Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Transition through fire: letting go and moving on

Letting go of 2010
Fire is a tool for beginning and endings. For pauses, reflections. For a transitional point in your story, like rain in a movie signifies a new stage or epiphany for the main character.

I think, then, it's fitting, that last night we stood outside, around a fire, while a few large raindrops fell on and around us. The fire of letting go of 2010 (much like the fire of 2009) was finally held, 9 days after the new year began.

I wrote eight words on pieces of paper to be burned in that fire. Things to let go of from the past year. Emotions, actions, deeds: time to let them go. Included in that was my ponytail. And no, it did not smell.

AdRi set up the fire, we burned some applewood, it smelled lovely, actually. Despite the few raindrops, portions of the sky were clear and open, and the moon swung low with the north star at its side. Cold and crisp, dark—very dark—it was the perfect way to let go of 2010, and finally, say hello to the new year, 2011. Great plans for 2011, this, the new year of the decade. And it feels good to let go of 2010.

6 comments:

Laguna Dirt said...

how pagan of you! great tradition. any reason to play with fire! i'm sure 2011 will be good to you and yours!

Anonymous said...

I bet the warmth, both literally and figuratively, felt good on such a crisp night. Welcome 2011!

A Lewis said...

There's nothing like fire...especially in the dark, in the cold of winter! Good for you. I think that our lives are made up of a million acts like the one you did.....all leading us to better places.

Desert Diva said...

I actually did this on New Year's Eve. It's hard to let go and let the "cleansing" take place. Best wishes to you in the coming year and may all your dreams come true. Sorry I didn't reply sooner to your posts to my blog, but I've been "crazy busy" with a new 2nd grade class! I decided happiness was a much better goal than "false fame" and more money.

scottweberpdx said...

Yay for the new year...last year was a doozy for so many of us :-( I bet that fire smelled good, I love the scent of a wood fire.

e said...

A great ceremony, and a perfect night for it...