Recently I was reminiscing. You’ve probably been doing the very same thing yourself. It’s that time of year.
I was reminded of a delightful ritual my sister, Linda Carlson, and I performed every New Year’s Eve—one I think you might like to take on yourself.
Years ago, I heard about a ritual I couldn’t wait to share with Linda. Typically, I was the “let’s give it a try” person in my family, while Linda was mother earth, the safe space in the world with a bit more skepticism over seemingly fanciful ideas.
But because of her great heart, she agreed to give this ceremony a trial run. On New Year’s Eve, Linda and I sat down in front of the fireplace with our pens, paper and two envelopes one filled with salt and the other with sugar.
We started by writing down all that we wanted to give up from the previous year noting each thought on a small slip of paper that we folded and placed in the salt envelope. Then it was time to record all that we wanted to create for ourselves in the next year on separate slips of paper that we folded and placed in the sugar envelope.
I must confess Linda played along because she loved me dearly; however, she didn’t have much faith in this ritual. She finished her salt and sugar exercise many, many, many minutes before I’d written down everything that came to my mind. Both envelopes were ceremonially placed in Linda’s junk drawer.
On the next New Year’s Eve, we opened first the salt envelope reading out loud what we’d each written down. We were both stunned by how many items from the salt envelope were no longer present in our lives. Then Linda and I excitedly opened the sugar envelope. Wow!! You can’t believe how much abundance we’d drawn into our lives…. No kidding.
I chuckle even now as I remember repeating the ritual for the coming year with Linda now a believer writing and writing and writing every wish she could think of long past me. It was a delightful tradition we looked forward to sharing whether in person or separated by distance for many years until Linda’s passing.
Join me this year as I again reestablish this ritual. Kick start your New Year by enlisting trusted family and friends to experience this amazing salt and sugar ceremony with you. May 2015 become the most successful, fun filled, abundant year ever!
