goal-setting
The Mystical Year Of The Yin Wood Snake
As we settle into 2025, the energy of the Yin Wood Snake begins to take shape, revealing its unique rhythm and influence.
While the excitement of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations may have faded, the true essence of the year is beginning to unfold.
Now is the perfect time to align with the energies of the Wood Snake, harness its mystical power, and set a clear, intentional path for the months ahead.
The Year of the Wood Snake brings a harmonious fusion of intuition, mystery and steady growth.
The Snake, known for its wisdom and transformation, merges with the nurturing and grounding essence of the Wood element this year, fostering patience, adaptability, and a deep connection to our spiritual and emotional roots.
Unlike the impulsive Fire Snake or the analytical Metal Snake, the Wood Snake encourages thoughtful progress and long-term vision, making 2025 an ideal year for meaningful evolution.
In many cultures, the Snake symbolizes rebirth, wisdom and mystery. Its ability to shed its skin represents the release of outdated beliefs, limitations, and habits, clearing the way for renewal. This year invites you to embrace transformation, trust your intuition, and align with the subtle yet powerful energy of the Snake as you enter a year of profound personal and spiritual growth.
The Cautionary Tale Of The Lovestruck Witch
Once upon a time, there was a goodly witch named Wanda. Though she sometimes had a fiery temper, her heart was generally in the right place.
For many years, Wanda lived a cozy life with her partner, Colwyn the Brave, in a happy and fulfilling relationship.
But one day, out of the blue, Colwyn announced that he was ending the relationship. Although he still loved Wanda, he explained that he no longer had the romantic or emotional feelings necessary to sustain the relationship.
But Wanda was no fool. Fee-fi-fo-fum, she knew by the prick of her thumb…that he was lying through his teeth! The truth was that he had decided to dump her for her so-called best friend, Suvanna the Enchantress.
Wanda was devastated. She had dedicated more than two decades of her life to this man, standing by him through thick and thin. And her friend’s betrayal only added further insult to injury.
Realizing the extent of the pain he had caused, Colwyn tried to comfort Wanda, assuring her that one day she would meet someone who would make her much happier than he ever had.
But his words fell on deaf ears. Wanda was heartbroken and very, very angry.
Then she remembered…she was a witch. She could make things happen, especially with the help of her sisterhood of witches.
How To ‘Face Everything And Rise’ (F.E.A.R.)
It’s okay to feel afraid sometimes – some fear responses are a natural and vital part of our built-in self-protection system. Rooted in our primal survival instincts, fear helps us identify and respond to real threats, such as a raging fire or a dangerous wild animal.
Survival fear arises in response to immediate, tangible threats to our safety or well-being. It’s a necessary, life-preserving mechanism based on objective, real-world risks that ensure our survival. By activating the body’s fight-or-flight response, it enables us to act quickly and stay safe.
But not all fears are instinctual, nor do they serve our highest good. Irrational fears arise from societal conditioning, cultural expectations, false beliefs, past traumas, or imagined scenarios. These fears are learned or imagined, not instinctual.
Unlike survival fear, irrational fears reflect internalized doubts, imaginery threats and false narratives that serve no protective function at all. Instead, they just interfere with our personal growth, decision-making, and well-being.
Conditioned fears are typically exaggerated or irrational, existing more in the mind than in reality. Examples include fear of failure, fear of rejection, or fear of not living up to social standards. Self-limiting fears can trap us in cycles of self-doubt and hesitation, limiting our ability to take risks, grow, and live wholeheartedly.
To live our best lives, we must learn to recognize these irrational fears, challenge their validity, and prevent them from taking control of our life and well-being. By stepping back and evaluating the source of our fears, we can release what no longer serves us, reclaim our joy, and unlock our full potential.
Is It Time To Reset Your Life?
As the festivities fade and the hype of new year’s resolutions subsides, it’s natural to pause and truly reflect on the direction of your life.
Often idealized as a time of joy and connection, the holidays rarely leave room for true introspection. Instead, they bring a whirlwind of obligations — shopping, entertaining, traveling, and endless social engagements. In the rush to meet expectations, both our own and those of others, the peace and reflection we crave are often drowned out by the festive chaos.
But as the holidays end and life returns to its normal routine, many feel a spontaneous urge to make an honest assessment of where they are in life. What’s working? What isn’t? Where do adjustments need to be made?
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of our true passions and purpose. Often we carry unnecessary burdens, cling to outdated habits, or stay in situations that no longer align with our higher selves.
Now is often the time of the year when your intuition may be whispering — or even screaming — that something needs to change. This inner knowing often manifests as dissatisfaction, a longing for something more, or a deep sense that you’re meant for greater things.
Recognizing the need to reset your life can be one of the most empowering decisions you’ll ever make. Letting go of what no longer serves you is not only a courageous act, but also a fundamental aspect of personal and spiritual growth.
Abundance Rituals For A Prosperous 2025
The universal energy of renewal and infinite possibility beckons as we enter the year 2025. The beginning of a new year is a great time to release old energies that no longer serve us and to invite a new wave of abundance, prosperity and fulfillment into our lives.
New Year’s manifestation practices not only clarify and align our intentions from the start, but also release energetic blockages, allowing prosperity and well-being to flourish. Releasing the old creates space for new possibilities and opportunities to flow into our lives.
The modern idea of setting intentions or “New Year’s resolutions” has its roots in various traditions. For centuries, cultures around the world have marked the transition to a new year with spiritual, esoteric, and religious practices and ceremonies.
In Mesopotamia, for example, the Akitu festival celebrated the Spring Equinox as the beginning of a new year and included rituals to honor the gods and ensure a bountiful harvest.
In Babylonia, at the beginning of each year, people made promises to their deities to return borrowed items and pay their debts. These promises were a way to start the year fresh and in good standing with the higher realms.
The ancient Romans perpetuated the tradition by dedicating the month of January to Janus, the two-faced god who looked both backward and forward to symbolize “looking back” on the past year and “looking forward” to the New Year, making it a time for personal reflection and new beginnings.
New Year, New Habits, And A New You!
Many people make resolutions every year that are never kept. They make a sincere effort for a month or so, and then it just slips here and there until whatever they decided to do just falls by the wayside. This is normal, and you should never beat yourself up if you make a resolution or promise and don’t follow through. Growth is a process, not a straight line.
When I decide to do something, the first thing I do is meditate on it. I ask my guides and angels, “Is this right for me? Will this improve my life? If I don’t do this, will it hurt me or someone else? If the answers are yes, yes, and no, then I know it’s the right thing for me to do.
I do not reserve this for New Year’s resolutions. I do this throughout the year whenever I feel spiritual growth within myself or experience something that sparks change, whether positive or negative. A new year can begin any day you decide to change some aspect of your life. It doesn’t have to be January 1st; it can be any day.
Personally, I make a new “resolution” each month. At the end of each month, I reflect and ask myself if I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. If not, I set it aside and move on to something new. Eventually, I return to the unfulfilled goal, knowing that the timing wasn’t right. I don’t beat myself up about unfinished goals; instead, I send them love and leave them for later.
My most important resolution is to get closer to Spirit. I strive to understand what Spirit has in store for me and to guide me to become the best version of myself from the inside out. The outward appearance can be dressed up or down, but the true self must be healed, clear, and joyful. That joy doesn’t come from another person or thing – it comes from loving myself as it should be for you. Love yourself as you are in this moment, and nurture the new version of yourself with daily love, meditation, and surrender to your higher self.
How To Accomplish More With A Vision Board
In my teenage years, I found myself longing to explore and develop my psychic abilities. This inner calling was deeply connected to my desire to find my purpose in life.
Around this time, I joined an adolescent spiritual group — a vibrant community of young people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Together, we sought common ground through shared experiences and explorations of our spirituality.
One of the most powerful moments in this group occurred during a camping retreat. On the last night, we gathered in a cozy room around a large table strewn with magazines, glue sticks, scissors, and art supplies. Our teacher introduced an exercise that would forever change my perspective on goal-setting and self-discovery.
The task was simple: use the materials at hand to put our hopes, dreams, and aspirations on paper. Our teacher explained that creating a vision board wasn’t just a fun activity — it was a way to clarify our goals and intentions while providing a visual tool to keep us motivated and inspired.
At first, the room buzzed with laughter and excitement as we flipped through magazines and cut out colorful images and words that spoke to us. But as the activity progressed, the mood shifted. A quiet focus settled over the room as each of us poured our hearts into our creations. By the end of the evening, our vision boards were filled with vibrant images and words that represented our youthful hopes and dreams.