As we welcome the new year and let go of the old, we thought this would be a wonderful time to remember how we can access our built-in magic to create our own joy for the coming new year. And how do we do that, you may ask? Well, the power of ‘ritual’ is something we can easily integrate into our lives to focus on what we want to create more of – and plant medicines, in the form of essential oils, can be powerfully used during ceremonies to enhance our determine intention. for this new year.
“Ritual” is defined in Collin’s dictionary as “a ceremony involving a series of actions performed in a fixed order… as part of tradition.” Often this tradition is sacred, meaning it is too important to interfere with. There is something very beautiful and intentional about using rituals to get ready for the new year – especially if the previous year was traumatic. I’m not a fan of making resolutions that we may not keep, as they often lead to perfectionism and shame, but I am a fan of helping people remember their own innate power and wisdom. Essential oils are perfect to help us with this! So this January we thought it would be an ideal time to release some plant drinks to help you cleanse in the new year and access your own inner magic to inspire new creativity, cultivate a little hope and some positivity to manifest for the future. next year (regardless of what’s happening in the world!).
We have a series of Ritual Drinks for you, and we will share the oils that can be used to best support the intention for each, as well as some practices you may like to immerse yourself in this new year to create your own magic to remember! You could do one ritual per day for five consecutive days – let’s get started!
New Year’s cleansing ritual
There is no point in starting over without cleansing and ridding ourselves of the energy of the previous year, so this is where we will begin our series of ceremonies. There are many cleansing essential oils, and we will use these in this passage to clear our headspace, ready to invite the new. The following essential oils can help:
- Cypress – Traditionally used as a purifying incense, this is a powerful cleansing ritual oil
- Juniper Berry – this oil removes negativity and invites the space for the new to emerge
- Lemon – the ‘spring cleaner’ of the mind, this purifying oil is a wonderful oil for ceremonies
- Lime – known for cleansing, purifying and reviving the spirit, this oil is great for New Year’s rituals
- Frankincense – Rejuvenating and meditative, this oil is perfect for intention setting rituals
Because this is your personal ceremony, you should be guided by your intuition in your oil selection, as this is the most powerful way to cultivate your own desires. Follow your nose, your body knows what it needs. However, we do have a suggestion for you below (our favorite blend), along with the rest of the three-step ritual.
- Cleansing Diffusion: Diffuse 3 drops of Cypress, 3 drops of Lime and 2 drops of Frankincense in an aromatherapy diffuser or candle burner and enjoy for 30 minutes while you perform part 2.
- Journalizing: As part of this ritual, we invite you to grab a journal and a pen and write down what you would like to ‘let go’ from 2020 onwards. This could be anything you would like to let go of.
- White Sage Cleansing*: White sage is an herb used in ceremonies to cleanse and release. So it is perfect to burn to get rid of the old. You can use it to burn the paper you wrote your notes on, or just use it around the room.
*Avoid use during pregnancy. Also ask your doctor for permission before using essential oils during pregnancy.
Access your inner magical ritual
The second phase of our New Year’s intention ceremonies is accessing your inner magic. We often assume that we are not powerful, which can make us feel hopeless, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. We are made of the same thing as stardust; the same atoms as nature, and therefore we are exactly the same as the magical essential oils we use! When we remember this, it helps us know that we can create our own joy no matter what, and this is a powerful part of the 2021 ritual!
Essential oils that help us access our inner magic include:
- Melissa – known as the ‘oil of inner light’, this is the oil for spiritual freedom, helping us reconnect with our true nature
- Clary Sage – the oil of ‘vision’ and expansion, this is perfect for helping us visualize our magic!
- Patchouli – an oil that inspires confidence, this is perfect for helping us remember our own strength
- Cedarwood – known as the ‘tree of life’, this oil helps us remember our courage and strength – beautiful as part of a magical ceremony
- Myrrh – a spiritual oil, this aids in meditation which is a great way to remember our deeper connection and who we really are
This is our inner magical ritual:
- Magical massage: Mix 3 drops of Melissa, 2 drops of Patchouli and 1 drop of Clary Sage in 15 ml of Sweet Almond Oil and massage into the skin towards the heart. This is the first step of this ritual, to help you connect to the power of your body.
- Inner magical meditation: Sit comfortably while the massage oil absorbs into your skin and take 10 minutes to meditate on your inner strength. Do you see how you have the same power as nature?
- Journalizing: write down everything that emerged during this meditation and reflect.
Access to the hope ritual
By harnessing our own strength, we can express hope for the new year. This next ritual is to invite new people into 2021, allowing you to dream and honor the desires of your heart…
Essential oils for instilling hope and dreaminess include:
- Bergamot – a calming oil that helps us connect to truth and see hope and positivity
- Rose – a powerful oil to inspire hope, its beautiful, soft scent invites us into a yin, dreamy state
- Ylang Ylang – the oil of desire, this oil helps release inhibitions, allowing us to dream
- Lemongrass – a meditative tool for clearer thinking, this oil creates space to dream
- Black Spruce – this oil is perfect for instilling hope as it helps counteract low self-confidence and low morale
This is our ritual to improve dreams:
- Hope and Dream Bath: the first step in allowing ourselves to dream is to slow down; we can’t be dreamy when we’re running 90 miles per hour. So, to honor the state of hope, let yourself take a nice bath, turn everything off and give yourself a beautiful bath with this dreamy blend. Mix 3 drops of Rose, 2 drops of Bergamot and 1 drop of Ylang Ylang in 15 ml Bath Oil or Bath & Shower Gel and add to your bath. Sit back and allow yourself to really dream about what you hope for in 2021.
- Journalizing: After your bath, write down all your dreams and desires for the coming year – not as things to hold on to, but simply to get more in tune with what you can create and what you want to do with the new year. .
- Speak out loud: Become more intimate with your dreams by speaking them out loud during a commitment ceremony.
Inspiring creativity ritual
As the fourth step in our New Year’s ritual, we want to invite inspired action through creativity. We are so used to taking action from logic, rather than from our wisdom, so this part of the ritual is important because it helps us connect to more inspired action, from the heart.
Here are some essential oils that can help:
- Jasmine – a soft and gentle oil, this floral scent helps us tune into a more relaxed, yin state that helps us connect to our creative inspiration
- Sweet Orange – a cheerful oil, this helps us get in touch with our inner creativity
- Rosemary – a stimulating oil, this helps us take inspired action
- Peppermint – another stimulant, this helps us get in touch with our creative action center
- Mandarin – a cheerful oil that is perfect to lift the spirits
This is our ritual for inspired creative action:
- Inspired Action Spread: Diffuse 3 drops of Sweet Orange, 2 drops of Jasmine and 2 drops of Rosemary for the perfect blend to create the balance of yin, heart-centered creativity with yang-inspired action.
- Intuitive dance: Put on some music and, starting from silence, let your body move as it wants. Let yourself be guided completely by the heart and calling of the wisdom of your body. Let your creativity flow through you.
- Journalizing: Notice what this ceremony felt like – where can you move from silence to creativity in your life through inspired action this 2021?
Manifesting positivity ritual
The final step is allowing ourselves to truly be the powerful creators that we are. Our innate power is to be creative. We can truly create anything we desire in 2021, and this ritual will help us connect with this truth.
Here are some essential oils that can help:
- Yuzu – a cheerful oil, this is happiness in a bottle – perfect for positivity!
- Grapefruit – an uplifting oil for a positive mood, this helps you remember your natural state
- Petitgrain – an oil that removes obstacles, this is a great oil to help you create whatever you want
- Cinnamon – invigorating and uplifting, this oil is the embodiment of the manifestation of our desires!
- Eucalyptus – a stimulant that provides clarity for the mind, this is another oil to put our dreams into action in 2021!
This is our ritual to express our natural positivity:
- Manifesting Positivity Spread: Diffuse 3 drops of Yuzu, 3 drops of Grapefruit and 1 drop of Petitgrain to promote joy and help you live in inspired action starting in January.
- Vision board: As you diffuse your powerful oils, allow yourself to create a physical representation of your dreams, such as a beautiful vision board, so you can look at it throughout the year.
- Journalizing: notice the thoughts that arise in this ritual – what beliefs arise to be seen and released – self-doubt for example? These are simply our ideas, which can flow through and mean nothing. You may like to repeat the first ceremony to release it.
The power of ceremony should not be underestimated when done from a place of choice, rather than ideas of ‘need’, because they illuminate so much for us. I want you to know that 2021 is here to create whatever life you desire, regardless of any difficulties. So enjoy your rituals and see what pops up for you as you remember your January magic!
Nicole Barton
Advisor Aromatherapist
Disclaimer and safety advice
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