New Year's Rituals

The new year is a special time where for one reason or another we are inclined to think about and mark the closing of the year as well as think about what the next year might bring.  I don't find it very useful to look too far in the future because what we plan for our lives doesn't always materialize and yet in most cases we're perfectly satisfied with where we end up. I do, however, think that it can be fruitful to think about ourselves now, think about the obstacles that we have overcome in the last year, and think about the general direction that we'd like to move in the new year.  One great way to close out the past year and mark the beginning of the new year is with some simple rituals. Rituals are practical ways that we can mark important events, and ground ourselves in a world that can seem meaningless or unpredictable.  So here are some rituals that we can perform to celebrate the new year. These can be done with friends or by oneself.

1. Close out the calendar year by engaging in a Solstice ritual. This year I participated in a Yoga Solstice class that allowed me to focus on a natural event instead of a conventional one (e.g., Christmas, etc.). The Solstice marks the longest day of darkness in the year. And while some think of long, dark and often cold days where many plants are dormant as depressing or generally negative, in our own lives darkness is often a time for reflection about ourselves that can often result in change and growth. 
2. Think and then write about what you did in the past year, what changes you made, etc. This is much easier if you have kept a personal journal for the last year. You can summarize the important events, changes, etc. of the past year on paper, then burn the summary as a symbolic means of closing out the past year. You can also incorporate a gratitude ceremony into closing out the calendar year. This could take the form of expressing gratitude to the people in your life or setting aside a chunk of quiet time to devote to meditation about what you're thankful for from 2017.
3. Think/write about where you are now, note what you like and dislike about your current self. Then think/write about what you want things you'd like to improve about yourself, which can be developing personal characteristics such as patience, being less judgmental and more accepting of others, etc.; or this may include a desire for cultivating a new lifestyle or professional changes.

I hope you have a wonderful new year and that some of these simple rituals add to it.

Peace,

Sean