2011 Great Release Challenge! Here We Go!

Its That Time of Year Again!!!

2011 The GREAT Magickal Release Challenge!
Easy 30-Day Program to an Awesome New You!
by Silver RavenWolf

Welcome one and all to the 2011 Great Release Challenge!

Are you ready?  To those who worked this program before — Hail!  We are back again, for the third year in a row and I hope you are geared up and frothing for the amazing change that you know will come!  For those of you who are new to the program this year — Hearty Welcome!  We are delighted to have you aboard!

For the past two years, come December, several FaceBook and blog friends have joined me as we work through a thirty day program designed to help us release negativity within our lives in an effort not only to raise our spiritual vibrations; but, become better, happier individuals as well.

Starting December 1st, each day we make  an effort to release at least one thing from our lives that carries negative feelings, dirt, clutter, or emotional stress!  We’ve realized that if we want great, neat, new, cool things to enter our lives, we can’t get them if we didn’t make room for them.

In reality, you can’t receive if you don’t let go.

In the old days they called this release energy — sacrifice — a heavy word that carries too many violent connotations for the modern mind.  Even saying the word can conjure fear, anxiety, or panic — feelings that are not conducive to creating a sound, psychological platform for any spell or working for positive change if your goal is focused on the harmony of the higher mind, body and spirit.  The word — release — indicates we have a choice that carries a positive spin.

It is human nature (I believe) that we all hoard in some form or manner.  There are folks that gather physical stuff and those who collect things we cannot see; but, certainly feel.  Regardless of your type of collection — it doesn’t hurt to do some sort of cleansing on a cyclical basis.  The Great Release Program uses the calendar year-end for a physical and psychological deep cleaning because it can be a time of year when emotional stress reaches its height due to the big four (in America) holidays that roll out in quick succession — Halloween, Thanksgiving, Yule, and New Year’s.   Usually, Halloween is the most fun with the least amount of psycho-drama,  Thanksgiving motors in with its family squabbles, Yule with its financial pressures, and finally the calendar New Year squats in the detritus of the other three holidays.  By January 2nd you are tired, broke, and stuck with a filthy living environment not to mention hurt feelings from some family bullshit that occurred along the way.

Okay…so…that’s for the regular people.  But, we’re not normal, are we?  Nope!  We are the magickal folk  that totally understand we live in the world of energy and if it ain’t going our way — we fix it, because we know how powerful our minds really can be and that what we think — we create.  Which means that putting a little twinkle in our lives to make the world a better place (and ourselves happier) is something we know how to do.  So…why not do it!

To make the Great Magickal Release Challenge more interesting, I break each day’s entry into three parts — the what-you-get-to-do-today section first, and then my diary on how these suggestions are working for me as the second part.  Just like you, my life can get fairly hectic — some of my entries will be long, some short — I just go with the flow.  Your posts became the third and vital section, keeping us all working together by adding your own thoughts and feelings.  This worked so well that we’re going to keep the same format  again this year.  Every day, we’ll focus on one little, itty-bitty, part of our lives or environment with the agreement that by the time we’re done all the small steps we’ve made will culminate in a happy, successful, delightful holiday season.

New This Year —

Remember! ThIs Year's Program should be fun!

Hettie the HedgeWitch:  Meet Hettie!  She’ll be giving you magickal tips and tricks throughout your Great Release Program.  Hettie is here to remind you that the program should be fun — not a drudge or tiresome.  Her motto is:  Don’t over-think it!

Choose The Guardian Energy That You Feel Meets Your Needs

Choose Your Guardian Energy:  Today, I’d like you to think about what Guardian Energy you’d like to use during your release challenge.  A deity?  Angel?  Spirit of a loved one?  Totem animal?  You’ll be working with this energy form for the next thirty days, so think carefully what you would like to acknowledge and welcome into your life.  This representation will be a central focus on your altar, and each day we will light a white tea candle (or whatever you prefer) as we ask for guidance and assistance in the changes we want to make in our physical surroundings as well as within ourselves.

Choose Your Focus:  For the last two years, our focus was general — happiness, joy, good health, etc.  This year I’d like you to consider choosing a specific focus.  Mine will be mental clarity because every time I ask for it in our healing circles, I always receive this energy with an added benefit — increased creativity.  Mental Clarity has helped me deal as a caregiver for a family member with dementia, the crappy economy, and a host of other normal, daily issues.  Without this energy work I think I would have gone insane by now.  You may be dealing with a nasty break-up, a challenged child, a health issue, depression from the loss of your job, custody problems, a mother-in-law from the hell we don’t believe in…whatever your issue there is always a good solution tailored just for you.  Let’s work towards it!  What would you like your main focus to be in this year’s release challenge?  Why not write that down now and place it on your altar or by your bedside.

Two Challenges:  This year there will be two challenges listed on most days (don’t have heart failure, you don’t have to do both, although you can, if you like).  The first challenge is The Busy Person Challenge — meaning, perhaps, on that day you just don’t have the time to clear out an entire closet, you can only do something quick and small.  The second challenge is the:  Seriously Dedicated Challenge, which may (or may not) take more time to do.   And, like last year, you will get breaks, meaning there will be a day or two that all you have to do is clip your fingernails — no kidding.

Supplies You Might Like To Have On Hand For This Year’s Challenge

Rattles, Tuning Forks, Candles, Oils -- You Choose What You Want To Use!

Altar Supplies such as incense, candles, magickal oils, wax melts, favorite herbals  and a physical representation of your guardian energy.  These aren’t necessary; but, if you’d like to heighten the spiritual aspect of your program you may enjoy these items as mental triggers and psychological aids.  For example, scents and fragrances can be of great assistance when cleaning and releasing.  If you don’t have an altar, that’s okay.  Why not choose a small tabletop, dresser, or end table as a sacred space?  What if you don’t want to have an altar at all?  That’s okay, too.

Cleaning Products — Yes, we are going to get rid of the dirt and grime.

Break Out Those Cleaning Supplies!!

Trash bags — Yes, we are going to throw things out.

You'll need boxes and bags so you can give items to charity.

Boxes — Yes, we are going to give things away.

Earlier, I mentioned scents and fragrances as a part of this year’s program.  Here’s a short list of aromas that lend themselves well to spiritual and physical cleansing, or to drawing positive vibrations toward you.  If you don’t like them, that’s okay — they only work for you if you enjoy the aroma, so don’t choose a scent that you already find distasteful.

Lavender
Lemon Grass
Lemon Verbena
Rosemary
White Sage
Lilac
Clean Laundry scents
Honeysuckle
Basil
Frankincense
Myrrh

Perhaps you like a different scent than those listed above — that’s okay, too!

The Rules of this Year’s Challenge

1.  You must get rid of something every single day.  Give it away, throw it away, sell it…whatever.  It must leave your living or working environment on that day.  (Not set aside until tomorrow.)  If you don’t release old, nasty, broken stuff — you won’t be able to get great new stuff in your life because there is no room.  If your living or working area is filthy and a mess — all that dirt hold negativity.  If you can’t walk through a room, how do you expect to run to your goal?

2.  If you’ve already done my suggestion for the day — you don’t get to skate — you must choose something else.  Be creative and share with us!

3.  If you are traveling or not at your place of business or residence, start by cleaning out your purse, travel bag, briefcase, vehicle and make note of what you’ve missed on the general list to do later, when you arrive back home.

4.  If you get sick or something earth shattering occurs that you can’t continue the program for a time —- that’s okay — there is no failure here.  Simply pick up where you left off later, after things have settled down for you.  You still earn a Release Program Gold Star for your efforts!

From Last Year — 2010

Last year we used a morning  Braucherei ritual that worked really well.  I’m going to post the ritual again this year with a change or two.  Begin each day, if you can, with this simple, easy ritual.

That’s it!  One thing, every day — that’s all there is to it! So!  Beginning tomorrow, we will start pitching, giving away, and letting that ratty old, broken stuff go!  If you start vacillating over something, then ask yourself this:  Have I used this item in the last six months?  If you haven’t, odds are you won’t ever.  If you counter yourself with the — I can fix it — excuse, ask yourself this:  Have you bothered to fix the item in the last three months?  If the answer is No! — its gotta go!  If you think:  I can sell this, — that’s really a great idea; BUT, did you bother to sell it in the last six months?  No?  Out it goes!

Look forward to your goal of January 1st, with an eye on good health, happiness, positive abundance and love as well as your personal goal.  You can do it!   Be sure to add your comments and include the stuff you’re releasing, too, because our team effort is super important to the process!  By letting go of physical objects and the energy that collects around them, cleaning out the dirt and grime of daily living,  we allow the experiences we truly desire to manifest in our lives in a faster, easier way.  Don’t delay — start pitching today!

Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace within!

So be it!

Silver RavenWolf
November 30, 2011