New Year Meditation: I Welcome In The New

Welcome to this new year's meditation.

As we leave behind another year and enter into the new,

It's important to take a moment to acknowledge all that we have accomplished this year and to let go of all that no longer serves us.

You may wish to use this meditation at the start of a new year,

Or in the autumn if you are studying or working in education,

Or at any time in your life when you are stepping out of the old and into something new.

Together,

Let's say a fond goodbye to the old and welcome in the new.

Now pause.

Breathe in.

Hold the breath.

Exhale.

And let's begin.

We will start with some simple breath work.

As I say these phrases,

Visualize the new entering your body and the old leaving it.

Breathe in the new.

Breathe out the old.

Breathe in faith.

Breathe out fear.

Breathe in freshness.

Breathe out stagnation.

Breathe in hope.

Breathe out despair.

Breathe in forgiveness.

Breathe out resentment and bitterness.

Breathe in love.

Breathe out hate.

Now allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm,

Observing it as it rises and falls,

The air moving in and out of your body.

Now we will introduce our centering thought.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

You may wish to layer this onto your breath,

Welcoming in the new on the inhale and letting go with the exhale.

Repeat this phrase silently in your mind for the next few minutes.

If at any point you find your mind has wandered off into thoughts,

Gently bring it back by returning it to the words,

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

I welcome in the new and I let go of the old.

Drawing this practice to a close now bring one or both hands to your heart to seal in these words and bring them forward into your day and your new year repeat to yourself one more time I welcome in the new and I let go of the old now take a deep breath exhale and step back into your day