By Liz Egan
For as long as I can remember, New Year’s Eve always made me a little bit queasy. I couldn’t help but wonder what the New Year would have in store for me….Will it be a year of struggle or a year of content? A year of lack or a year of abundance? As if there was already a cosmic prescription written in the stars.
This year, in the spirit of renewal, I am going to try something completely new! Recently I went to see an Integrative Life Coach for the first time. It was a wonderful experience, and before leaving, she suggested I read a book called The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn. For anyone who would like to take their life into their own hands and start manifesting their desires, this is the book for you! I have read countless books and listened to countless audio programs on manifestation. I can’t count how many journals and vision boards I have made over the years, and truly I have long wondered why it is that I can manifest some things almost instantaneously, while other things seem to appear pixel by pixel in an almost painfully slow manner.
What I have learned specifically from this book is that:
In order to claim the things we want in life, we must take responsibility for our thoughts and words, while trusting the Divine
This includes dissolving the illusions that we live by, most notably our fears. It is only through the dissipation of our fears that we can fully embrace our Divine potential, and embody cosmic harmony and order.
Ironically, we can manifest things that we most definitely do not want to happen through our fears. Worrying about something with great intensity is laden with the same energy as our greatest wish. The Universe only responds to our energy. We forget how powerful we are. We must learn to ride the wave of the cosmos, and come to trust that Divine order is more reliable than anything we can hope to control.
The planets, moons, and stars all effortlessly dance to a Divine symphony, orchestrated by an intelligence beyond what our minds can comprehend.
It is only the soul that remembers this majestic cosmic concert, and is brave enough to ride the celestial waves for all eternity.
Understanding Cycles
The ancient inhabitants of our world were more connected to the cycles of the earth, sun, and moon, and therefore understood their influences on human life cycles. They seemed to be more adept at living in alignment with the patterns of nature and natural law. They understood the influences the phases of the moon had on life, the position of the sun had on the seasons, and the sacred place humans played within the symphonic structure of creation. I marvel at their ancient wisdom, and feel it is a language that few speak fluently. Yet, it whispers to me ever beckoning a deeper understanding of what life is all about on this planet and beyond.
As we experience each season, I often tend to look for guidance from the Natural world. Recently our hemisphere has experienced the beauty and mystery of the Winter Solstice officially marking the first day of winter. In one way, this could feel like the beginning of a long season ahead, especially here in New England! It may do us well to remember, however, that as the earth makes its annual trip around the sun, it has already passed the pinnacle of darkness—we travel on now toward the sun’s great return.
Perhaps this solar marking holds great metaphorical significance. As many plants slumber through the coldest stretch of the year here in North America, might our brother trees hint toward the need for a time of quiet awaiting, where the invisible stirrings of life shall bring forth blossoms anew? Might we consider allowing ourselves to take the months ahead to celebrate as our ancestors did, the return of the sun, the life source of us all—yet take the time to go within and harness our inner power so that we may break through outdated belief patterns and have the energy to sustain tremendous inner spiritual growth and renewal?
The greatest paradox in learning to manifest the life we long to see is in the balancing of these two powers. On a personal level, one must be confident enough in who they are and what they want their life to represent. We must be direct with the Universe, and be conscious of our words and thoughts, for the Universe is ever listening. Equally, we must be willing to give way to Divine Intelligence and timing. To be most successful, we must naturally and consciously free ourselves of limiting belief patterns, while we harmonize our energy and biological patterns with the Cosmic or Natural order.
This year, as the world watches the ball drop and we celebrate our transition from the past into the future, I will be practicing a new ritual. I will choose to await all that is dormant and all that is yearning to be birthed with eagerness and courage. I will wait in anticipation as the greatest year of my life comes to dawn, for all is well and I choose to allow the symphony of the cosmos to sing through me.
May we take from the dormancy of the winter months the power to give way to a magical transformation from within.
As the Earth’s forests prepare to come alive again in the spring, so too may we bare forth the bounty of our fullest potential with a renewed and eager spirit.
Elizabeth Egan is a 6th grade science teacher, Reiki Master, and spiritual singer-song writer with a passion for learning and teaching about the infinite nature and wisdom of the soul. She has spent her life singing in spiritual settings, and last spring released her first album, INSPIRED, in which most of the songs were self-composed. You are welcome to visit Elizabeth’s blog for inspiration, thoughts, prayers and meditations any time at www.spiritlightandlife.wordpress.com.