End of the Year Rituals

Dear Ones, can you even believe another year is winding down and wrapping up?  

I can seriously hardly believe it. The past year was quite a doozy for me honestly. It brought a lot of unexpected medical complications that I’m still healing from. It has been a rough year for many and I understand this, both personally and professionally. If your year has been hard, I am truly sorry you have been suffering. I believe next year is going to be a better year. It is the year of the Tiger and a time for building. This past year was about laying a new foundation. These kinds of years tend to be challenging for us collectively. So, let’s help you wrap up this year through the art of ritual...  

What are rituals + Why are they important? 

You might not realize it, but you likely already have rituals. You may have a morning process in which you do the same behaviors every day in a certain order, like brushing your teeth, washing your face, applying a moisturizer, and then brushing your hair. This is a ritual. Or maybe the way you make your coffee. You follow the steps to produce a yummy drink. This helps you remember to do everything to get ready for your day.  

Rituals are a series of actions done with a purpose or intention. We can also consider rituals as part of a ceremony, and part of having a sacred life. The word ‘ritual’ has had negative connotations historically, as many considered rituals to be a form of witchcraft or dark magic. While witchcraft may involve certain rituals, so do many religions use these tools. Rituals themselves are not dangerous or harmful. In fact, they can be quite the opposite. 

Rituals help us connect to ourselves, our lives, our bodies, our hearts, each other, our ancestors, the earth, and the very Divinity we come from and will return to. There are many types and forms of rituals, but what is most important is your intention and connection to the actions of your rituals. It is our intention that determines the nature of rituals. As we end this year and begin a new year let’s look at some rituals to help you transition... 

Rituals for the End of 2021 

Clean out your Closet: Pack up a bag to give away. Whatever clothing items and accessories you have symbolically, and metaphorically, outgrown. Wash the clothes and find someone in your community in need. You can find someone on the street who is your same body shape/size, or donate the clothes to a Domestic Violence recovery or Homeless Shelter. Let go of things that do not represent you and help someone who needs a hand. Double win! Take time as you do this. Acknowledge each piece and the role it played in your life. Consider memories with this item, thank it for good times and helping you express who you are. Say goodbye and wish it luck on its next journey. Bless it and hope that the next person has good experiences with this piece. This ritual allows you tohonor what was and make space for new parts of you to be expressed. 

Clean your Bedroom: Do a deep cleaning of your bedroom. Really take your time. Wash all your bed linens and pillows. Sweep, mop, vacuum, whatever...your space and actually move all the furniture out of the way. Take a look around and remove any piles and clutter, anything that brings you stress, or anything that no longer represents what you want in your life. Put away clothes and items that have been left out. Then light a candle and carefully burn some Palo Santo, call in whatever you would like to experience in this space. Such as, love, romance, peace, bliss...Welcome these in. Spray a fragrance you enjoy and spend at least 2 minutes breathing life into this space (by deep breathing! In for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, out for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, repeat for 2 minutes). This ritual allows stagnant energy to be cleared and released and brings new, fresh energy into one of your most crucial spaces. 

Journal Reflections on 2021: Take time to sit down at a table, with a journal and a pen and consider the last year. Light a candle and spend at least 30 minutes reflecting on what went well, what this year taught you, what you learned, and what you will take into this next new year. Write about what was challenging and where you stumbled. Think and write about who you were this year and all you accomplished, how you grew and evolved. This ritual allows you to let go of this year and process any situations where you got stuck, so you can more forward freely and celebrate your wins. 

These rituals can help you find quiet time to clear your space and make room for the energy of a new year. It is important to acknowledge endings. To take all the wisdom we can from each year and bring it into our next chapters. We look ahead and hope for better days. Taking time to reflect on what was allows us to move forward more prepared to face what is to come. 

 In my next journal I will write about Rituals for the New Year and how we can support the next level of your expansion and growth! To learn more about working with me to let your past go and find more freedom in your future, click here. 

Sarah Lustig is a Licensed Therapist in Colorado and a Holistic and Spiritual Coach living in Asheville, North Carolina. She is the owner of a Nurtured Essence, a healing space, aimed at helping people overcome their fears and live with more purpose and lightness. She specializes in working with wounded healers, empaths, and lightworkers.