Release and Attract
by Vanessa Wesley
first published on Jan 7, 2008
At our home this New Year’s Day we held our 2nd annual New Year’s Day Brunch. We entertained over 20 of our friends with food that included Roast Duck and Lobster Newburg. When we woke up that morning, after having cooked until 1:00 a.m. the night before, we were greeted with over ten inches of snow! Certainly no one would come out on a day like this. Yet, almost everyone who was invited showed up. Was it for the food? Or, was it for the friendship?
Perhaps. But, my guess is, it was also for the “ceremony”. Last New Year’s Day in 2007, when we were sitting around quite full from the good food, The Whisper spoke to me. By now, if you have been reading The Weekly Whisper, or have participated in any of the classes, you know that what I mean when I say “spoke to me”. What it means is that a thought arrived accompanied by very specific sensations. The thought was, “Have your guests do a burning bowl ceremony.” I didn’t know exactly what that was, but as the thought came in, so did the vision; it was to have everyone “release” what was no longer working in their life, write it out, and burn it, and then, write what they wanted to attract (desired) and place it in their pocket. I felt energized and inspired by the idea of doing this, so I went about setting up a back room with bowls, a candle, pens, and small post-it notepads.
Afterwards, I returned back to my guests. That’s when the internal arguments began. These are the thoughts that discounted the Whisper. “A burning bowl ceremony . . . that’s kind of corny don’t you think?” “Come on Vanessa! The guys are downstairs watching the football game and drinking beer, and you’re going to interrupt them so they can burn paper?” The internal dialogue continued all the while I noticed that the “urge” to do the ceremony was getting stronger. Finally, I jumped up, went downstairs and called attention to the rowdy guys championing their favorite teams.
Admittedly, my voice cracked a bit as I announced the plans to have them determine what they wanted to attract in the New Year (2007). They looked at me, some with drink glasses mid-air, listened attentively, and just when I thought they would burst out laughing, one man jumped up off the stool and said, “Me first!” The others followed hastily as they rushed (yes, they rushed!) to the special room and began writing what they wanted to release, and what they wanted to realize in the New Year.
They joked constantly about the releasing part, yelling to me, “Hey Vanessa, I have a lot to release, these post-its are too small. Do you have a legal pad to write on!?” One man shouted, “Perhaps we should light the fireplace!” Another one chimed in, “I want to make sure this is really released, maybe I should bury it in the backyard!”
Then, I told the women about the ceremony. The women had segregated into the dining and living rooms and were in full chat-mode. Again, the idea was received with excitement. Women, however, did this differently. They were contemplative and thoughtful. The men watching them were noticeably “on guard” as the women set about releasing what they didn’t want. One friend quipped that he held his breath waiting for one of his fellow brethren (whose wife was writing out what she wanted to release) to disappear leaving just his shoes! Laughter!
Well, that’s what happened last year. Could I pull it off again this year? Would anyone even show up in ten inches of snow? One by one our guests arrived. One woman brought with her the message she had written last year! She said she taped it to her bathroom mirror. After we ate, the same man who cried out, “me first” was first again this year, this time exclaiming, “Hey, it worked last year!” We even had a few new guests this year falling right into line and excitedly joining the crowd in writing out their attraction statements. They were as enthusiastic this year as last year.
So, why am I telling you this story? The Whisper told me to. I feel the same energy and excitement sharing this with you, our dear reader, as I did my guests. There is power in clearly knowing what you desire to attract into your life. What is the vision you are holding? Do you have the courage to bring it in? Are you ready to step into your God-given creative power and make 2008 the best year yet?
If you are like me, you may have found “resolutions” don’t always work. Have you ever wondered why? Resolutions, oftentimes, are based on what you think you “should” do, or “should” have. They don’t always align with your truest heart’s desires, which rise up spontaneously and with inspiration. Asking yourself what you “want to attract” is different than making “promises” to yourself. To attract means to co-create with Wisdom, with your Essential Whisper. There is joy in this, and a sense of your creative power.
So this year try the “attraction ceremony”. Here are the simple steps (or make up your own!!)
1. Write out what you would like to release. For example: I would like to release the belief that I need to do work I don’t enjoy.
2. Then safely burn it over a candle. We used tongs to hold the paper and burned it over a bowl with rocks in it.
3. Write out what you would like to attract into your life this year. For example: I would like to attract a business opportunity to teach autistic kids music.
4. Place this on your person somewhere, or carry it with you, or like my friend, tape it to your mirror.
There is no “magic” in this process. The magic happens by taking the time to go into silence, listen to your heart’s desire, and express it clearly. The only thing left to do is to flow with the sensations of the Whisper.
Look for next week’s article as we share with you some ways to stay in the flow during 2008.
