It’s that time of year again!
This new year ritual below is so powerful and effective. You can do it at the start of every new year or any time you want a fresh start. The steps are below and please share your ritual experience in the comments below and/or if you customized it in any way.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very, very Happy and Prosperous New Year!
In 2015, I decided to change things up by creating a personal New Year’s Eve tradition. It started with acupuncture, followed by some quick bubbly (sshh, don’t tell my acupuncturist), and a ritual that involved setting clear intentions and vision for my upcoming year.
During my newly minted tradition, I remember thinking it was so cool that I didn’t need to peek at the clock to see when the clock struck midnight. The screams of “Happy New Year” from other homes clearly told me what time it was.
This New Year’s ritual has changed my year (and life) in a big way. I am more comfortable and confident transitioning from old to new, clearer about what I want to create for my new year, all while feeling extremely peaceful.
Before you start, be sure to read through the following instructions ahead of time so you can prepare all the ingredients you’ll need for a fabulous and conscious Feng Shui New Year!
A Powerful Feng Shui New Year’s Ritual*:
Prepare to say Farewell to 2023:
1) Sit quietly and reflect upon 2023. Think about both the good and the not-so-good things that happened. Maybe you lost your job, or experienced what seemed like an unfortunate event. Were you able to reframe it and learn a lesson? Did you recognize the opportunity it may have opened up for you? Perhaps you learned how resilient you were or how much support you have within your network. It’s important to remember that even the most challenging situations often bring along huge learning opportunities.
2) Change the energy of your home. It’s important to release the energy of 2023 in a loving and grateful way. Start by burning some sage, palo santo or incense and with your cleansing item of choice, walk through your home, reflecting on what you are grateful for in 2023. Remember – every experience was an opportunity for growth!
Next, open all the windows of your home for approximately 9 minutes (9 is a very auspicious number in Feng Shui) to release 2023’s old energy. Remember that the intention is to be grateful for 2023 while making room for good things in 2024. All the while, smile and let the year go. Say something that expresses gratitude such as, “Thank you 2023 for everything you have given and shown me. I now release you and welcome in the energy of 2024!”
3) Cleanse your own energy. Now do the final cleansing – take a bath or shower to rinse away the old energy. Picture the water washing away 2023 and all of the thoughts and energy that you need to let go of.
Now time to say HELLO to 2024!:
4) Create your intentions for 2024. Sit quietly again and reflect on what you want to feel in 2024. Be clear – reflect not what you want in 2024, but how you want to FEEL in 2024. For example, if you want a new job, say “I want to go to a workplace everyday where I feel appreciated, heard and have fun with my colleagues.” Continue this list until you feel satisfied. Don’t limit yourself. Allow yourself to dream BIG. Remember that it’s all about the intention, so smile and feel happy while you’re writing. Write your intentions in the present tense as though it’s already happening.
Next put your intention in a red envelope and put it in the Benefactors section of your bedroom (see bagua positioning here).
5) Nourish yourself. When you’re all done, I suggest making yourself and your loved ones a nice meal. Nurture yourself with things that make your inner “home” feel good. Chew slowly. Be present as you enjoy every single bite. It’s always a nice practice to be grateful for all the lovely ingredients that allow you to feel nurtured.
6) Meditate into the New Year. This is very different from the typical champagne-clinking kind of new year. The focus is on sharing an intimate moment with yourself and perhaps, loved ones. Around 11:30pm, light a candle, sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and enjoy the energy shift into the new year.
If you can only do 15 mins, do 15 mins. It’s not a perfect science. If you can’t stay up that late, that’s ok too. We are not grading you on being perfect. But if you do happen to stay up to the midnight mark, you can thank me later when you realize how cool it is to actually know it’s the new year without even opening your eyes. You’re welcome.
* If you don’t get a chance to do the ritual right on the 31st, that’s ok! Do it any time you like in the new year. Again, Feng Shui is all about intention. With intention alone, you can literally move mountains.
Enjoy this ritual and wish you all a wonderful transition into 2024 and see you in the new year!
