A Birthday (Or New Year!) Ritual that Will Ignite Your Intentions!
Today is my birthday so I’ve made this little gift for you! It’s a ritual to do during your “solar return,” the time of year when the sun returns to the exact degree it was when you were born. This ritual is also totally perfect for the new year, or any other time when you’re having a new beginning.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been very superstitious about my birthday. Where I was, who I was with – they all seemed to indicate something about the coming year. If I had a great birthday, surrounded with friends and fun, the year ahead would be awesome. If I didn’t have a good time on my birthday, I thought that meant something dreadful would happen. This was before I began to study the power of intention, and before I knew anything about the manifesting power of the solar return!
The solar return is a window of a few hours when the sun is in the exact degree it was when you were born. It might not be on your birthday – mine is Saturday this year but my birthday is Sunday, so it’s a good thing to check out when yours is. You can calculate that here. Once it’s calculated, you just need to click on the chart and look at the time in the upper left hand corner. You don’t need to buy the forecast, unless you want to! Once you know the time, try to get your ritual done within the five hours surrounding the return. This is the most energetically charged time for the ritual. If you’re familiar with doing rituals around the new moon, full moon, equinoxes, or solstices, you know how powerful doing ritual alongside natural rhythms is.
The next thing we need are materials to create a vision board. A vision board is a collage of pictures of things you want to manifest in your life. Using vision boards can help you tap into your subconscious mind - which often speaks in the language of images and feelings rather than words. When your subconscious mind is helping you, things become a lot easier to manifest. You can make them on paper or poster board using magazine images, or you can do what I do, and just pull images off google and make it on your computer. Search for images with things you want - friendship, relationship, family, success, prosperity, health, travel, something you want to learn about, etc - and then put them together in a collage.
And last you need a rock. We’re going to use the earth energy of the rock to help ground our dreams into reality. Just go outside and find any rock that calls to you!
Now you're ready for the ritual:
1. First you want to get grounded. Take a few deep breaths and clear your mind. You can open with this prayer:
Another year has turned. Another cycle: seeds planted, grown into fruit, and harvested. I sit here in gratitude for what has come to pass, and open to the energy of a new year and new life. May the work I do today inspire joy, spread love, and help me to realize my dreams. And so it is.
2. Invite in the energy of your higher self or guides or inner wisdom in whatever form this means to you. You may want to light a candle representing this energy. Here is a prayer you can say:
I now open to any spiritual guidance that is beyond me. I ask my higher self to please bless me with your wisdom, and my spiritual guidance team to bring me your support. I thank you and I bless you. And so it is.
3. Next, look back on the year behind you. Feel grateful for everything you’ve accomplished. You may want to say these things out loud or write them down. The important thing is to connect to the energy of gratitude.
4. Next make the vision board. Cut out images and paste them together on poster board, or like I said I do, make one on the computer. If you make one on the computer, be sure to print it out. You want a physical version of it.
5. After you’ve finished, get your rock. Hold the rock close to your heart, and put your other hand on the vision board.
6. Now connect with your dreams. Move your hand from picture to picture on the vision board, and connect with the energy each thing represents. As you do this, you can say, “I am so happy that I’ve…” or “It was so fulfilling too…” and fill in the blank with what you want. Use the past tense, as if you have already accomplished these things! Consider them already done.
7. Thank the rock and then thank your guides and higher self. Close with this prayer.
Another year has come. I greet this year with joy and gratitude. I open to all blessings I might be given, and all lessons I need to learn. Thank you for this life; thank you for the love which lights my way. And so it is.
8. Put your vision board and your rock somewhere you will see it! Make sure you are connecting with that energy. Know you are supported, and know that where attention goes, energy flows. Keep concentrating on your dreams and they will manifest!
After I did this, I felt all of this energy shoot from me into the vision board! It was awesome. I hope this ritual helps you make your dreams come true. <3
PS: If you want to take more charge over your own life, I will be offering life coaching packages beginning in February. Sometimes what we need is support and a new perspective to make our dreams come true! Make sure you sign up for our email list for more info!
