January is the traditional time for New Year’s resolutions, most of which are forgotten in short order. We can, however, call upon an ancient deity of change for support, one who animated new beginnings for our ancestors and can for us as well; the deity is the two-headed god, Janus of the Roman pantheon. Janus looks backward and forward and is the god of change, new beginnings, motion, and thresholds. His duties were myriad in first century Rome, but we will use him to support us in our new beginnings and to bless the comings and goings from our home throughout the year.
This ritual is designed for a family, but a class, group, or an individual could also perform this ritual.
Materials:
A large wooden tongue depressor for each person
Tubes or vials that can fit on the tongue depressor
Smaller, flat wooden shapes available in any craft store
Paints
Small decorations such as flowers, gems, coins
Writing instruments and paper
All participants sit comfortable around a table with the materials and writing instruments.
Leader: Tonight we will begin the movement into this New Year and the desires we each have for accomplishment and enjoyment. We will call upon the powerful support of a god who guarded all of the entries into and out of ancient Rome. Janus, the god who sees the past and the future because he faces in both directions, presides over actual gateways and the gateways in our hearts that cause us to leave the old and to strike out in a new direction. So, Janus is both our protector and our support as we choose our new paths for this year.
The Leader then takes the family or group into a meditation about the new direction for the coming year, arriving at some concrete desires of action or being. He or she leads the participants to the answers to the points below.
Leader: Taking a piece of paper, please write your desire for yourself for the New Year succinctly. Then write the following:
· How it will benefit you
· How it will benefit those close to you
· How it will benefit the world
· What you must release to bring this about
· What you must become to bring this about
· The support you request from the archetype of new beginnings, Janus.
Now, you will create an art object which you will attach to the door frame where you most often enter and leave your home. Ultimately, the little vial will contain the paper you just wrote. The vial will be attached to the tongue depressor and decorated with symbolic items. This, in turn will be attached to the door frame just where you can touch it coming in and going out of your home, so that your desire for change and newness may always be in your awareness, as well as the assistance from Janus. This object will be precisely in the power place for Janus – your home’s threshold.
Everyone sets to work to create this threshold blessing object. When the project is complete all participants share their experience and their art piece. Then the Leader continues if the experience is a workshop. If the ritual is for a family, this next part is best accomplished the following morning as people leave for their day and their threshold blessing object is already put in place.
Leader: Your new beginning starts now. As we leave this place tonight we leave through a threshold. This doorway is blessed by Janus; he is present now. As each person steps through the doorway to leave, make a declaration in honor of your new beginning and know that Janus supports you in every way you could possible need. As you leave tonight, you step into your new life. Are you ready to take this first step into the new expression of yourself? Then please come forward.
Each participant makes their declaration as they exit the ritual space and pauses outside the space to embrace and wish each other well.
This ritual is designed for a family, but a class, group, or an individual could also perform this ritual.
Materials:
A large wooden tongue depressor for each person
Tubes or vials that can fit on the tongue depressor
Smaller, flat wooden shapes available in any craft store
Paints
Small decorations such as flowers, gems, coins
Writing instruments and paper
All participants sit comfortable around a table with the materials and writing instruments.
Leader: Tonight we will begin the movement into this New Year and the desires we each have for accomplishment and enjoyment. We will call upon the powerful support of a god who guarded all of the entries into and out of ancient Rome. Janus, the god who sees the past and the future because he faces in both directions, presides over actual gateways and the gateways in our hearts that cause us to leave the old and to strike out in a new direction. So, Janus is both our protector and our support as we choose our new paths for this year.
The Leader then takes the family or group into a meditation about the new direction for the coming year, arriving at some concrete desires of action or being. He or she leads the participants to the answers to the points below.
Leader: Taking a piece of paper, please write your desire for yourself for the New Year succinctly. Then write the following:
· How it will benefit you
· How it will benefit those close to you
· How it will benefit the world
· What you must release to bring this about
· What you must become to bring this about
· The support you request from the archetype of new beginnings, Janus.
Now, you will create an art object which you will attach to the door frame where you most often enter and leave your home. Ultimately, the little vial will contain the paper you just wrote. The vial will be attached to the tongue depressor and decorated with symbolic items. This, in turn will be attached to the door frame just where you can touch it coming in and going out of your home, so that your desire for change and newness may always be in your awareness, as well as the assistance from Janus. This object will be precisely in the power place for Janus – your home’s threshold.
Everyone sets to work to create this threshold blessing object. When the project is complete all participants share their experience and their art piece. Then the Leader continues if the experience is a workshop. If the ritual is for a family, this next part is best accomplished the following morning as people leave for their day and their threshold blessing object is already put in place.
Leader: Your new beginning starts now. As we leave this place tonight we leave through a threshold. This doorway is blessed by Janus; he is present now. As each person steps through the doorway to leave, make a declaration in honor of your new beginning and know that Janus supports you in every way you could possible need. As you leave tonight, you step into your new life. Are you ready to take this first step into the new expression of yourself? Then please come forward.
Each participant makes their declaration as they exit the ritual space and pauses outside the space to embrace and wish each other well.
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