The perfect time of year to let the things that no longer serve you die

Feb 1st, 2010No Comments

The Native American Medicine Wheel is a powerful way to tune into the cycles of the earth and life. My tradition teaches that this time of year late winter or the northeast and late winter- the death of the old. It is the perfect time to let things in your life that no longer serve you die. This makes room for things to be born in the spring.

The north or mid-winter of the Medicine Wheel is the time of introspection- a time to reevaluate what is important to you. The prime time for this was the Winter solstice in late December and early January. Once we identify what is important to us at this time in our life, it is natural to consider the things in our life that serve or do not serve what is important to us.
If it is important to us, do we care enough about our lives to get out of our comfort zones let go of some things? Do we care enough to risk hurting some people’s feelings and break some contracts we have with people that are no longer serve anyone? Do we care enough to walk through our resistance and fear to mean business with our life? We are here for such a short time.
It is not that the things we are letting go are bad- it is that they no longer serve us and what is important to us now. At a previous time in our life these things may have served us well. We may have needed them to get where we are now.
So… what no longer serves you? If you can let some things die, it will make room in your heart for something new. Letting the old die before the new has taken form is the ultimate act of faith.
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About author:

Michael Hoffman’s passion is guiding people to connect with their natural gifts. He believes that we all have innate gifts that hugely benefit others and the world when we offer them. The purest example of these gifts is the Native American concept of medicine or the gift you offer your people. Michael defines your medicine or gift as the natural effect you have on other people when your heart is open. Unfortunately, the demands of our current culture to comply and fit in often distract people away from their inherent gifts and the natural expression of their being. Michael believes many of us have forgotten our dreams and what we are about. This sadly results in a loss of purpose, passion, and vitality. As an innate gift specialist, Michael offers retreats, classes, and individual sessions to allow people to reclaim their natural gifts. These venues allow people to identify, awaken, and offer their gifts. This experiential work incorporates Zen thought, Native American ceremony, rites-of-passage, and releasing limiting belief systems. Michael also maintains his meta blog to provide knowledge, skills, and awareness for unfolding your natural gifts. He is currently compiling this knowledge and research into a college class and book. Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1987 and Master of Social Work in 1996. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. In addition to his formal education, Michael studied and apprenticed with a Zen Master and spiritual teacher for 22 years to learn how to guide people to understand themselves. He has worked with people professionally since 1986 as a psychotherapist and teacher. Michael currently resides in Oceanside, California.

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