2023: A Year of Shedding Old Skin
As the year comes to a close, it’s time for reflection. How has 2023 been for you?
For me, 2023 has been a year of “shedding old skin.” What do I mean by that? Well, let me share a story that began in February 2020.
I was travelling in Nepal, accompanying a large group of clients for whom I had planned and curated a bespoke private tour, exploring tourist and spiritual sights in Kathmandu Valley. On one evening, a group member brought an oracle card deck and we were invited to choose a card for ourselves. The card I chose was this:
According to the oracle cards guidebook for this deck, the message is, “Cast off the old. Reveal your true colours, talents and gifts to the world.”
Further description in the guidebook states, “In many spiritual traditions, the snake symbolizes the Kundalini which is the powerful serpentine energy within that allows us to reach our highest spiritual potential. When the sacred ones saw a snake in nature or encountered one in a dream, they knew that there was transformation in the air. The Snake not only represents the shedding of old skin, but moving beyond the limitations caused by carrying the venom of negative thoughts about others or the past.”
When I read the extended message of the card, I had thought it meant transforming myself from a full-time employee to a full-fledged successful entrepreneur as I was already three years in self-employment at the time.
I had perceived transformation then as changes that occur externally, for instance, a change in occupation. I didn’t know that transformation here refers to shifts and changes occurring on the internal plane.
Additionally, I didn’t know that for the next three and a half years, transformation would bring about an overhaul of everything that I had believed in and had held on to. From my beliefs, thoughts and emotions to my actions and choices.
A transformation of my entire identity.
Post reading the oracle card message and not thinking much about it later, little did I know that four months after that Nepal trip (and the trip to India soon after) – right in the middle of lockdown – I had decided to become a spiritual practitioner and coach. A decision that was not made lightly but after much contemplation. I suppose, things were brewing for sometime but I wasn’t aware of it.
Related Post: Top Places in Nepal for Non-Adventure Travellers
The journey of being a spiritual practitioner and coach certainly involved LOTS of transformation! I kid you not. Over these three and a half years, I found the journey demanded me to:
- Face my fears and work through them
- Not to get enmeshed in my clients’ emotional issues
- Listen to my intuition
- Protect my sacred energy and light
- Say what I mean and mean what I say
- Get comfortable in saying No and setting healthy boundaries
- Speak my truth and share my voice
- Be kind and compassionate to myself
- Build, develop and cultivate a better relationship with money
- Release certain people from my life (I cannot take everyone with me to where I am headed)
- Surrender resistance and control
- Trust, Trust, Trust in myself and in the Divine
- Commit and show up for myself
Most of all, the journey taught me to fall in love with myself again and to enjoy and have fun! (sometimes we take ourselves too seriously, lol!)
Related Post: My Story – Starting Anew
Right now, I feel this process of shedding old skin is almost done as new skin is starting to grow.
I am loving this “new skin”. I am growing into it and getting comfortable with it. But at the same time, I am aware that the new skin will eventually become old skin and I’ll have to shed it again as part of self-evolution and self-transformation. The cycle continues.
The journey continues. A journey that we are invited to undertake in order to grow, expand, thrive and flourish.
I’d like to invite you to:
Take the opportunity now to reflect on the year 2023. Acknowledge and honour all that you have accomplished and received. Express gratitude for the miracles in your life, big and small. Appreciate the milestones in your journey. Learn the lessons that came your way this year.
Release and let go all that don’t serve you anymore with much love, gratitude and forgiveness.
Send love, kindness and compassion to yourself.
And then, send love, light, peace and harmony to others.
May the Year 2024 bring you deep fulfilment and joy, good health, prosperity and abundance, and inner peace.
