As The Wheel Turns

Its the first day of Spring, and for me, the start of a new year. No, I'm not a Druid, or Iranian or a Wiccan, although I have friends in all three groups. It's just that this time of year has always represented new beginnings, new life and new chances to me. Buds are about to burst, birds are returning, the grass is greening, and my life starts on a new cycle.

There's been a lot of talk about the Mayan calendar, and the events of 2012. The Mayan calendar is an ingenious device, measuring out time in epochs, the rhythm, the timing all based on their observations of the stars, and the great dance. It is designed as wheels within wheels within wheels, each cycle repeating within another cycle, the same and yet different.

We often see the same work within our lives -- patterns repeating until we understand that we have been trapped in a cycle. And, when we recognize the pattern within the cycle, we can learn the lesson, and release ourselves from it, no matter how much it hurts. Growth works that way. Without change, without endings, there can be no new beginnings.

And yet, we fight endings. We fear them. We cry, we scream, we beg for mercy. But, endings come. And with them, come new beginnings.

How do you look at the turning of the wheel?

The Wheel of Fortune is a popular image in many traditions, and in the tarot. Its appearance in a tarot spread often augurs the coming of drastic change, related to repeating patterns in one's life. We have the choice to be rolled over by the steamroller of life and experience, or to slide to the hub and view the pattern from a new perspective. Often, when we finally see the pattern for what it is, we find new strength, and new options.

We can choose to accept the pattern or release it. Yes, sometimes we accept the pattern as part of our lives. But, once accepted, it no longer has the same power over us that it once did, and we can move into a new life and understanding.

Endings are so much like this. Giving birth is an ending, filled with pain and struggle, but the beginning it brings is so often worth the sacrifice. Graduations are the death of our education, and the birth of our new life. Likewise, death can be viewed as a beginning. Oh, believe me, it's rarely one we look forward to, but we do learn to live without the ones we love, we learn to see them more clearly, and we learn to appreciate and validate those remaining with us as we never did before. Every death brings a new beginning.

There are many people who fear that the date of December 12, 2012 will wreak havoc on our world as we know it. The recent movie, which I still haven't seen, depicted massive earth changes, and death and destruction on a global scale. Will there be massive earth changes? Why worry about then? Aren't we seeing them now? Don't they happen every year? Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanos happen regularly, bringing death and destruction. Cycles within cycles, the wheels turning and grinding us between their unforgiving movements.

And yet, we try. We hope, we plan, and we pray. What will happen after December 12, 2012? December 13, 2012. Some of us will be here, some of us won't.

Should we strive to stop the turning of the wheel, or should we accept, like the Mayan, that it turns, and we can live our lives to the fullest within each and every cycle? I don't think I want to be like them, simply picking up and leaving when a cycle ends, all to start again in a new place. But then again, they took each other -- not their belongings, just the ones they loved -- when they moved on.

So, tomorrow, March 22nd, as I look to the sky on the first full day of Spring, I'm going to take a deep breath, say "thank you" for the new day, and anticipate with excitement what this next turn of the great wheel will bring. You see, it's my birthday, and I've already learned that my choices determine my path, my life, and my growth. It's not about destiny or destination. It's all about the journey, and what we learn while traveling.

What do you choose each morning, each new day of your new life?

Allow yourself to be patient and to be true to yourself. Remember to take at least five minutes every day to simply be by yourself and breathe. Allow yourself to indulge in a moment of thought, reflection, and planning when the mood strikes. It's your life, your choice. Allow yourself to simply succeed on your own terms, to live in peace, abundance, and joy. One day, one decision at a time, remaining aware of your choices and your feelings. You CAN get there.

And, as always, if you need help, I'm available. It's what I do, and it's what I love to do.

Sharon.

Hypnotherapy can help you to think healthier, happier, and more successful thoughts while adding the power of relaxation to your life. As you go through your day, you feel better and perform better.

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