2012 Release Challenge — On Your Mark!

Word Art from the Emerald Tablet — Within these words resides the secret of magick.

On Your Mark!
2012 The GREAT Magickal Release Challenge!
An Easy 30-Day Program to an Awesome New You!
by Silver RavenWolf

Welcome one and all to the 2012 Great Release Challenge!

For the past three years, come December, several FaceBook and WordPress 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.  If you have participated in the program before, Welcome Back!  If you are new to the program this year, be prepared for an amazing and wonderful experience!

How and Why the Release Program Works

Starting December 1st, each day we will 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 and experiences to enter our lives, we can’t get them if we don’t make room for them.

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

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.  This 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 leaving us hung over and unhappy from stress.  By January 2nd you are tired, broke, and stuck with a filthy living environment not to mention hurt feelings from some family drama that occurred along the way.  The idea of the Release Program is to clear out negativity (physically and emotionally) so that the year end, with all its activity, can be an enjoyable experience for you and your family.

To make the 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 become the third and vital section, keeping us all working together by adding your own thoughts and feelings.  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.

As above — so Below;  As Within — So Without.  What you send out to the universe with your thoughts and actions is reflected back to you.  Choosing to positively change your life sends that choice into the astral which directly rebounds back to you in a positive way.  Spend thirty days affirming that choice with words and actions?  You create a new behavioral pattern.

From Last Year —

Choose the Guardian that you think best matches your focus and personality. Your Guardian can be an angel, a deity, a loved one that has crossed beyond the veil, or a totem animal.

Your Guardian Energy:  Last year I had you choose a Guardian Energy 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, nightstand or work table, 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 first two years, our focus was general — happiness, joy, good health, etc.  Last year along with general cleansing and clearing we all chose a specific energy that we would like to invite into our lives.  Last year, I chose mental clarity.  Mental Clarity helped me deal with my emotions as a caregiver for a family member with dementia and his ultimate passing from this plane during this past year, the crappy economy, and a host of other normal, daily issues.  Without this energy work I think I would have gone insane.  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:  Last year I introduced two challenges on most days rather than just one.   The first challenge is The Busy Person Challenge — meaning, perhaps, on this 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.  You can do both challenges each day, or only one.  Our focus is to keep motivated, whether our accomplishment is big or small.

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

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.  From floor to counters, from ceilings to closets, make sure you have the cleaning products you prefer to get the job done.  I’m posting this introductory piece early this year so that you have time to budget for cleaning supplies you may need.

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

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

Recycling Container — for broken down boxes, glass and plastic that is acceptable to your town, borough, rural, or city codes.

Ways to Organize — I’ll provide some ideas and I’m looking forward to creative ideas that you find to share.

I created a frame for my needlework out of wood pieces saved from home renovations.

UpCycle Box — an upcycled item is usually an object that no longer serves its purpose (broken, old, damaged) that you change in such a way that it no longer applies to its original use; but, becomes something new and artistic or functional.  The rule with the UpCycle Box is that it must be emptied in six months.  If you have done nothing with the object in six months time, then it should be trashed, recycled, or donated.  You may only have ONE upcycle box — not an entire room.  For example, I took some of the leftover wood pieces from our renovations this fall and created my own picture frame for one of my cross stitch projects.

New This Year

I’ve been working with a new technique since early June and it has brought remarkable change into my life.  I’ll be sharing this technique with you throughout the program.  I’ll also be sharing with you how to let go of emotionally charged items with honor and joy.

The Rules of this Year’s Challenge

1.  You must get rid of something — at least one thing — every single day.  Give it away, throw it away, sell it, donate 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 holds 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, for example you just cleaned the stove a week ago — 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!  Take into consideration the reason for you illness during this time.  Is your subconscious fighting against the release process?

5.  Get the family involved!  Over the years many individuals have found that the program has become an enthusiastic family affair.  The idea is to have fun, challenge yourself, and work as a family unit.  Why not choose a family goal this year along with your individual choice?

The Braucherei Ritual:  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!  Release one thing, every day — that’s all there is to it! So!  Beginning on December 1st, 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!

The crowning glory of this program are those that return year-after-year, to participate.  The more you practice a thirty-day challenge such as this, the better your world becomes.  Some individuals choose to work through the program twice a year — once in the spring and then again at year’s end.  Look in the archives on this blog to read past programs and comments written by folks who joined in.  Their many successes and ideas can be an aid in your own work this year.

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.

Peace with the Gods
Peace with Nature
Peace within!

So be it!

Silver RavenWolf
November 2012