Photo: Despacho Ceremony with me and beloved Q’ero elder don Sebastian (you can read more about him in The Andean Codex by JE Williams
Back in 2021, I said the theme for 2024 would be Revolution and 2023 The Reckoning which is the preparation for the Revolution.
December is a time for endings, culminations, and celebrations. January is about new beginnings and January 1st begins the illumination phase of the moon. The full Wolf moon reaches its peak on January 6th. Hmmmm….that date sounds familiar. Let the reckoning begin.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac says: “At a full Moon, the Moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun so the face of the Moon facing towards the Earth will be completely illuminated by the Sun's rays.” In other words, it’s when the sun illuminates the visible part of the moon. And there are many myths and superstitions about this important event.
Full moons light up the cosmos. They are ideal for introspection, creative thinking, and dreaming. There is magic in the full moon. It’s the perfect time to let go of anything that no longer aligns with the future you want. Full moons are also excellent for tying up loose ends, paying off outstanding karmic debts, forgiving the past, and creating space for something bigger.
Named for the wolves howling at the moon, the January full Wolf moon is about culmination, climaxes, emotional & energetic releases, and letting things go. (As a professional organizer, I can help you with that!)
It’s a good idea to take full advantage of the power of this moon. Aligning with the full moon is a great way to connect with yourself and tuning into the rhythm of the moon can be transformative. Finding flow and connection with her cycles can be hugely healing.
Salutations
To create equilibrium in our yoga practice and in our lives, it’s helpful to observe the power of opposites. Yin and Yang, ebb and flow, contraction and expansion, effort and surrender – it’s important that we recognize the qualities and benefits on each side of the spectrum so that we can find balance and unity between them.
The sun and moon represent the 2 polar energies of the human body. Hatha yoga signifies the solar and lunar energies.
Sun Salutations are said to be a yang practice, related to activity, heat and light, whilst Moon Salutations are associated with a yin practice – receptive, meditative and cooling. Although yin and yang represent seemingly opposite principles (dark and light, day and night, passivity and activity etc) they are utterly interdependent. In the same way, although Sun and Moon salutation sequences embrace different qualities, they complement each other perfectly. The yogic term Hatha (pronounced Ha-Ta) also reflects these individual yet interconnected qualities – Ha referring to the masculine, warming, active energy of the sun and tha – the feminine, cooling, receptive elements of the moon. Hatha yoga, therefore, seeks to unify these apparently opposing elements, creating harmony and balance.
The Moon Salutation, known in Sanskrit as Chandra Namaskara, is a series of poses performed in a particular sequence to create a cooling flow of movement. Like the popular Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskara), each pose in Moon Salutation is coordinated with your breathing. But unlike Sun Salutations, which are heating and stimulating, Moon Salutations are cooling and quieting. There are many variations of Moon Salutation (this sequence is a simple one that is suitable for all levels.) They are used to calm the mind and draw your awareness inward. Moon Salutations are useful when energy or temperatures are high and a tranquil, quiet presence is required.
Stop making Resolutions and Start a Revolution
In history, a revolution is a radical change in the established order or a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving. (For those of you who like my yoga playlists, you may remember hearing this old school contemporary gospel song in class more than a few times – (Do you want a) Revolution by Kirk Franklin.
Anyway, your New Year’s Revolution is to become the best version of yourself – a New Me. An inner revolution where we might want to surrender to that which is wiser than us – the Sat Guru; that which has more humility than us; that which is compassionate. It’s often referred to as our Higher Self, the Infinity Spark, the Soul. A New Year is a great time to start embodying the person you want to be, right now.
Yoga reminds us that when there is a low, there is a high (and vice versa); a contraction is followed by relaxation/release; opening up is balanced by cocooning; and the more you bend, the stronger you are. Yoga shows us how to embrace the ebb and flow of life without rejecting or running away from it when things get a little interesting. You bend so you can straighten. You close and open seamlessly. This sounds so simple and yet it is a great wisdom that we often forget in our lives.
Are you ready to do the same thing as last year? Or, are you ready to try something different? Let’s set an intention, a Sankalpa
Personal Sankalpa
Sankalpa means resolve or resolution. This is a determination to become something or to do something in your life. Here we sow the seed of change. Energy is energy but it needs to be directed. This affirmation can be the creator of your destiny. It should be a short, positive statement in simple language.
Ask yourself: “What kind of future do I envision for myself or the world? What kind of Self am I trying to develop? What do I want to accomplish with this life?”
Get clear on what you want. Slip into a beautiful daydream. Imagining your dream life as if you were already living it.
Ask the Universe. The universe speaks the language of emotions, so you have to FEEL it for it to make a difference.
Work toward your goals. Act as if it is already true.
Keep your vibration high. Vibrations are like radio signals you are continuously sending out to the universe. A crappy mood means you’ll get rewarded with crap so stay positive and thankful.
Say thank you. Watch for signs, acknowledge, and thank the Universe for those gifts. The universe will give you more of what you want when you are grateful.
Trust the process. Believe it. Know that what create is already yours. All you have to do is breath, relax, and let it come! You are divinely supported and can have, be, or do anything you want.
Allow your Sankalpa to well up from deep within your being. This Sankalpa can be an affirmation for healing your body, mind or spirit. Allow it to come from your deepest source, your deepest intention…a place where healing occurs at the deepest possible level.
Silently repeat it to yourself 3 times. Then write it down. It is a promise to yourself. Thank the Universe and just KNOW that it will be so.
Dream a New World into Being
The shamans of Peru use coca leaves for divination and creating a new world. They use them like the mystics who read tea leaves. They throw the leaves which often leads to heads shaking and dispute. If they don’t like what they see, they throw the leaves again. If there is still disagreement, they throw again…and again…until they get the outcome they want. That’s manifesting and co-creating. Perception creates reality. So, let’s manifest a new one.
Earth, Our Home. Imagine a world where both people and all the beings in nature live in harmony together and share deep wisdom with each other. See, feel or imagine this inner connected web of life that supports and nurtures us free of environmental toxins, chemicals, pesticide and pollution. The earth bathed in a grid of divine love which expands every person’s lightwork one thousand-fold. This infinite light lifts every atomic and subatomic particle and wave of life on earth into a higher order of being. Imagine establishing a beautiful and powerful connection with all of life that brings us into the role of being a co-creator. We ask for peace upon our planet; a world supported by mutual support for one another. Visualize the whole world with a beautiful and peaceful future. The earth in perfect balance. Nature revered and respected. Anchoring pure love on this earth, our home.
Divine Government. The dissolution of economic and political powers that are flawed both in thought and by behavior. A united world where this divine light is present in all people associated with governments in their various countries, through all world leaders, electorate and governmental officials of all nations, and all leaders of any kind on earth at every level – now and forever.
Humanity. No longer controlled by outdated belief systems (BS), attitudes, and heavy vibrations. Free of ancestral karma. Eliminating fear. Free from pain, suffering and war. Allowing no harm. Healing all inequalities and injustices. Power and wealth redistribution. Those who have and those who do not, they will become one and the same. Restructuring the allocation of resources, finances, food, our agricultural practices, and global environmentalism which will be modelled on equality and fairness. Erasing all hunger, all poverty and bringing abundance to all humanity. Focusing on what embodies more love. Everyone living at their highest evolvement
Allow the present negative conditions that are surfacing all over the planet to be healed and transmuted into light. With the power of a thousand suns, weave this energy into humanity’s consciousness so that every person will be used to exponentially expand the divine light through our planetary grid of transfiguring divine love that is now enveloping Mother Earth and all her life.
Through this activity of light, we are reclaiming our divine birthright. You are beautiful sparks of divine love and a powerful being of light. Imagine living in a country, a world of respect, compassion and empathy for all people powered through divine love, happiness, kindness, health and abundance. A race of people who fully embrace their divinity reflecting oneness, divine love, reverence for all life, and decisions & actions that reflect the highest good for all concerned. Humanity is being raised into a profound awakening of supreme love consciousness. We become love in action. We are the masters of love we were always destined to be.
Humanity lifted into a higher octave of divine service. Every person on earth permanently invested with a cosmic forcefield of divine love. This is the future I want! Will you join me?
Now close your eyes and experience the breath as a stream of light moving through your body. Imagine a ball of light forming in your heart. Allow it to grow with the breath. It glows with each inhale and expands & radiates outward with each exhale. Simply be aware and observe the light working. The deeper the awareness, the more the body of light awakens. Imagine the world I described above. Let’s seal this dream anchored within the heart of every person on earth.
[Note: I have several guided meditations working with the light (transfiguration) that are available for download.]
As you remember your own perfection, your Infinity Spark, the world around you will reflect that perfection back to you. As we change our Consciousness, we change the world. Our outer environment is a mirror for our inner environment. See the beauty in all things. Dream a new world into existence.
You have a unique ability to serve humanity, a skill/talent that has a purpose. Every single one of you is necessary and needed!
May you have peace today. Even more important to appreciate all we do have, the simple things like nature, love, friendship, kindness, community. May love continue to guide us on the deepest level and helps us navigate the changing landscape.
I’ll leave you with some of the lyrics from “A Little Bit of Love” by Weezer.
Take a look at where you started from And where you are today You climbed mountains, swam oceans You got knocked down and kept goin' In the end you know you've got to say A little bit of love goes a pretty long way
All your wounds are healing fine I'm so glad I got you in my life Now the winter frost is gone Now is our chance to live the life we want
Everybody, everybody’s lost
And that’s okay
Some show it, some hide it But thеre's a battle we're all fighting So if you're looking for the words to say A little bit of love goes a pretty long way