The year is coming to an end. Darkness expands as the door closes. Cold is the flavor of the day in many of the places we call home. We go inside; practically and metaphorically, like hibernating animals preparing for spring inspired growth. Reflection. Introspection. The drum beats a countdown. Turn on the lights. Celebrate a Festival of Lights. Hang the lights - on our homes, in our trees, along our streets and in our town squares. A universal longing for a glow that might show us where to go and what to do next, appears in the cold silent night. Fireplaces are lit. The fire of destruction, creation, hope and progress is ever present. We arrive forever changed by the glow of our light past, and the anticipatory shining of our light forward.
On December 30, 2020, my Leadership Program friends gathered, from all over the world, (on Zoom of course) to look into the darkness and bring forth the light in our lives. We called it our PD (Prairie Dogs) New Year’s Burning Ceremony. We brought open hearts, matches and lists of things we wanted to burn in the light of fire that would simultaneously destroy what wasn’t serving us and create a force for living the consciously created life we long for. Together we built a fire to illuminate us forward; fueled by catharsis we unleashed inspired energy. With intention we shined our light toward the year about to unfold.
Today is December 30, 2021, at 10:30am PST we met again to light the fire of reflection and intentional conscious creation - tradition officially born!
When I built my website, over 5 years ago, I created a page called visionART. It was fresh and new and like this year that is upon us, it was just a spark of an idea that had little form. The page was born of a fire, lit by “The Artist’s Way,” which burned away the notion that I couldn’t create art and gave me space for exploring and claiming that I could. This page and the creations displayed there (and on my later created Etsy page) evolved over the past several years. And until now, I had a place holder, an expectant space held for visionaire light. It sat to the right of visionaire photo and visionaire mala, patiently displaying “coming soon”.
visionaire light began as a vague notion, an unformed idea resting upon a simple love of candles and desire to learn something new and create something I would want to have in my home. Candles are decorative, calming, inspiring. There is something about the gentle flicker, the subtle aromas, the warmth, the beauty of the light that simply makes me happy. Candles are simultaneously peaceful and calming with a powerful destructive and life-giving energy. But they are everywhere and the questions I held were, about how my candles would reflect who I am and what is important to me and what would be different or unique about them. I didn’t want to just create another candle, I wanted to create an experience, something that inspired and infused possibility. What evolved, after waiting a year longer than I had hoped (while the supply chain struggled to cooperate) is a fully formed and executed line of candles that integrates my painting, photography, writing and poetry, aromatherapy and crystal energy, and coach based inquiry all wrapped in a design and packaging of my own creation.
As I began this post it was a cold, dark and very rainy Los Angeles night. I was preparing for our New Year’s Burning Ceremony so I read my "letter to myself" which I wrote during last year’s burning ceremony. I became witness to failures, disappointments, dreams not manifest and others abandoned - falling short. And then, I realized I was sitting in the glow of a visionaire light “Breathe & Be” candle. I stopped and took in that light, proud of both the concept and execution. I could honor myself for its complexity and creativity, from the packaging design and poetry writing to the testing, experimenting, and math (!); from the selection of vessels, wax, type fonts, and fragrances to the research and materials sourcing and safety and sustainability considerations. And from this place of literal and figurative light, I could bathe in and allow feelings of fulfillment, joy, and celebration.
I have truly loved and infused love in every moment of this process and am grateful to be able share it generously with those I love and who have shared this awesome and challenging year with me. I don’t know exactly where the light will shine next. Right now, I’ll just look deeply into the light of this moment and let is spread across the year that is exiting and honor all that was good and right. I invite you all in to join me in finding the bright spots of your year, to burn away all that doesn't serve you, and bask in the light of all that has been good, all that you have been and done before you use it to examine the darkness or cast its glow onto what’s next.
What is it that you are proud of as you look back on the year? Embrace it, celebrate it, share it, shine your light on it!
Happy New Year!
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