Hi there and Happy New Year!
Yesterday was Twelfth Night, or Epiphany, and traditionally the day to take down your Christmas decorations (for fear the spirit of the tree might enter the house if you do it before!) But it's worth remembering that Christmas is traditionally a forty day festival, beginning on Christmas Day and ending on 2nd February 'Candlemas'. For Christians this is the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the Temple by Mary. For pagans, it is 'Imbolc' the festival of light, and it's actually on that day that decorations would be taken down in days gone by.

2nd February: Imbolc or Candlemas, represents the first stirrings of spring amid the winter snow. It's a time when you start to imagine what you want from the year ahead, but do no more than imagine. Action comes when your energy returns with the Spring.

Now when you compare this with what we all try to do today: celebrating Christmas for a couple of days before moving into New Year and resolutions and detox only a few days later - this is not very natural! And this is probably why we all get fed up and worn out by the feeling of having to 'start again' so soon.

Of course our modern world won't allow most of us to take the whole of January off for a long Christmas holiday(!) But if you are interested in working with the energy of the world around you in 2008, then stop pushing, and continue to stock up your reserves through this month, and then take a moment on the 2nd of February to light a candle and quietly ask for guidance on your plans for the days and months ahead.*

Just by relaxing and moving at a more natural pace - with nature - you'll find you will be building the foundations for a much more relaxing and healthy year.

Wishing you a wonderful and peaceful 2008,

* Read Sarah's January blog here for more tips on working with this Day of Power and finding your True New Year's Resolutions.