Deep Clean 2020 For A Magickal 2021
Can we all just agree right now that it’s so nice to be done with 2020? I mean, seriously, what was that? As you start the New Year, it’ll be tempting to go all-out to try and start fresh. If you can make that happen, please teach us your secrets! If you’re like the rest of us, stepping into 2021 requires releasing some of the junk from the previous year and setting realistic goals for the new one. Let’s talk about how we can do a little personal deep cleaning both magickally, and using more mundane methods.
Cleansing 2020 Out of Your System
It’s tempting to want to give 2020 the big middle finger. Before you do that, take a little time to review the year. Yes, January 2020 feels like a decade ago, but there’s a reason for that. We’ve gone through a lot! Many people experienced some profoundly transformative events – both positive and some tragically negative.
It’s so easy for our brains to focus on the negative and what’s wrong with a situation (it’s biology!). Instead, what are three lessons you learned in 2020? What is something that went well? Maybe it’s something as simple as you and your family still like each other after months of social distancing together. That’s a huge accomplishment!
You can say goodbye to 2020 and move some of that energy out of your system by acknowledging the good stuff with the bad.
Perform a Self-Cleansing Ritual
Set some time aside to cleanse yourself of the year. After your regular magickal preparations and protection, call on the elements, the four corners, or your patron/matron deities to remove what doesn’t serve.
Ask the element of fire to remove the heat of anger from your heart. Call on the element of water to remind you to flow with events that are outside of your control. Ask the element of air to carry your worries away. Call on the element of earth to remind you that you are safe, held in its embrace.
Select your tools intuitively because this is a deeply personal time for you.
Give Yourself Compassion
Just as spells are most effective when you’re super specific, resolutions are as well. For instance, resolving to develop a magickal morning practice isn’t nearly as effective as resolving to sit down for five minutes each morning to write in your journal. If you don’t end up doing this every day, give yourself a lot of compassion – especially in 2021. 2020 was rough and it’s hard to try and “get back on track” when the world still seems so topsy-turvy.
Whatever your resolution is, if you don’t make it by your goal date, that’s okay. One of the most healing statements I’ve adopted in my life is to say, “I am becoming a person who ____.” So, maybe this statement will help you. “I am becoming a person who journals every morning;” “I am becoming a person who moves my body for 10 minutes a day;” or “I am becoming a person who dedicates an hour a week to my magickal studies.”
Find Ways to Stay Accountable
It’s easy to slip back into old patterns and habits that don’t serve you. One of the best ways to make sure that doesn’t happen is to have an accountability partner or community. I’m a member of two magickal communities online – one of which is Inked Spirit! – and they have both helped me stay on track with my magickal practice. It’s also just fun to have a high-vibe group of people to meet with virtually. 2020 has undoubtedly had its low-vibe moments, so engaging in a community that’s supportive, educational, and fun will help make 2021 even better.
Create a Word of the Year
One of my favorite ways to set the new year's mood is to actually choose a word that I will do my best to embody throughout the next 12 months. For 2021, I’ve chosen the word, “love.” On the mundane side of things, I’m seeking out ways to love my fellow humans, take care of the planet, and make more conscious decisions. In my magick, I’m exploring love magick. I’m going to begin working with Lilith and Aphrodite – two goddesses who, until now, haven’t really appealed to me.
What word can you choose to embody who you want to be in 2021? Maybe it’s “courage,” so you’ll focus on standing up for what’s right in the world and you’ll begin to work with courage spells. If it’s “prosperity,” maybe you’ll cook up some amazing recipes this year with prosperity-enhancing herbs and spices.
It doesn’t have to be complicated –sit for a bit and decide what qualities you want to embody for 2021. Once you’ve identified a word, think about it for a few days and then make it yours when it feels right. By the way, you don’t have to choose a word for the year on January 1st. You get to decide when to start over!
For more inspiration on making the most out of the New Year, check out these previous posts: The Magick of Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions and Rituals & Spells for a Magickal New Year.