Fireworks

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Fireworks have different meanings and emotions associated with it according to the different times of their use... And then, according to culture, they are used at different times.

In its purest meaning fireworks are a device containing gunpowder and other combustible chemicals that causes a spectacular explosion when ignited, used typically for display or in celebrations.
In the U.S. they are typically set off on Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July. Out here the time for fireworks is New Years Eve.

Traditionally, loud noises were used to scare the ‘evil spirits’ away from the celebration ~ whatever it was that was celebrated. Although the milestones in life that were most important to celebrate ~ like births, deaths (funerals); but also weddings, and new beginnings ~  were most likely to be accompanied with loud noises.

With fireworks then the emphasis changed somewhat from the noise-aspect to a more visual display. And being outside to watch the wonderfully colored stars erupt from the exploding arrows ~ high up in the nightly sky ~ is a fantastic and joyful display. A true welcome of a new beginning at the start of a new year! And those that are watching will almost always ‘oooh’ and ‘ahhhhh’ the fireworks...

This opposed to the fireworks that are being set off unexpectedly during the days and nights that lead up to the celebration. These often illegal fireworks set off at unlawful times spark an annoyance that seems to grow with every loud and sudden bang!

‘Fireworks’ are also use to describe an emotionally explosive situation. Either in a sometimes sugar-sweet, romantic way: “They looked into each other’s eyes and starry fireworks seemed to light up the room...” Or to describe an argument that leaves sparks flying around the room.

The thing that stays the same no matter what the use of the word, or the purpose of the aesthetic  pyrotechnic devices ~ is their explosive nature.

And perhaps that is why we like to use them so much at our celebrations! Besides the traditional ‘warding off of evil’ they transform into something entirely new and different with a bang!
Just like our celebration brings us from the old into the new...

Another part of fireworks that seems to stay the same no matter what is the thick, stale scent they leave behind in the air when everything is over and the calm returns ~ together with a foggy substance caused by all the gunpowder explosions.

And then, the next day, when everything is cleaned up ~ that is the time when the new situation, or even the new year, has truly begun...
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Family and friends

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While most of us appreciate spending time with our families ~ especially during holidays ~ it does seem to carry with it some ‘mixed feelings’... again, for most of us...
On average those ‘mixed feelings’ are quite innocent; like ‘I hope uncle will not start telling those old jokes again ~ like he does every year’.

There are also instances when this dedicated family-time brings out grumbles and grudges that sometimes have been simmering for years. And every time in the past there may have been a consensus to not talk about ‘those things’ ~ until finally that time arrives  when it is brought up. And hardly ever is the issue itself brought to the table ~ more often than not it starts off with something like: ‘But you always - - - Remember 15 years ago when - - -’
And there you have it. What started as a nice family dinner may end with heated arguments.

Interestingly enough we are far more willing to talk about things that have happened of which we perhaps didn’t like how others reacted to ~ if those others are friends... And if we decide we are not going to bring it up, this may be because in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t all that important ~ or because it has cause damage beyond repair to the friendship, and we allow the ‘friend’ in question to drop out of our lives. We ‘unfriend’ them.

Friends are those we have chosen to build a friendship with, and we can choose to end that friendship if there is a reason that is important enough to do so.

Family is different.
We are born into a family. And while ~ from a spiritual perspective ~ we have likely chosen our parents; this is not necessarily the case for the other members of our family: our aunts, uncles, etc. And we certainly haven’t chosen the partners of our siblings ~ and rightfully so!
So if we bring the whole family together, it would be normal that there would be some family members you like and get along with great ~ while other members of the family don’t resonate with you quite as much ~ or in some cases not at all...

The fact that they are family is no guarantee for getting along with them ~ or for them to get along with you. And while this is something that we might readily accept as being the case when we are talking about co-workers or fellow students ~ when we are talking about family members it is different. It seems we somehow expect to all get along, to all enjoy the same things ~ and even when we don’t, to be gracious enough to let it be.
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Letting go...

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Looking at our lives there are every once in a while those things we would like to let go of. If only we knew when the right moment is to actually take steps to do so. The right situation, the right timing ~ and the right prospect of what life will look like after we have let go of whatever it is we no longer want or need in our lives.

And there is our excuse...
Because it is not quite the right situation. Because, if it were the right time, wouldn’t there be a sign? Wouldn’t you know it? That this is the time to let it go? And what if you would find out in a couple of weeks or months that you have let go of it too early? That you discover you still need it?
Perhaps it is better to wait until we are sure letting go really is the right thing to do...

Often the things that nudge us into action on letting go of the things we no longer need or want in our lives are ~ in a sense ~ milestones. Like a graduation; a wedding, or sometimes something more dramatic like for instance an accident. It is at those times in our lives that we have a tendency to re-evaluate what we wan tout of our lives and how we are going about getting it. And with it then comes the desire to let go of those things that don’t grow corn for us anymore.

But does that mean that we need to wait for a milestone like that to come along in our lives in order to let go? Not necessarily.

One could argue the point that in the second part of Fall, after the harvest, is a good time to observe our lives; to be grateful for what we have accomplished and to let go of the things we no longer need to carry along with us in to the next season.
Others might say that the time between the Winter Solstice and New Years day is the best time to ponder what is happening in our lives ~ to contemplate our needs and desires ~ and to let go of the old as we are planning for the new.

However, in the ever higher energy frequency of this point in time once or twice in a year might not be often enough to have the opportunity to let go. So for those of us who want to release things more often ~ the cycle of the moon provides us with a chance to do so every four weeks. The last week before the new moon ~ when all things new start again ~ is a good time to to clear out those things from our lives we no longer need...
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Getting ready for a new start...

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With the Winter solstice approaching, the energy of new things, new beginnings is growing stronger...
That makes this a good time of the year to look back at what we have accomplished over the past 12 months. To see what has come into our lives; what has moved out of our lives; what changes we have made... That goes for jobs, things like cars, houses, computers, etc. as well as for people.

It is often surprising, when we really take time to observe those type of things, how many things may have changed ~ even things that a year ago didn’t seem to have either a need for change or the proper movement or flow to get to a different place in our lives.
And at the same time it can be as astonishing how things we were certain we were going to do or change this year ~ haven’t moved an inch.
Looking at our lives like that, this is the time for being grateful for the things we have gained, the things we have accomplished.

In addition this is a good time to clean up loose ends; both figuratively as well as physically. To stop thinking about the things we really want to clean up ~ or even get rid of ~ and to actually do them. That way we can start in the new energy, the energy of ‘the return of the light’, fresh.
Making is a true ‘new beginning’.

Then having looked back and created a space in our lives for new things to get started, this is also a great time of the year to look forward. To plan what we want to do, to achieve in the coming year. And to set up a structure within which we can work toward those goals. To give ourselves the best possible chance at being successful at bringing the things we truly desire ~ into our lives.

In what way we ensure ourselves having enough structure to maximize our chances for success in reaching our goals is different. It depends on the specific goals we have set for ourselves as well as what type of support or structure we, as a unique individual, thrive on.
Here are a few tips:

• Don’t try and go it alone ~ talk about it with your friends or family.
• Sign up for a class or course that will help you further your goals.
• Write your goals on a card and put it in a place where you will see it regularly.
• And most of all: don’t doubt for a minute that you can do anything you truly want to accomplish!

That way the ‘return of the light’ can help you do great things!
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Energy, again...

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On one hand we can use our energy freely and abundantly ~ on the other hand it is always a good idea to not waste our energy, and to be careful not to spend more than we have.
To take time and put in some effort to replenish our energy.

So what energy do we feed our own personal energy with? What is the fuel for our vitality? And is any fuel the right fuel to bring our energy level back to where we want it to be?

When we spend a lot of energy, one might think that the right ‘fuel’ is food with lots of calories. After all, calories are what we use to measure energy. On top of that, those are usually the foods that make us feel good as well ~ they are often what we have come to describe as ‘comfort foods’. And as they have this ability to make us feel good, we have a tendency to choose exactly those foods to fuel our energy with.

Unfortunately, those foods often turn out not to be the ‘right fuel’ for our energy ~ for our system. And like when you put the wrong fuel in the tank of your car ~ our systems can run into trouble when we make them run on the ‘wrong fuel’...

What then is the ‘right fuel’?
Well, our own system knows. Sounds funny? But it does.
This means that we ourselves know deep inside ourselves what is best for us. What we really need to keep an abundance of energy and vitality...
Apart from things like sleep, daylight, exercise, meditation, happiness, and laughter, which all help to replenish our energy ~ there is the obvious component of our food; the things we eat and drink. When we choose our food entirely with from the perspective of what is best for us, what is best for our energy ~ we would likely end up with a totally different meal than what we have grown accustomed to over the years...
Research would suggest that when we do that we would eat more salads, less meat, hardly any sugar or otherwise refined foods. In other words, we would eat a meal low on comfort foods...

Yet we don’t have to go with what research suggests...
We could ~ just for once, just to see what happens ~ do our grocery shopping from an intuitive perspective, keeping the thought in mind we only want to buy those things that make us healthiest, just the things that give us most energy and vitality. And with every item you pick up, you sense intuitively whether it just tastes good; or whether it is actually good for you, for your system, for your vitality.

It is a fun experiment that may surprise you!!
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