Ananda's Holiday Spirit

December is a month of celebration and joy! It’s a time to be thankful for all that we have in our lives and look forward to new endeavors in the coming year. Every family and culture celebrates differently, but one thing we all have in common is that we get to spend precious time with our loved ones.

In my family and as a Columbian, one of the more popular traditions we have is the Novena. I won’t get into the religious details, but Novena is a form of worship consisting of special prayers on nine successive days before Christmas Eve. These prayers are usually done in one’s own home and you can invite family and friends over and pray together. We celebrate Christmas Eve and not Christmas Day. Gifts are brought to the children by Baby Jesus and not Santa Claus. He delivers the gifts under a Christmas tree or beside our children’s beds on Christmas Eve; when the kids wake up on Christmas Morning they find their gifts!!

New Year’s Eve celebrations in many smaller Latin American communities often include the burning of an effigy named Año Viejo after midnight. Año Viejo is a marionette made of cardboard, paper, old clothes and fireworks! This effigy represents what you want to leave behind in the old year and brings you luck for tomorrow; it is set ablaze symbolizing new beginnings! My family’s New Year’s Eve tradition is close to my heart; before midnight we all wish each other  “Happy New Year” and as the clock strikes twelve we eat 12 grapes – one for each month of the coming year – it brings us good luck! 

When I’m at home on New Year’s Eve (December 31st) I like to welcome the New Year by:

• Clearing my home’s energy with sage
• Cleaning and organizing my home. (Our homes are usually a representation of who we are; for example, if you have too much clutter at home maybe you are not seeing clearly.)
• Clearing my own energy by taking a shower. (Afterwards I pour some sea salt on my hand and mix it with water. With the other hand I anoint my skin where my chakras are, starting from the top to the bottom. *If you try this, please do it very softly, as the salt could be very rough for your skin.)
• Before midnight I write on a piece of paper all that I want to leave behind and on another piece of paper what I want to bring into my life next year. After midnight I burn both pieces of paper.

Since the onset of Covid-19 and it’s unpredictability, this year has been particularly challenging, many of us are looking forward to it’s end. Rest assured that the energy of the planetary alignment is improving – so we should all start feeling some relief soon. According to astrologers the 2 weeks before December 21st are a great time to reflect on transformations and lessons learned in the past year. What have you changed? What changes do you feel good about? In order to close a chapter we must review and evaluate it. On Dec. 21st Jupiter and Saturn will be in conjunction; I see this as an opportunity to let go of old patterns and structures. It is a great time to welcome new beginnings and enjoy life from the eyes of a child. Children can jump into things with the faith and confidence that everything will be wondrous. Jumping into the unknown can be scary, but it is only by trying that we find the path that is right for us. 

I want to thank ALL of you for your support during this last year! Without you, Ananda and I couldn’t continue our mission to be supporting you in your personal journey.

I wish you all Happy Holidays and a Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! Many blessings for the coming year 2021!!!

Love & Light Adriana