A Simple Letting Go Ceremony

Jun 10, 2021 | Life Coaching, My Life

Sometimes you need to do something to symbolically represent a shift in your life.

And when I say shift, I am referring to moving into a new way of being. Maybe it’s finally starting that new business you’ve talked about for years, finally getting into shape, starting that early morning routine you’ve been wanting to do, deciding to declutter once and for all.

For me, I always see it as changing how I “show up”, the feeling behind what I do and who I am. I am sure you have an area of your life that feels similar.

Recently I went through a shift – changing how I showed up around my work. I wanted to do something to help me make the shift because it was such a hard one for me. I knew I needed something that helped me energetically as well.

For this quick blog post, I wanted to share with you the simple Letting Go Ceremony I did that helped support the work I was doing.

[You may also want to check out my other blog post on Letting Go to Move Forward: Two Crucial (and Tangible) Steps,]

STEP ONE: PREPARE:

  • Set a time to do it: You will need about 20-30 min. Decide if you want to do it by yourself or with a friend. (My friend joined me over the phone and we did it together, pandemic style!)
  • Write on a piece of paper all you want to release:  Write all of your “old story”, whatever it is. You can write it in any way you want. My preference is a letter that sounds whiny, like I am complaining. I get it all out of my system.  

Here’s what I mean – and read in a whiny voice – it’s annoying and getsyou over feeling like you ever want to say it again,

“I’m not good enough.”  “I just don’t have the time to do what needs to be done.” “No one supports me.” “I’m too old/young/disorganized/tall/short/insert your own limited belief.”

  • On another piece of paper, write what you WANT: Write this one as if it is already happening – in the first person singular. ‘I am…”. Use as many emotional words as you can – really FEEL it.
  • Side Note: You want to handwrite these notes rather than type them. There is something powerful about the process of writing in your own hand. I’ve also heard pencil is better than pen, although I forgot this one for my ceremony. 🙂

STEP TWO: CEREMONY

  • Find a safe place to burn your papers: My friend built a bonfire in her backyard. As you can see in the photos, I just burned mine over a fire pit.
  • When you are ready for your ceremony, take a few moments to quiet yourself. Visualize your new space and honor where you have been. The things you are releasing served a purpose at one point. Honoring that purpose is an important part of this ceremony. You are blessing and releasing. (Read my other blog post on letting go.)
  • When it’s time to burn, let your old story burn. Breathe and let yourself relax as it is consumed by the fire.
  • Once it is burned, sit with the space.
  • Then do something with the paper that contains  your vision. I chose to burn that this time, too. I wanted to feel like I was letting it go out into the Universe to let the Universe help me manifest it. Maybe you want to place it in your journal or someplace of honor. Do whatever feels right for you.

And that’s it! It is so powerful to do something that represents where you are going. You will be amazed at how good it feels!

Comment below if you have your own letting go ritual or if you are thinking you might incorporate this one.

Love to hear from you!