Preparing for 2025: Part 1 Overview
Creating Space: Learn, Heal, Grow & Let Go
As we prepare to welcome the new energy and new light of 2025 in just a couple of weeks, it is time to go inward to heal, clean and make space for the new energy to enter into our mind, body, spirit and life path.
In general, it is an opportunity to reflect upon any and all challenging experiences and the lingering thoughts, feelings and emotions from 2024 that we want to release, let go of and not take with us into the new year. This is definitely a beneficial practice not just for the new year, but, everyday. A conscious and intentional practice of releasing these low vibrational energies once we have received the lessons, learning and insights from these experiences.
It is important to not just dismiss challenging experiences, but, to reflect in such a way to learn, heal and grow along the way.
Here are a few questions that often help me in this process:
In what way is the universe supporting me?
In the universal language of energy, what is the universe asking me to pay attention to and what is the learning, wisdom, insight being revealed - about myself and/or others for healing and growth?
What lesson(s) is the universe attempting to highlight for me (for healing/change) to bring greater health and well-being in my mental, emotional, spiritual or physical body?
What change is the universe asking me to consider to live in greater alignment with the light (e.g. love without conditions, compassion for self and others, gratitude, sharing truth with compassion) and my values?
Sometimes, the challenges we experience are intended to help us develop more compassion for ourselves and others, access a deeper level of gratitude, hone a mindfulness practice, strengthen faith and spiritual practices, learn how to ask for help, soften the need for control and high criticism, develop acceptance and often a deeper understanding and practice of forgiveness.
I find that talking with others helps to identify the lessons and opportunities for insight and learning. I often seek perspective from trusted friends who are able to sense or understand the deeper meaning of situations and people and/or a licensed mental health professional (e.g. psychologist or master-level therapist) or a trusted and trained spiritual practitioner.
Once we feel that we extracted the learning, healing and growth opportunity from these experiences, it is time to let it go through a practice of forgiveness. Not all letting go requires a practice of forgiveness, but, if the challenging experiences involve others or ways in which you pressured or criticized yourself, forgiveness can help release the heavy energies and emotions.
Forgiveness is the release or letting go of anger, resentment and/or pain.
Forgiveness is not about condoning “bad” behavior. You can still forgive while clearly stating that the action/behavior is unacceptable and have consequences.
Forgiveness is not about reconciliation. If a person hurt you, violated your trust or has demonstrated they are not trustworthy then, it is your choice to reconcile the relationship or not. You can forgive a person while also choosing to not have them in your life.
Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself - no one else. Forgiveness is for you, not the other person.
To access forgiveness, it often helps to cultivate compassion for yourself and others.
A helpful resource for those interested in research of the benefits of forgiveness and helpful insights, tools and practices to strengthen your practice of forgiveness: A book written by Robert D. Enright, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and professor of educational psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, The Forgiving Life: A pathway to overcoming resentment and creating a legacy of love. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC: 2012.
Spiritual process for releasing and clearing
Ideally, you have identified the lesson(s) from these challenges and accessed some perspective or feeling of gratitude for learning these often challenging or painful lessons with a commitment to learn, heal and grow (change).
Identify the specific heavy energies, thoughts, feelings and emotions that remain in your body.
Thank the universe (e.g. God, Our Creator, the Archangels, your guides of light) for the opportunity of insight, learning, lessons and healing. Then, ask them to:
Please take any and all energies that no longer support optimal health and well-being of my mind, body and spirit and my soul’s journey.
Gently close your eyes. Become aware of where all of these heavy energies reside within your mind, body and spirit. Imagine that as you breath in, you are gathering all of these heavy energies and as you breath out, you are releasing these energies from your mind, body and spirit and sending them to the universal light above you and allow God, your guides of light to take this from you.
Once you feel most of the heaviness has released, in your mind ask,
God/Creator please fill me with the heavenly divine healing light in all the places in which this heavy energy once resided within my mind, body and spirit. I ask to be filled with unconditional love, compassion, healing, wholeness and oneness.
Allow yourself to receive this light. Breath in the light from the divine heavenly light above until you are full of light.
With love and gratitude shift your focus to your mind, body and spirit - grounding yourself in the physical body. When you feel more grounded, slowly open your eyes.
Take a few moments and few normal breaths to ground in the physical body while repeating the mantra: Grounded, Center and Balanced. Focus awareness of the physical body top of head, hands, feet on the ground.
*Before exploring any practices offered here, please be sure to check-in with yourself. Does this feel right for me at this time? Also, remember, every journey of the soul is different so there will be different practices for different paths. May you find the path that resonates and supports you the best at this time.
As you clear the “clutter” from the mind, body and spirit you may become more clear about what you wish to manifest this year. Begin jotting down your thoughts, feelings, and ideas for what you wish to manifest in 2025. Eventually, this list will help with the next phase of preparation: Setting Intentions and Manifestation for 2025.