Happy New Year, my loves! Wow. It’s here. 2018! How does it feel to you? What is the energy that is swirling around you? And can you believe that we get to start a whole new year with a super full moon? I mean, that’s gotta be some serious magic, right? Plus, the first day of the year happens to fall on a Monday.
The potential + fresh start vibes are just so big + ripe + fulfilling right now, I think. It feels good. Full. Complete. Illuminating. Like a big, deep cleansing breath. Especially that little sacred moment just between the deep breath in + a long, release out.
Go ahead and breathe with me for a moment. About 3 times.
→ Count to 4 as you breathe in deeply. From your belly. Feel it expand. Fill yourself up. Receive the blessing of life. Let it flow with in you. Connect with the spirit.
→ And hold your breath for a count of 4. This is where the magic happens. This is where we are today at the beginning of the new year, with a big, beautiful full moon over us. This is the sacred, quiet, fulfilling space that is filled with opportunity. And it is pure magic to pause here. The symbolism of being filled, slowing down, holding, feeling, and waiting… this is mindfulness. This is awareness. This is the holy pause of potentiality.
→ And then release for a count of 4. Slowly, intentionally, with purpose. Release. Let go. Trust. Feel your soul giving back.
→ Finally, pause in the empty space. Count to 4 here as well. Trust in this space. Do not be afraid. Just wait. Allow yourself to be stripped down, a blank slate of nothing but pure, simplicity. Your true self. Naked. Vulnerable. Simple. Real. Ground yourself down.
Repeat this deep, sacred breathing again. At least 3 times. For as long as you wish. Use it when there is a full moon, but use it also every day. As a space to return to that is only yours. To remind you that you are alive. To slow you down, give you perspective, and connect you with your true self.
The full moon last night as I drove home from Asheville
While this magical, full moon ushers us into a new year, it does not do so with a hectic, get busy, get shit done, time to move full speed ahead kind of energy. No, it is the energy of the deep breath.
And I felt it even more this morning as I stood outside on my parents’ deck in the -1F/-17C degree pre-morning dawn.
I knew it was brutally frigid outside this morning, so I had prepared myself to not go out + wander like I’ve been doing as my little impromptu solitary ritual this holiday. But, as I walked into the living room, the moon caught my eye outside the window. I had not expected to see her at all. I assumed that the moon would have already dropped behind the mountains. But, no, there she was in all of her big, full, super moon glory.
And, just that like, I pulled on my socks, bundled up with a scarf, slid on my boots, and traipsed outside to walk around to the front deck. To bask in the light of the moon before she disappeared. It was quiet, barely light, and the air froze my exposed skin. But, I stood there, just breathing. Just being. Releasing the past year. Opening up to the new one. The moment was beautiful. Simple. True. And quiet.
And, I realized. There’s no need to rush into the new year. Sure, there is excitement and energy and the feeling that it’s time to get moving. But, you know what? Not necessarily. There’s no need to feel the crazy pressure to just get going for the sake of getting going. Instead, we can really, truly ease into 2018 with the intention to slow down + trust the moment.
Should we take the time to breathe deeply, observe the world, listen to our soul, practice meditation + intention-setting, then we slowly enter the next 12 months mindfully, connected, and with deep purpose.
January’s first full moon helps us to begin this month + this year with a moment of pause. A chance to feel the fullness of it all and to release all of our old ways as we march toward the first new moon of the year in about 2 weeks. Why not let these next two weeks be slow, intentional days of discovering + uncovering our intentions?
No one said we have to set our intentions, make our resolutions, and jump on it all by January 1st. That’s just way too much damn pressure. So, again, why not use the next two weeks as a slow easing into 2018, taking time to focus + feel the energy of the year, and pausing every so often to simply breathe deeply.
Let’s do this, my friends. But, let’s do it mindfully, slowly, and with sacred pauses of deep breathing.
Happy 2018!! xoxo. liz
