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Fun and sensible rites to ring in the New Year | Philstar.com
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Health And Family

Fun and sensible rites to ring in the New Year

LIVING ALIVE - LIVING ALIVE By Dero Pedero -
No other time of the year is filled with traditions, rituals, superstitions, and ceremonies believed to bring good luck and happiness than the start of the New Year.

We have been told to wear something with polka dots (the dots signify coins!) and eat eight (the number 8 is the infinity sign upright) grapes (or anything round, all of which signify money!) at the stroke of midnight of New Year’s Eve. Children are advised to jump many times so they’ll grow big and tall. We are supposed to put bundles of money in our pockets, and jingle-jangle coins to attract more prosperity into our lives.

These activities may sound absurd and superstitious, but what they actually do is impress on our subconscious minds and intensify in our hearts the desire for whatever they stand for like wealth, health, whatever.

Looking for other rites to help your subconscious mind create a brighter and more prosperous year ahead? Here are some fun and sensible things to do that might work magic for you in 2007.

Declare an open house. Open your doors and windows to let the winds in to change the air inside your abode. Do this for three days before New Year’s Eve but close your windows on the eve itself to avoid all the smoke, soot, and pollution when the firecrackers and fireworks are lit. Open them again once the air has cleared. Open your house to friends and relatives that you’ve not seen in years or people you’ve had a falling out with. The year is new and you must let bygones be bygones.

Bring in a little of nature. Yes, strengthen your bond with Mother Nature by bringing in plants or small trees inside your house. A flowering plant that’s gloriously abloom or a tree bursting with fruits will add color to your interiors and purify the air by consuming the carbon dioxide around you. Adopting a pet is wonderful, too!

Pick one dominant color of the year for you. Get a color chart and pick a color that you would like to best represent the year. If you want to be more active and aggressive this year, choose red or magenta. If you want more peace and less stress, choose shades of blue. If you want to be happier, choose sunny colors of yellow and orange, etc. Incorporate this in your décor and even your wardrobe. Colors do have the power to change our lives.

Fill your house with prosperity signs. The Chinese decorate their homes and place of business with framed calligraphy of prosperity, happiness, long life, good luck, double happiness, etc. Prosperity signs are constant reminders of the things you aspire for. Fortune plants, horn-a-plenty décor, baskets, and huge pots signify your readiness to welcome good fortune.

Fill ‘em up! To help ensure bounty and abundance throughout the year, fill up your rice and food containers at the start of the year. If you are into dieting and health, fill your refrigerator with fruits, veggies, and health foods to set your mood for sensible eating for the year. A little bit of comfort food and some of your favorite delights like pastries and chocolates won’t hurt.

Sound-condition your room. If you live in a noisy place, put up drapes to insulate your room from extraneous noises. Hang up a set of wind chimes which gives a pleasant ethereal ringing whenever the wind blows. A small electric motor-operated water fountain has relaxing water sounds that can lower your stress levels. Get CDs that you can play to go to sleep, make love, wake up or exercise with.

Find a guiding word or expression and make it your mantra for the year. "Love sweet love" is great for those seeking love, "Money, money!" for those seeking wealth, and "Big time me!" for those who want to make it big in the field they choose. Personalize your mantra and make it the dominating line in your mind (and mouth!) to help you focus on your desires and goals.

Get a calendar and mark important events in the year. Get a colored pen and mark all the important days: holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. so you won’t forget them. Set deadlines for your projects and goals, too!

Make an inventory of your properties. Itemize and list down your important belongings so you will know what you have and where you are at this point in your life. Evaluate your properties and determine which ones you want to keep, sell, donate or give away.

Keep an important papers folder or cabinet. Gather all your important papers and documents – birth certificates, insurance policies, tax papers, land titles, etc. It would be good to organize your jewelry and valuables, too. Have a separate folder or box for receipts and transaction papers that you might need later.

Let go and move on! Make a list (keep it a secret!) of the bad and sad experiences you’ve had this year. Write them down on a sheet of paper, sprinkle a pinch of salt, fold or crumple the paper, say, "I let go of the past for it is done and gone!" and burn it. Do this outside in the yard or somewhere that is not fire hazardous. Then make a list of the things you want to happen this year. Write them all neatly on a piece of paper, sprinkle with water (watering signifies nurturing to make it grow) and say, "I request the forces of the universe to make these dreams and goals come true. Thank you!"

Have fun doing these New Year rites and have a great 2007 everybody!
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For your comments, e-mail deroseminar@yahoo.com.

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MOTHER NATURE

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