Embracing Indigenous Wisdom

Decolonizing how we move into the new year

A monthly community newsletter: The Altar Within—notes on life, magic, and liberation. (Exclusive offering for paid subscribers: learn more here)

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In many modern societies, the arrival of January often heralds a flurry of activity as people eagerly dive into goal-setting and planning for the year ahead. However, it is essential to recognize that alternative approaches to navigating the beginning of a new year exisit. Decolonizing how we move into the new year involves reevaluating and reshaping our approach to the new year in a way that challenges and deconstructs colonial mindsets, practices, and traditions. It's about acknowledging and addressing the impact of colonialism on our ways of thinking and living, and intentionally seeking to create a more mindful and nourishing approach to the new year. 

For indigenous peoples around the world, the honoring of seasons and the recognition of natural cycles play a central role in informing how they move through the year. In contrast to the rush to set resolutions and embark on ambitious plans, many indigenous traditions emphasize the significance of rest, introspection, and reflection during the month of January. Rather than immediately launching into action, this time is viewed as an opportunity to tune into the self and gain perspective on the nourishment needed for personal growth and well-being. 

Letting go of old constructs can be a challenging but ultimately a liberating process. Whether these constructs are mental, emotional, social, or professional, releasing them can create space for personal growth and shift your life into a path of intentional living. Reflecting on the ways that we can better nourish our spirits, heal our hearts, strengthen our altars (body) will allow the prayers we breathe to guide us.

This mindful approach encourages us to gain perspective on what truly nourishes us - physically, emotionally, and spiritually - fostering personal growth and overall well-being. It serves as a poignant reminder that sometimes, stepping back and allowing ourselves the space to rest and reflect can lead to more meaningful progress than rushing forward without pause.

Instead of rushing into action, I encourage you to engage in mindful self-assessment, gaining clarity on your values, aspirations, and areas for personal growth.

1. Reflect on colonial legacies: Take time to reflect on how colonialism has shaped our understanding of time, traditions, and celebrations. Consider the ways in which colonialism has influenced our concepts of progress, success, and personal growth. 

2. Redefine success and progress: Challenge the colonial notions of success and progress that are often centered around individual achievement, accumulation of wealth, and material possessions. Consider embracing alternative measures of success that prioritize your evolution and expansion, inner peace, liberation, healing, and let’s not forget community care, social justice, and connecting to our roots, culture, and Ancestors. 

By embracing this approach, you can create a foundation for a more connected, intentional, and nourishing year ahead. This perspective encourages a holistic view of well-being and growth, emphasizing the importance of honoring oneself, one's community, and the natural world.

Embrace the beginning of the year as a time for rest and restoration. Recognize the importance of allowing yourself to recharge and replenish your energy after the previous year's endeavors. This can involve setting aside time for quiet reflection, self-care, and activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Tune into your own needs for nourishment and growth. Consider how you can cultivate a deeper connection with yourself, your community, and the natural world. Embrace practices that foster self-awareness, mindfulness, and a sense of interconnectedness. 

Observe and honor the natural cycles and rhythms of the environment around you. Take inspiration from the changing seasons and the wisdom of the natural world, recognizing the interconnectedness of all living beings and the importance of living in harmony with nature.

Mid-article practice - Journal prompts to help you reflect: 

1. Gratitude and Growth: Reflect on the past year and identify three experiences or moments for which you are deeply grateful. How have these experiences contributed to your personal growth and well-being? In what ways have they shaped your perspective or enriched your life? Consider how expressing gratitude for these experiences can help you cultivate a positive mindset moving forward. 

2. Lessons Learned: Think about a challenge or difficulty you encountered in the past year. What lessons did this experience teach you? How have you grown or evolved as a result of overcoming this challenge? Consider how you can apply the wisdom gained from this experience to navigate future obstacles with resilience and insight. 

3. Embracing Change: Reflect on a significant change or transition you experienced in the past year. How did this change impact you, and what emotions did it evoke? What have you learned about yourself through this process of adaptation? Explore how embracing change, even when it feels daunting, can lead to personal transformation and new opportunities for growth.

 4. Self-Care and Well-Being: Consider your self-care practices and emotional well-being throughout the past year. What habits or rituals have contributed to your overall sense of balance? In what areas do you feel you could prioritize self-care more effectively? Reflect on how you can nurture your well-being and cultivate greater mindfulness in the year ahead. 

5. Setting Self Intentions: In January we don’t want to set intentions of plans ahead but intentions for the self. What was your body, mind, heart, and spirit calling you to do last year that you may have ignored? What is it that you need to support in your inner altar? And what are the changes that need to be made for the betterment of your mental, emotional, and physical health? 

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Incantation - An incantation to help you become present. This incantation can be recited in a quiet space, allowing the words to resonate deeply within the yourself and serve as a reminder to be fully present in the here and now.

By Earth below and sky above,

I call upon the present moment's love.

In this space, I now reside,

mindful, calm, and open wide.

With each breath, I find my way,

awakened, I choose to stay.

Past and future, gently release,

here and now, I find my peace.

In this moment, I am here,

fully present, without fear.

I embrace the now with open heart,

mindfulness and peace, I now impart.

As I speak this sacred verse,

presence deepens, I immerse.

In the now, I find my power,

grounded, centered, every hour.

So mote it be, and so it is,

present moment, my soul's bliss.

With gratitude, I now decree,

I am present, blessed and free.

Candle ritual for presence that you can do while reciting the incantation.

Creating a candle ritual for presence can be a deeply personal and meaningful practice. Here's a simple candle ritual that you can use to cultivate mindfulness and enhance your sense of presence:

Materials Needed:

- A white or natural beeswax candle (or any color that you associate with serenity and mindfulness)

- Anointing oil (lavender, rosemary, or frankincense essential oil can be used)

- A small piece of paper and a pen

- A fire-safe dish or holder for the candle

Preparation:

- Find a quiet space where you can perform the candle ritual without interruptions.

- Take a few moments to center yourself through deep, intentional breathing. Close your eyes and focus on the sensation of your breath entering and leaving your body.

- Lightly anoint the candle with the chosen essential oil, starting from the center and moving towards the top, then from the center to the bottom. As you do this, focus on the intention of cultivating presence and mindfulness in your life.

- On the small piece of paper, write down a brief intention related to presence and mindfulness. For example, you might write, "I am fully present in each moment," or "I embrace mindfulness and awareness in all that I do."

- Place the anointed candle in its holder or on a fire-safe dish. Hold the piece of paper with your intention and focus on the words you've written. Visualize yourself embodying a sense of deep presence and mindfulness.

- As you light the candle, speak the incantation out loud or silently in your mind, infusing the flame with the energy of your intention.

- Sit quietly in front of the lit candle and allow yourself to enter a meditative state. Focus on the gentle flicker of the flame and let your mind settle into the present moment. Be fully present with the candle's light and the warmth it radiates.

- After a few minutes of reflection, gently release your intention into the universe. You can do this by visualizing the energy of your intention flowing from your heart and merging with the candle's flame, symbolizing the manifestation of your intention.

- Express gratitude for the opportunity to perform this candle ritual and for the presence and mindfulness you seek to cultivate. Blow out the candle, if safe to do so, or let it burn until it extinguishes naturally.

This candle ritual can serve as a powerful practice for enhancing presence and mindfulness in your daily life.

With revolutionary love and solidarity, Juliet

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