Druid in the City: Change in the New Year

We are days away from the new year, and I’m facing it with trepidation and excitement. For so long, the New Year has just meant a time for me to take a look back and come up with grand ideas to improve my life. Grand ideas that rarely get manifested.

At various times, I have looked back at my life and know that it’s pretty much sure to continue as it was. Not that I haven’t done internal work and gotten more confident, but those changes have evolved over time and not due to any focused intent.

Now, for the first time in over three decades, I’m going into a New Year knowing that a big, scary, change is coming. This is a big change – a new role in my job, a new country to live in, and a whole new life to figure out again. I know it’s coming and there’s no stopping it.

It’s terrifying.

There’s more shadow work to do. This forced change is really emphasizing just how much Work I still have to do on myself.

There is so much in this change that is out of my control. They could reject me at the border, I could end up spending more than my allowance for the move, or I could absolutely hate the new city, or … or …. or the world could just end! Yes, I realize that that’s a stretch, but those of you who deal with anxiety will understand. There’s no logic in this.

So in addition to cleaning out my closets and crafting room, I also need to do a bit of internal cleaning and digging. This year, I face the New Year knowing that I need to manifest change. There’s no option now. This year I will reach out to my spiritual and in-person allies. I need to learn how to lean on my partner and friends more, how to lean on my spiritual allies more, how to let go more.

Change is hard, and the hardest part is all the things that we can’t control. For the person who is used to being in control, used to being the one that knows the right thing to do, it’s more than a bit of a challenge.

Heck, change is hard for most of us. These are the times when we need to reach outside of ourselves and find the support that we need.

To Contact Your Allies

To help me to reach out to my spirit allies, I have developed the following ritual. I hope that it may be useful to you. If you are trying to reach out to a specific ally, you can substitute their name in the prayer.

Your allies could be your ancestors, beloved dead, nature spirits, creatures of the Otherworld, heroes, or deities as makes sense for you.

You’ll need:

• A candle and something to light it (an electric candle or app works fine if you can’t light a real candle)
• A drum, bell, bell-noise-making app, rattle or other noise maker
• Something to sit on – a chair, a cushion, or just a comfortable spot on the floor.

 What to do:

• Set the candle somewhere that you’ll be able to comfortably see it when you are sitting.
• Take 3 deep breaths and feel yourself in your body, here and now.
• Ring the bell, beat the drum, or make noise. Feel the vibrations wash over you, shaking off all the detritus of the day. If you’re ringing a bell, ring it 3 or 9 times, if beating a drum, play for as long as you feel necessary.
• Now that you’re centered and purified, bring your spirit allies to your mind. Focus on how much they have supported you in the past and how they will support you in the future.
• With those thoughts in mind, light the candle and take a seat. Focus on the candle and on thoughts of your allies and say the following prayer:

I call to my allies of spirit and mind,
I call to my allies of heart and soul.
I call to my allies who support me
In this world and beyond.

I call to my allies who bring me stability,
I call to my allies who bring me sanity,
I call to my allies to stand with me
Through this upcoming change.

I call to my allies to help me focus
I call to my allies to help me understand
I call to my allies to help me accept
There are things out of my control.

In this world and beyond
Through the upcoming change
There are things out of my control
I will accept them.

So Be It.

• See your allies standing around you, supporting you. Spend a few moments connecting with Them and listen to Their advice. When you are ready, put out the candle and take a moment to ground.