ask. Einstein had many revelations in his dreams that helped him solve complex problems. You can also make the same request prior to engaging in meditation. Keep a journal next to you so that you can immediately upon waking record ideas and insights. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t receive an immediate response. The more you practice this, the more insight you may receive, both in the sleeping and waking world.
Part Two
On a separate sheet of paper, write out the following:
What are the top three things that you do not want to carry into the new year?
What are three things you would like to forgive yourself or others for?
What is one thing (attitude or belief) that you really want to let go of that may have been getting in your way for quite a while now?
Step Two: Release.
Fire rituals offer very powerful ways of releasing anything that no longer serves who you want to be as you step into the future. For this ritual, take out the piece of paper that contains the forgiveness and the items you want to release and the stick that you have gathered.
Steps to conduct a fire ritual:
- Build a Fire! ;-) (Or you can use epsom salt and alcohol. (2 to 3 parts salt to 1 part alcohol. Make sure you are lighting in a safe container surrounded by salt or sand.)
Release: Begin this ritual with the items you wrote for Part Two above:
- Take out your stick and the notes you wrote on forgiveness and things you want to let go of. Hold your sticks and offer a prayer, in whatever way your pray. Here’s a suggestion:
Holy Spirit (Universe, God, Divine Wisdom — call on whatever feels comfortable to you) in this moment I willingly surrender that which no longer serves me. I see this fire offering release for anything that has held me bound over the past year and beyond. As the stick burns, so do all attachments I have clung to that have kept me stuck in ways that no longer serve my highest good. I offer gratitude for the upliftment and release this offers to make space for the new: new ways of thinking, listening, speaking and connecting with my deepest truth and unique mission upon the plant. Please guide and nurture me as I step more fully into the most authentic version of myself.
- Blow into your stick before and after you read each of the written items you wish to let go of. If more come up as you are performing your ritual, go ahead and include them.
- Next toss the stick into the fire and allow the flames to burn through anything that may have been holding you back, including any judgements you have made about yourself. As you gaze into the fire, or close your eyes, allow yourself to feel your burdens being dissolved through the flames. Feel yourself getting lighter. If tears come, allow yourself to feel whatever has held you bound. Let yourself grieve, release and empty.
- If two or more people or doing the fire ceremony, each of you becomes sacred witness or the other. One of you holds space for the other’s work through also seeing their burdens lifted. This is a time of silence. Allow your friend to process in whatever way needed, including emotional, without interference. The more they are able to sink down into the process, the more powerful the release. Once the first person signals they are complete, have everyone present sit in sacred silence for a minute or two before moving onto the next person.
- When all are finished with the first process, take a few moments to breathe into the release. If you like you can stand up, shake out your arms and legs a bit before moving onto the second part of the ritual.
Activation: Take out your second stick and the notes you wrote in Part One (the top three things you want more of and at least one daring Vision or Dream you have):
- If in a group, decide who goes first. (You don’t need to know how to achieve this, just allow yourself to lean into it. Focus on the joy you would experience by stepping into it.) Person One engages in the ritual first, while Person Two (or the group) powerfully holds the space in silence for the first person to read their visions and dreams aloud (if they choose to do so). You may hold your hands to your heart or extend them out in front of you, engage with your Higher Self and support of the activation of Person One’s Dream.
- Person One: Blow your desires and wishes into the stick. You may speak them aloud as you do so. Begin with the three you have written and add any more that surface. Allow whatever resides deep within you to surface and guide the process. When it feels like you are complete, close your eyes and hold your stick for a moment or two. Focus on the joy and excitement you will experience bringing these desires into fruition. Then place your stick into the fire and offer a prayer. Here is a suggestion:
I call in the Divine White Light of the Holy Spirit to hear my prayers. I am grateful for the opportunities that will be presented to me this year to step into the most authentic version of myself. I am grateful for all the gifts I have been given during this life time. I look to you for guidance support and healing as I let go of the past and ready my way for the future. I release any lingering limiting beliefs that may have held me back in the past as I powerfully open into new possibility. I place these ideas, wishes and dreams into the Heart of Divine Wisdom. I commit to listening to the Divine Whispers as they show up in people, situations, and synchronicities connecting me into new possibilities. I am willing to surrender and trust that I am Divinely guided for the highest possibility and good of all concerned. Amen.
- Take a moment in silence after the prayer is said or read. If you are doing this with a group, After Person One announces that he / she is complete, Person Two begins their ritual process.
When everyone has completed their ritual, you may offer thanks to one another in whatever ways feel appropriate. Allow yourselves some space in silence before moving on to whatever is next for you in celebrating the move from the old to the new.
Step Three: Reimagine.
Carl Jung believed in the power of Active Imagination to help activate life’s dreams and desires. There are several things you can do to activate your own creative imagination and attract into your world situations, ideas, and ways of life that support your being the best version of yourself. Here are a couple of ideas:
- Create a Vision Board. For this practice shuffle through magazines or online images and words that offer a visual representation of the life you would like to create. Allow yourself to think outside of the box and see what you are drawn to. One you have finished collecting images you can glue them onto a board or in a blank book. Some people separate areas of life such as: Career. Relationship. Spirituality. Growth. Learning. Others put things together on the same page / board. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Your role is to seek and find things that attract you and represent what you desire, and let the creative process flow through you.
- Collage. Collaging is similar, and slightly different than Vision Boarding. The main difference is that when you are collaging, you allow your imagination full reign. You go page through images, selecting whatever attracts you. You are not consciously looking for a specific outcome, just paying attention to the images and words that attract you. When you feel complete you arrange the images on your board or in your book in ways that you find visually appealing. Afterwards you spend some time with your creation. Step back and observe your creation. Notice what stands out for you, then journal about it.
- If you are doing this activity with a friend, it is fun to share your Boards and allow the friend first to observe and offer ideas to you on what stands out for them. It may surprise you to hear what they see before sharing your own thoughts. Then each of you can journal your thoughts and ideas.
- Mind Movies offers a powerful process for creating a digital Vision Board to help activate your desires. Here is a link to their program. The thing I like about this option is that you aren’t limited by images in the magazines you may have on hand, and you can add sound and action to help with the process. (I receive no compensation if you decide to order their product.) About the Mind Movies Digital Vision Board Creation Kit
Step Four: Renew
Replant. Refresh. Renew. Do something concrete to symbolize your vision taking form. Dig in the dirt. Plant something, or replant something. Put a plant you currently have into a bigger pot with more dirt and room to grow. If that isn’t possible where you live, buy a plant to symbolize your new growth. As you are planting, replanting, or placing your plant in a place of honor, consider your vision and wishes for your life. See your plant as the joyful representation of your stepping forward in beautiful new ways.
All of this need not be done in one day. You can continue the process over the course of a week or so. Don’t let it go for too long though, as you can lose your momentum.
As you go through your weeks ahead, spend time offering love to your plant and watch it blossom. There have been many studies on the power of positivity to help plants (and dreams) grow. You breathe life and positivity into your dreams as you nurture what you plant.
Step Five: Choose.
One last idea that can powerfully anchor your new ideas into motion is to select a word or phrase that calls to you, representing how you want to show up in the New Year. If something doesn’t come to you right away, give it some time. Set your intention to listen / watch for the word of phrase that you are going to choose for some measure of time. Review your selected word / phrase quarterly to determine if you want to keep it, change it, or add to it. Quarterly reviews help keep your intention alive.
If you are open to powerful astronomical times, Full Moons are great for continuing the release process. New Moons are a great time to help anchor in your intentions. The Summer and Winter Solstices are also powerful times to take stock of where you are, enliven your vision, and adjust as needed.
As you move through your upcoming weeks Pay Attention. Life offers small (and sometimes not so small) synchronicities along the way the to help reinforce and support us on our journey.
Write down things that show up in your world that inspire what you are setting into motion. When you veer off track, don’t beat yourself up. Simply notice. Inquire within as to what happened to pull you off track, then recommit, or readjust your intentions as need.
One More Thing …
Remember that small item from the supply list? Allow something small from nature, or that is meaningful to you to be an anchoring symbol for what you are creating. As you complete the steps above, activate your symbol through holding it in your hands and emotionally connecting with your intentions, visions and new ways of being. Keep this on your desk, altar, in your backpack or purse, to serve as a powerful reminder for your intentions, visions and creations.
Celebrate your wins with yourself and with your friends.
As your visions and dreams begin to take shape, celebrate your small wins with someone who supports your goals. This helps keep your momentum alive. Remember, this is a dynamic process that moves and flows as you do. The universe conspires to help. Pay attention to the thoughts, ideas, and supporting symbols it sends your way.
The beginning of a new year starts off with remnants of the old to work through. Clearly 2021 has a few bumps to navigate through. Take heart. Shifting into a new paradigm takes time, commitment and dedication. Here are three quotes to help inspire and encourage your forward movement:
“Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.”
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe“If one advances confidently in the direction of his (her) dreams, and endeavors to live the life that he (she) has imagined, he (she) will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”― Margaret Mead
HAVE FUN co-creating your life and the world you want to live in — now and for generations to come! Stay Safe. Be Well.
I wish you Peace, Joy & Abundant Blessings!
Dr. J.
Dr. Jeanne Michele is a passionate writer, essayist, and entrepreneur who enjoys helping people take a more courageous dive into life, relationships and delicious self-discovery.
