New Years Rituals

New Years Rituals
BY BARBARA BIZIOU

Each New Year millions of people make resolutions to do things
differently. Because cultures from around the world understand that
the New Year is an opportunity to spiritually turn the wheel of the
year and begin anew this is the perfect time to look at areas that
need adjustment.

Take the time to do rituals of purification and closure to prepare
for a new vision to manifest. As we move into the year 2005, more
than ever, it is crucial to take the time to acknowledge our
experiences with joy and grief. We must strive to bring balance and
harmony into our lives so we can imbue the coming year with the
qualities that we most desire.

Turn this holiday into a meaningful occasion.
You'll be surprised how easy it is to turn holiday occasions that you
normally take for granted or move through without thinking into a
meaningful ritual. Instead of just coming up with guest list and
planning the usual gathering for the New Year, if you slow down,
realize that you're taking part in a time-honored tradition that
connects you to your past, and concentrate on your intention--to
commemorate an important holy day--you will get deeper meaning and a
greater sense of connectedness out of each occasion.

New Years Ritual:
Spend the day on December 31st by taking some time to be quiet and
reflect on the year that is drawing to a close. Think about the
people that mattered most to you, your greatest accomplishment,
challenging difficulties and the lessons you learned.

Take a purification bath. Scrub yourself with sea salt and wash
yourself thoroughly in the water. Feel free to anoint yourself with
your favorite oil or perfume.

Contemplate the patterns in your life that keep you stuck. Write down
the limiting beliefs or habits that you wish to leave behind with the
old year. In a fireproof bowl or fireplace, safely burn the paper. As
the paper burns, be aware that you have just made space for new ideas
people, and opportunities to enter your life. Carefully, throw out
the ashes when they cool.

Light a candle for those who have passed on to spirit.
Light a candle for your new potential in the coming year.
Light a candle to acknowledge the earth.
Contribute to your community by planting a tree, helping a homeless
family or baking cookies for your local nursing home.

Share your holiday with others: invite friends to a New Year's
ceremony that honors your individual path. Have each person light a
candle and share his or her vision for the year. It is powerful to
have witnesses to your dreams.

Take five minutes to focus on peace- have each person light a candle
for peace and healing. Play inspirational music

Dance, sing and celebrate life.

Forgive, forgive, forgive- end the old year by opening your heart to
yourself and others.

During Tashlich, the Hebrew ritual for Rosh Hashanah (New Year), Jews
throw bread into moving water as a symbol of releasing the previous
years's transgressions. The bread feeds the fish and birds so it is
also a way to connect to all of God's creatures. Yom Kippur, the
Jewish Day of Atonement, is a time to fast and contemplate the past
year and any transgressions one has committed. You ask forgiveness of
anyone you have harmed in words, deeds or action in the past year.
Traditionally you ask the person personally three times. If they do
not respond you then turn it over to God.

In Bali, the day before the New Year. All statues of the Deity are
taken to the water for purification ceremonies. Great processions of
people walk to the river or ocean and offer prayers. A great ceremony
is held where you make as much noise as possible to appease the gods,
because on the actually day of the New Year (Nyep) the entire island
is in silence. One prays and meditates on the coming year. Even the
airports are closed.

In China, it is important to pay all debts before the year begins so
you can start off fresh. Families clean their homes thoroughly to
release any traces of bad luck from the past year. On New Year's Eve
it is important to put purifying herbs like crushed lime leaves into
the bath water.
New Year's day is filled with huge parades and processions including
dancing dragons that are associated with long life and prosperity.
People bring in lucky plants and flowers like the Kumquat trees and
peach blossoms to decorate their homes. All Chinese children and
people who are not married are given money in special red envelopes
to bring good luck for the coming year.

Watch your head in an Italian town on New Year's eve, because the
inhabitants literally do "out with the old" by throwing unwanted
possessions from their windows. Everything that lands on the pavement
is up for grabs, making street shopping a fun part of the night's
activity.

For good luck in the coming year, some cultures throw money into the
house the first time that they enter after the New Year has begun. If
you are staying home, go to your front door at 12:01 am and throw
coins into the front door. Keep them there for 24 hours and then
place them on your altar or give them away to the needy.

Many years ago the Bulgarian master Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov told me
that the first 12 days of January represent the whole year. January
1st stands for the month of January, January 2nd stands for February
and so on. By practicing loving kindness, openness, and generosity
while giving thoughtful attention to the significance of each day,
you will consecrate the coming year.

In the African tradition, divinations are made on New Years for the
coming year. Luisah Teish, in Carnival of the Spirit says that in the
African Diaspora there is a tradition of divining for the coming
year. Divination may be done for individual, groups or the world. It
is both will-directed and destiny-directed prophecy. Pam nuts, kola
nuts, or cowry shells are cast to determine what natural occurrences
(earth quakes, tidal waves) and what human tendencies (fear,
communion) are most likely to manifest in the coming year. We ask
what do the deities have in store for us and how are we to conduct
ourselves. These predictions are made and the diviner prescribes
various rituals to be performed throughout the year in order to
receive blessings and avert danger.

Barbara Biziou, author of The Joys of Everyday Rituals