HEALTH AND WELLBEING.

Rituals and Reflections for New Beginnings. 

Life is multi finite, full of new beginnings and endings, some are bigger, like the start of a new year, a new life, and some are smaller, the daily sunrise of a morning, the forming of a new habit. New beginnings offer promise and can be laced with emotion, grief for the old, excitement for the new, they can be an ambiguous time. The practice of rituals and reflections can help us navigate these transitions. A ritual being a practice, often rooted in the body and movement, that can ease the release and honour of the old, acknowledging the grey area in between, and encourages us to embrace the new when it does arrive. A ritual may not take the form of anything arduous, it maybe a simple practice of applying an intention and a mindset to the mundaneness of routine inviting in a gratitude and awareness for all that’s been, and clearing for what les ahead. They can be crafted from personal and cultural significance, creating a celebratory moment in time.

Rituals can often be defined by the culture in which we live, however new beginnings can be moments that offer us choice, inviting us to consider and reflect how we wish to personally mark such times and pave the way ahead.

Some suggested reflections are offered below.

What do you feel grateful for from this previous time?

What felt good/ what worked well from this time that has past?

What do you wish to carry with you? What do you wish to let go of?

How can you let go of it?

What is your intention for the time ahead?

How do you want to feel through the time ahead?

How can you embrace unfamiliarity?

What does celebration mean to you?

10. Jan. 2024.

Image. Kim Verdebo.