New Year Rituals
Another year is coming to an end…How do you view the New Year? For some people it is a time to reflect and rejoice, others may view it as a clean slate or opportunity to start again, while others might see it as another day. Understandably, many folks feel a bit cynical about the New Year, with the popular emphasis on a “New Year, New You,” special promotions on wellness products and gym memberships, and reminders of resolutions left undone.
I personally love the New Year and see it as an occasion that can transcend culture or geography, with celebrations around the globe counting down the seconds until a new year officially begins. Though many cultures and religions have their own New Year celebrations based on lunar calendars, the 365-day Gregorian calendar is used in most of the world and starts on January 1st. Every December 31st, I re-read all of my journal entries from the previous year, write a new entry as I reflect on the fun, growth and challenges that I’ve come through, and clean my space thoroughly to give myself a fresh start. I identify upcoming goals and dreams, and sometimes incorporate other practices such as a tarot card pull or identifying a theme or word for my upcoming year. And of course, I stay up until midnight.
Many of my clients have shared their New Year’s practices with me as well. For example, one likes to create a vision board each year, taking images and words from magazines to create a collage representing her aspirations for the coming year. She also looks at her vision board from the year that is coming to a close to reflect on what she has accomplished and what remains to be achieved. Having such rituals helps us mark the passage of time, affirm our growth and find meaning in what could otherwise be mundane.
If you are looking for rituals to help you transition into a new year, you may consider…
What is your cultural background? Are there any regional, spiritual or ancestral practices that you might want to look into and adopt as your own? Not only can this help you feel excited and ready for a new year, but it can also ground you in your identity and strengthen your connection to your culture.
What have you done in the past to mark transitions? To celebrate your accomplishments? To commemorate (or mourn) the end of something? If you found these practices helpful, you might adapt them specifically for a “New Year” ritual.
Is there something you want to release, leave behind or transform this year, and can you do this literally or symbolically? You might write things down and burn or bury them, release something to the wind or water, or put objects into a container that can be sealed and put away, as some examples. Always use caution and common sense if you use fire or engage in a ritual involving nature.
What are your values or goals, and can they be integrated into your ritual? For example, if you value family, how can you involve your family in your plans? It could be celebrating together, making plans together for the upcoming months, or something else. Or if one of your goals for the coming year is to travel, you might try something symbolic, like the practice of taking out your suitcases and going on a walk, or concrete, like identifying a place you’d like to go and the needed steps.
How do you express yourself creatively? Collage, writing, drawing, music, dance, all can be part of your New Years ritual. You might make a playlist based on your 2023 experiences and another one based on your hopes for 2024. You could draw a 2023 self-portrait. There is no right or wrong way to express yourself.
Can you incorporate your body/movement into your tradition? The mind-body connection is extremely important. This could be taking a walk or hike on the first morning of the year, running through the street as the clock strikes midnight, dancing through the transition from one year to the next, or anything else that feels right for you and your body. Eating New Year’s foods falls under this category as well, as would going to bed early on the 31st in order to feel rested and refreshed for the New Year. Choosing your own way to celebrate is a simple and powerful way to affirm your autonomy and self-determination, which is a great way to close or begin any year.
One final idea I offer as we enter into a new year together is that you can bring rituals into your life for any occasion or at any time time. A new year beginning can seem like a natural time for reset and ritual, but anytime you find yourself transitioning between roles, entering a new phase of your day, or wanting to shift your mindset or mood can be a time where rituals can be helpful.
Wishing you a wonderful end to 2023 and a new year that brings you what you need.
