3 Sacred Practices To Open The New Year

By Nick Polizzi
Ceremonial Fire Surrounded by Rocks

What an exciting time it is to bring in a new year. In the opening days of the new year, many of us are looking back to find the areas of our lives that can be improved upon in the coming months. In this annual phase of introspection, a common practice is to list out the things we are determined to do differently and create a pact with ourselves to follow through. I am a big fan of the new years resolution ritual, but I’d like to share a few alternative methods that we find to be just as powerful.

Below are three traditional practices that have been used for centuries to transcend the past and start things afresh in the new year. A mentor once told me, “Nick, you can only hold on to so many things at once – to make room for new experiences, we often need to let go of things that are no longer serving us.” That said, some of the rituals below are about “cleaning house”.

1.) The Fire Ceremony:

When done with the right frame of mind, this practice can work wonders. When I was first shown the fire ceremony a few years ago I experienced an immediate inner shift once it was complete.

Take a few sheets of paper, the thinner the better, and cut them into ten strips. Using a pen or marker write down the ten limiting beliefs, memories, habits, or fears that are holding you back. This exercise requires some soul searching, so give yourself some time. What are your emotional triggers?  Why haven’t you taken that next step in your personal evolution?  What is that bit of negative self-talk that comes up when you reach for the stars? Engage your shadow and write it down.

Once you have your emotional blocks captured in ink on paper, light a small fire. A fireplace is ideal, but a candle and a metal wastebasket will work just fine.

One by one, read the words on each piece of paper aloud, feeling the full intensity of what you wrote. You can see where this is going 🙂

After you read each note, hold it over the flame and say “It is time for us to part ways. Goodbye.” Exhale as each piece of paper ignites and disappears.

2.) Pick Ten and Pass Them On:

We all have possessions that we no longer need, but for some reason we attach a nostalgia to certain items that makes it difficult to let them go. We become collectors, or even worse, hoarders, of objects that are no longer of use to our personal growth. This not only clutters our life and creates stagnation, but is also a wasted opportunity to share the wealth with others who could make use of these items NOW.

Choose 10 items, big or small, in your home that you haven’t used in over 12 months (fire extinguishers excluded!), and choose a friend or family member to gift each of these belongings to.  Another option is to drop them off at Goodwill. Sounds easy, but this might feel like ripping off a bandaid!

I like this practice because it involves both karma and feng shui. There is often an unexpected emotional “a-ha” when we let go of material things and give to others.

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3.) Blessing the home:

Many cultures usher in the new year by doing a thorough cleaning of the home – this has both practical and symbolic significance. In Mexico, there is deep ritual attached to the actual mopping of the floor and the dumping of the water bucket into the street. The front and back doors of the home are then opened and closed as a symbol of welcoming in the new year and leaving the past behind.

After this ceremonial house cleanse, a great finishing touch is to perform a water blessing.  This is really easy and will remove stagnant energy from your home.

Important: make sure to set the right intention before you start.

Choose one of your favorite essential oils (lemon, rose, sage and cedar are mine!) and add a few drops to a cup of water. Pour into a clean spray bottle. Shake it up and move consciously through each room of your home, blessing each corner with thoughts of gratitude. Spray as you go!

Let us know how you make out with these tips!

The new year is going to be absolutely magical and we have so much to share with you in the coming months.  Stay tuned for more sacred healing articles, videos, interviews, and more!

Big hug,

Nick & The Sacred Science Team

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38 Responses

  1. My intuition has been prompting me since the New Year, it’s time to zen my space, this simply reaffirms what I need to do, thankyou

  2. My intuition has been prompting me since the New Year to zen my space, this post is reaffirming what I need to do. Thankyou

  3. Nick,
    I love this! We are all in. A sisiter-n-law gave us a container of holy water from Fatima for Christmas and we will use that for the ‘Blessing” part of this ritual. I know these things….but seeing them, and only 3 things, in your email, motivates me so much. This, I can do. And really need to do :). Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this. Marytype your comment here…

  4. Thank you Nick and the Sacred Science Team!
    That was very helpful and insightful.
    I was looking for more ways to clear my past.
    Best wishes for the New Year! 😉

  5. Happy New Year to you and your team. I admire very much the work you have chosen and it seems to be the right way. Keep going in this direction and hope that many miracles will come your way. I was trying to buy one of your cook books but for some reason with the computer, I have great difficulty and it did not work our. May be we will succeed sometime in the future. Keep going, it seems you have chosen the right direction.

  6. I love these ceremonies!
    I had a dear friend, who did wonderful backyard ceremonies. These reminded me of her. People love ceremonies, thank you for these 3!

  7. thank you for sharing these things with people. This warms me up and I feel I got friends in you . Good timing ,good ideas and I love the way you pass them .Warm greetings from Poland.

  8. Thanks for the tips. You might add to the list smudging with blue sage as it releases negative and invites in positive.

  9. Thanks so much for these ceremonies. They are essential for rehabilitating humanity and bringing us all back into a state of ayni. I also do another type of Andean fire ceremony. If you feel it would be helpful to readers, please feel free to pass it along:

    Andean fire ceremony for the energy centres of the body: belly, heart and head (third eye). The fire may be as big as a bonfire or as small as a tealight. Fire is an element that cannot be quantified – only its effect can be quantified (units of light and heat energy).

    Belly

    1) With both hands on the belly, one on top of the other, unwind this energy centre with four or five circlings and push the hucha (heavy energy) to the flames. In your mind’s eye, see the hucha being combusted. Do this series of actions three times in a row.

    2) With both hands, draw in fresh light energy from the fire toward your belly. In your mind’s eye, see the fire burn and sever unhealthy emotional cords, leaving you free of emotional attachments that are either unhealthy or actually dangerous. Do this action three times in a row.

    3) With both hands, draw fresh light energy from the fire into your belly and rewind this energy centre, so that it may function normally. Rewind with four or five circlings. Do this series of actions three times in a row.

    Heart

    1) With both hands on your chest/heart, one on top of the other, unwind this energy centre with four or five circlings and push the hucha (heavy energy) to the flames. In your mind’s eye, see the hucha being combusted. Do this series of actions three times in a row.

    2) With both hands, draw in fresh light energy from the fire toward your heart. In your mind’s eye, see the fire combust the barriers that keep your heart closed. Watch your heart centre open a little more each time you do this. Do this action three times in a row.

    3) With both hands, draw fresh light energy from the fire into your heart and rewind this energy centre, so that it may function normally. Rewind with four or five circlings. Do this series of actions three times in a row.

    Head (third eye)

    1) With both hands on your forehead, one on top of the other, unwind this energy centre with four or five circlings and push the hucha (heavy energy) to the flames. In your mind’s eye, see the hucha being combusted. Do this series of actions three times in a row.

    2) With both hands, draw in fresh light energy from the fire toward your head. In your mind’s eye, see the fire burn the veils that obscure your vision. Do this action three times in a row.

    3) With both hands, draw fresh light energy from the fire into your forehead and rewind this energy centre, so that it may function normally. Rewind with four or five circlings. Do this series of actions three times in a row.

    Munay and sami to all,
    Gayl

  10. We smudge the rooms with a desert sage wand, waving & blowing it into each corner of every room. Also open windows to let in fresh air to freshen each room, yes even in winter! And let in the sunlight to brighten and Lighten every room! This will feel so good.

  11. Thank you nick. I’m going to try the ceremony. I been told that there is something in my house that is of negative force. But don’t know how to get rid of it. If you can help let me know please. Thanks belinda

  12. Happy New Year to you and the team. I’m so grateful to you for your good work and wish a bounty of blessings to you.
    I’ve been giving away beloved possessions lately and it feels great and has opened the energy in my life. Thank you for the great reminders to let go!

  13. What wonderful ways to start a new year ! Will surely make one lighter , more compassionate ,more enriched and bring us to appreciate Nature even more. Thanks Nick for sharing this great knowledge with us.

  14. thESE ARE ALL SOME SIMLIAR TEACHNGS OF THE cHEROKEE SHAMAN , OF MY DAUGHTER ,
    OTHERS ARE WONDERFULGIFTS . iN GRACE & GRATITUDE, NAMASTE .sACRD sCIENCE TEAM> BLESSINGS FROM oRCAS ISLAND

  15. I have used the fire ceremony before. I have also written those things that bother me in the sand and let the ocean take them away and written them on my patio and then hosed them away.

    It real.y works and does make you feel better.

  16. The awakening is happening all over the planet. These ceremonies will be most beneficial to people. Thanks for sharing!

  17. Thank you for reminding me of these wonderful ancient practices! I will invite my family to do the 3 of them this weekend.

  18. Thank you Nick, more information straight to the heart.
    I have practiced a fire ceremony for many years. I like the version you describe here.
    The other two ceremonies are a fabulous addition to my spiritual tool box.
    Wishing the Sacred Science Team a radiant and growthful coming year.
    My heart felt Thanks to you all.

  19. Beautiful rituals, have done the fire ceremony with the Apache Indians… very empowering…. and I am in love with essential oils…. after blessing my home every part of the rooms felt like they had expanded and the freshness feels amazing… new breath

  20. The timing of your gift is perfect. This morning I woke feeling exhausted by an inner voice of negative notes. I felt defeated and very alone. However as I read your email my Heart recognised the three ceremonies as good medicine and then smiled right up to my eyes as I realised that inspite of how I felt, I was actually on track as I’d begun the ceremonies last week. It may be due to dyslexic nature but in recent days I have sorted cupboards and pantry: donated to the op-shop: cleaned and sprayed my little abode with cloves, lavender and rosemary: including throwing a bucked of scented water over the front step! I felt ceremony one would be a challenge however I now recognise that self defeating voice is providing me with the exact right beliefs I need to record and release. Thank you and Blessings to everyone on Sacred Science Team for gifting the world with the perfect gift for 2014 and beyond. walk gently Christine

  21. Thank you for sharing these traditions with us. Makes me feel holy. Makes my space feel consecrated to light and love; all that is real…

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