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We have collectively been experiencing great changes in the world, in our lives in our communities. It’s a whole new world out there. And while we’ve been moving into it for a time now, it can feel very unfamiliar. It’s unfamiliar because there are more openings to grow and expand. That unfamiliarity is also uncomfortable. So much so that it has led to great polarization as there is what appears to be a desperation by some to hang on to the past. This is showing up in many ways and forms. The problem here is that the more we hold onto, the more it drags us down. And that creates a dissonance in conflict with all that is speeding up around us. We must release and move into the new even though we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen.
Release is about letting go. When integrated with gratitude and acceptance it can be manifested peacefully with ease and grace and leads to expansion and freedom. However; when coupled with fear, regret and other negative emotions and belief patterns, it can be painful and agonizing, and lead to depression, stagnation, and loss of vitality.
In the Chinese Zodiac, we have entered into the year of the snake. Snakes, as they grow and mature, shed their skin from time to time to allow space for new growth to take place. During the skin shedding process, any parasites that may have attached to the old skin are also removed. If for any reason the snake does not successfully shed its skin at the appropriate time, natural secretions will act as a glue and the old skin will become stuck to the snake’s body, leading to probable death, and never moving into the next phase of its development.
In the same way, as we grow and mature in our lives, we must experience periods of release. Our physical space and environment may be a good place to start. We tend to hold onto things that have emotional value to us. We are all energetically connected on some level to the things that we possess. Marie Kondo has based her method on the practice of Shintoism which revolves around the expression of the Divine in all things. She advises that “when we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.” Our material possessions can provide feedback as to what memories, emotions, relationships, dreams, sorrows, achievements, and habits we have remained attached to beyond their expiry date. Value is temporary and once something has fulfilled its value in our life, it must be released. By holding onto past experiences, those perceived as either good or difficult, and objects that have diminished value, we remain energetically connected to it.
As a result of all this, we are not able to give appropriate attention to what matters most in the present moment. We may feel drained, distracted, and unfocused. As we experience release and come to understand and be grateful for the lessons that we have learned along the way, both the celebrations and the heartaches, we can cut the energetic cord and be free allowing fresh energy to flow into our present lives.
We are currently experiencing a collective transition and an opportunity to evaluate what needs to be released on a broader universal scale. Rather than holding onto the idea of “things can go back as they were before,” we can honor the growth and experiences of the previous years and decades that we had and release our attachment to it. Space will open up individually and collectively as we recognize and concentrate our attention on what has value each week, and we will gain clarity to the new world that is emerging.
The law of circulation states that things in the universe are always flowing in circulation and at an ever-expanding rate. When we hold onto things for too long, we limit our potential to receive what’s to come and in the case of material goods, by keeping something that we don’t need in the current period of our lives, it prevents others from making use out of them. It blocks the flow of circulation. When pursuing a new career, relationship, lifestyle, hobby, or such, it is appropriate to release and detach from physical, emotional, and spiritual connections from your past situation. This release will create a clean slate and allow ample and abundant energy and creativity to the new exploration.
Be sure to have a look at the announcements section and share with friends who you think would be interested in this content. And you can always reference past newsletters on the website for inspiration.
May the month be filled with a year filled with welcome release and a feeling of lightness and freshness moving forward.
Cheers,
Sheila
sheila@sheilascoaching.com
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