Openhand Solstice/Festive Prayer: Letting Go the Old Embracing the New
For many in spiritual circles the hibernal solstice is the real celebration of transition rather than Christmas. It's where the sun begins its transition from one hemisphere to the other. So it symbolises letting go and rebirth - embracing something new. I encourage all to reflect at this time. What is it you feel you're ready to let go of in your life? What might be limiting or holding you back? And on the other side of the same coin, what are you ready to embrace? I felt to share some encouragement in this regard...
Letting Go of the Old Distortion
It's essential to realise in life, that although we want the best for ourselves and our journey, we're also creating from the shadow unconscious side in our lives. These karmic filters often create limitation and self derailment. But crucially, it's not about overriding these with some kind of positive intention. That only heaps layers of denial on top, which are sure to 'bite you in the ass' someway down the line. But it is right and necessary to clear them so as to manifest a more harmonious life.
What we can say, is that the path through life is all about integrating the unrealised aspects of the shadow self. The question is, how best to undertake this?
In the Openhand approach, it is to look into the outer mirror that you've created and observe what doesn't serve you - what doesn't feel right and commensurate with who you are. Not right in regards to who and what you feel you can be.
Most of all, it is to look into 'tightness' that gets created, either in the body, built up emotions, or repetitive thought patterns. Usually these cause some kind of knot in your bodymind field, which will feel uncomfortable, painful, or even traumatic.
The crucial thing is not to avoid these, but to turn right into them. Express the pain in them. This could be through shouting, wailing, movement, energetic throwing up, or beating a pillow. At other times it may be more subtle, just a vibration which you feel into and unravel through with empowering inner illumination.
The key is to go right into the epicenter of it and 'blow up' the experience. Ask, "what am I attached to?" "What can I not let go of?" "Why do I need reality to be a certain way?" "What outcome do I think I cannot accept?"
Contemplate deeply into these. Ask of the Universe, "show me!" If you keep watching and keep exploring, the universe will surely show you. If you're not getting the reflection, it's often because you're allowing mind-led intention to command your day rather than active attention - allowing the Universal flow to guide you.
So let active attention show you the attachment. Then you can work with it. Express the attachment but look keenly into it. Do you really need it? Does the weight of the attachment really serve you? Do you really gain from what you think you'd like to have? When you're at the point where you realise the attachment doesn't serve, nor the promise of what it might deliver, then you're ready to let go.
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How to Let Go?
Next let go into the tightness. Soften right through it. It's like you open a doorway right through it and expand out - like passing through the eye of a needle. Now you can sit in the tightness and not even need it to go away. At this point you are already free.
Now you can breathe through the tightness and open out through it. A great way of doing this is the Openhand Bow, which has been evolved from the ancient Kriya Yoga in the lineage of Paramahansa Yogananda and the "Deathless Saint" Babaji. You open out through the tightness and breathe it from your being. Getting rid of it will now work, because you've dug up the energetic roots of attachment.
However, this is not the end of the story, because there is a new beginning of connected possibility to embrace and enjoy.
Embracing the New Beingness
From this point, you've opened a wide internal space through the previous contraction. Hence the soul can now flow through. You can support and assist this by feeling the new sense of beingness that wants to emerge. Perhaps it's empowerment? Perhaps a new sense of strength from an embodied paternal energy? Or it could be the gentle love and compassion of the maternal. Feel the new energy. Watch for reflections in the outer. Give energy to embodying it. Then let it express into your outer life.
This is the most alchemical practice that leads to miraculous change in the outer. Everything is consciousness, and because you've shifted yours, then space-time-continuum will bend around the new you, manifesting a more aligned and harmonious reflection - you're realising destiny.
It can help enormously to connect with a favourite spiritual location and/or nature. Like this place in the picture called "Mow Cop", which is a favourite one of mine. They can help you feel deep within and explore what wants to be moved right now.
What are you ready to let go of?
What are you ready to embrace?
Finally, as the Openhand Prayer for the solstice/festive, I felt to share this wonderful poem by Derek Walcott, "Love after Love", read by David Whyte, which is all about greeting yourself, finding the real you from amongst the breakdown of the old consciousness...
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Bright blessings
<<< Open 💎
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Warm wishes to all Openhanders in Alchemical Winds of Change 🌪️
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24/12/2024 Festive Greetings to All Openhanders
Hi Openhanders, I've spent the last few days on the cliffs of Cornwall, in the highly alchemical Tintagel area - of Merlin and Arthur mythology. I find it the perfect place to take time out, and intuit what's unfolding before us in the field.
The wind was powerful, rocking my camper this way and that, as a flight of dragons danced in mirth in the clouds above me...
There's absolutely no doubt about it, 2025 will be the Year of Acceleration. We can expect powerful alchemical transformation...
My Arcturian hat flies into the heavens. Make sure you don't lose your heads or your hats!
The wind is so strong, it literally blew me over a couple of times. Fortunately, the Andromedans were on hand with some steadying sacred geometry. Just as they have assured me they will be throughout the Year of Acceleration and beyond, as the Shift goes exponential...
Warm wishes to all at this Solstice/Festive time. Thankyou from the heart for your soulful involvement with Openhand through 2024. It's been the most powerful time of transformation imaginable. I'm so looking forward to connecting with you all in 2025.
Bright blessings everyone
<<< Open 💎
And PS - it seemed entirely appropriate to share this song with you all. Just imagine how quickly things can change...
Dragons over Glastonbury at Christmas 🌅
In reply to Warm wishes to all Openhanders in Alchemical Winds of Change 🌪️ by Open
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Wow, last night on Christmas Eve, there was a stunning Dragon sunset, out over Wearyall Hill and beyond...
Hi Open,Thanks for taking us…
In reply to Warm wishes to all Openhanders in Alchemical Winds of Change 🌪️ by Open
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Hi Open,
Thanks for taking us with you on your adventure. Yesterday evening i had popped out to drop off a couple things (my own little adventure) and at one of my stops i began laughing when i realized i had also lost my hat, by way of leaving it on the bus. Luckily when i got back on the bus it was right on the floor where i'd left it. I'd also starting singing 'Shores of Avalon' last couple days which is a neat parallel, and it came to me that singing alone is great, but harmonizing with others is even better. And thank you for your joyful playfulness; it's a balm for dense times and really brought warmth to my heart while i wrestle with consequences of my deeply conditioned behaviours. A great reminder that we all get knocked down time to time when the winds come. It's part of it. I can see clearer now just how owned by oc i am. I'm working through softening my 'hip-shot' anger and reminding myself that i created it. It's shocking just how narcissistic i can behave but am understanding why too. Just this evening as i cooked, and stewed on the latest drama (that i very much created) the song 'Strawberry Fields' popped into my head. Nothing is real. Nothing to get hung about. A beautiful message sent to help me pull myself out of the negative mind loops. Lots of practice ahead for this spiritual cadet.
It is so beautiful there at Cornwall and i'm deeply intrigued by the pyramid-like structure popping out of the water. Hope this finds you well, deep gratitude and blessings! barb,sylvanheart
Do take time out for inner contemplation this festive ☘️
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23/12/2024 Shift Perspective
I'm currently out on the cliffs of Cornwall, taking a break, finding essential time for inner reflection, which I encourage all to do similar this festive/solstice break. Hence my sharing above today, including an old favourite poem called, "Love after Love", read by the marvellous David Whyte.
Well wishes to all this festive break.
Much love
<<< Open 💎
Addiction insight
In reply to Do take time out for inner contemplation this festive ☘️ by Open
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Hi Open,
The past few days I have been reflecting on what I now identify as an addiction to food, specifically junk and sweet foods. In the past few years I have felt unable to go one day without some form of junk food (poison) and it hit me yesterday that if I can't go one day without such food then it's surely an addiction.
I have been keeping the issue in mind the past few days and a strong insight has landed: I am consuming these foods as a way of numbing myself to the pain of being here. The realisation goes very deep and is painful but it's also made itself known so that I can act and change the pattern I have become stuck in.
I have asked the 'show me' question of the universe but felt to post here for any advice, reflections or guidance you may have.
This feels like a deeply personal issue that is not easy for me to discuss but maybe this could help others going through the same thing.
Any insights would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Nikki 🙏
Dealing with the comfort-food addiction dynamic 🍔
In reply to Addiction insight by NikkiNoo
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Hi Nikki,
Thanks for raising the topic of comfort food addiction, and its challenges, especially at this festive time of year, when it goes into overdrive.
This food addictiondynamic is especially heightened when one is empathic and sensitive. Here's the conundrum: you know what's its doing to you, yet it seems extremely difficult to stop. I know it well from my own earlier journey.
Firstly, the key is to be aware on your being of the impact to sensitivity of the field, and also the harsh density of the 3D at times. As more of the soul infuses, the more you feel it, and so the need to placate it. It's a vicious cycle, which can have you spiralling downward like a roller coaster.
But it needn't be this way, if we work with it.
Crucially, it's important not to self-judge. Because this, of itself, creates a blindspot to the actual underlying dynamic. Self-judgment triggers you out of the feeling in which you most need to be - which is in the discomfort you feel immediately prior to 'self-medicating' with junk food. What do you feel? Where? Is it emotional? Is it physical, mental or energetic? It will likely be entwined through all of these layers. And so you've got to pick apart the strands, one by one.
How to do this?
You have to amplify the feelings of tightness by pushing back the moment where you want to self-medicate - where you're craving the junk food. This is where you need to expand the window and look into the building feelings before either placating or suppresinng them by consumption. This is where intermittent fasting is so powerful, especially where you go into meditation directly before you eat.
Feel the feelings. Ask, "What's the attachment? Why do I need the food? How do I think it's going to make me whole and complete? How will it ease the pain? Ask: "What pain? And where is it?"
Soften into the feelings. Work with the attachments. Unwind into them. Realise there's a massive gain to be realised from the increased sensitivity to the field that you'll embody. Then you'll find the reactivity will ease. It's a bit like easing into a bath that's a degree too hot.
Afterwards, by all means, go and eat. But now do so consciously, with less craving, and more centredness in your natural torus.
Now make conscious choices of what is best for you. Yes, eat the denser foods or the soul-comforting sweetness. But, choose instead a healthier version. Because your soul is now integrating through the experience, you'll find the food doesn't need to be as suppressing, less dampening, and you don't require as much of it.
This approach prevents the downward spiralling, which you then have to work seriously hard to emerge from again.
Let's be clear: the soul needs its food fulfilment experience. It needs the comforting at times. And that's absolutely fine. But what we need to do, is become more balanced in what we consume, how often, and how much. That way, we can open in sensitivity to the field, improve our skills of empathy and intuition, and be fulfilled at the same time. It's a win win situation.
You'll discover ultimately, that by this measured work, you gain far more than you lose.
Bright blessings
<<< Open 💎
PS - I'm intrigued, how do others experience this junk food dynamic?
Guide book to breaking free
In reply to Dealing with the comfort-food addiction dynamic 🍔 by Open
Comment
Hi Open, and thank you for what I can only term a guide book to breaking free of junk food (a book idea perhaps? 😊). I didn't anticipate the level of detail in your response and I am so grateful for it.
I have tried this approach a few times today, which has strangely been one of the worst days for over-consumption. I have struggled to get in touch with the feelings as it's almost like there's a wall in the way of all of it. Whenever I have tried fasting or 'dieting' in the past, I seem to go into over-consumption mode within hours, even if there are no cravings. I know this runs very deep and that I need to work hard to get through the wall in my way. Lots to work on.
Thank you again for your help and guidance.
Nikki 🙏
P.S. Thank to Barb too for your encouragement
Finding another way to be filled
In reply to Guide book to breaking free by NikkiNoo
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Hi Nikki, with all the most resistant of distortions, we just have to allow them to run their path. Allow them. Express them, don't suppress. But then keep inquiring into them. This way, you'll tire of them, and surely get to the bottom of them.
You'll see there's another way to be filled.
Much love
<<< Open 💎
Hi Nikki, I feel your…
In reply to Guide book to breaking free by NikkiNoo
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Hi Nikki,
I feel your struggles, and very much relate. Especially now. Things are getting so intense and food grounds and eases, and can also feel like a connection to better times. In my case it also became a stuffer-down-of-feelings, and even punishment. When Open mentioned the 'energetic vomiting' it jogged a memory that at one point i had started doing that during particularly intense emotional purging, and it made me feel lots better. Just make sure if you feel to do it, try to do it before eating so you can feel the trapped emotions coming up and out and don't have to worry about making a mess if it comes up suddenly. And don't hold back!
I was pretty much raised on junk food and have struggled with binge eating just as long. For me it comes from not being certain i was always going to eat, and having experienced hunger during traumatic times. Food was also used to pacify and appease. So it's no wonder i became very food-driven. I have started talking to the little girl who still feels the pain of her childhood, and it has helped so much. It has to start with self-acceptance for me as i spent so long beating myself up. I still struggle with food addiction but a recent illness has forced me to change everything. No one should have to learn such a hard way but for myself, it was a huge blessing. But the cravings are coming back as my body heals, although i think there's enough damage i will never be able to eat like that again. It's going to have to come down to the very thing Open speaks of, to dig deep into those feelings and work through them. So I'm right there with you and hoping you will be kind to yourself because it's not your fault! Love and blessings, barb,sylvanheart
Encouragement
In reply to Addiction insight by NikkiNoo
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Hi Nikki,
I felt to add some encouragement from my own experiences with this in the past year. I didn't judge myself when I felt the need to indulge but simply paid attention to how I felt afterwards and in what ways it could be described as better compared to how I felt if I didn't indulge. If that experience was gone the next day, i.e if I felt like buying candy or whatever again, I just did it with a sort of childlike curiousity 'gee I wonder if the feeling today will be the same as yesterday'
Then came the first day where I went for groceries and said no, I'm not buying this (chocolate or whatever) today. Just not doing it. Actually felt somewhat angry with myself as a form of being afraid of not having any comfort food in the house that day. The next day, call it a reward if you will, I bought it anyway and felt happy to do so. In many ways that feels like a stupid thing to do but over time, the dynamic expanded and the need to 'reward' myself in this manner slowly disappeared. The time between craving and rewarding expanded slowly over the course of several months, where deciding not to buy comfort food somehow turned into a basic decision.
Currently, the cravings are gone without me ever actively trying to stop it or go against it. All I did was take a small 'insignificant' step each time. In the example above, considering the fact that I managed to go one day without as a cause for celebrating it by indulging the next day may feel like you lost or you gave in or you can't do it, but in the end, this approach allowed my ego to slowly detach rather than trying to force a new lifestyle upon myself.
So I would say the encouragement boils down to: accept that it will still be there for a while, focus only on the small percentages of victory, don't see 'going back' as a loss or mistake (and definitely not as if you're doing it wrong!) , give your ego time to experience the difference and see for itself that this isn't the way. Somehow, over a few months, you may suddenly realize that you can't even remember why the craving was there in the first place. This is how it worked for me, take from it what feels like it would work for you and I wish you succes!
A great inspiration to all tuning in
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I'm full of admiration Hannah. Having the courage to confront that which is painful.
And as you're already aware, it keeps breaking through to greater authenticity.
Sometimes there's a wondering "when will it all end?"
My experience is it gets much easier to shed the layers, you move through faster, until there's a natural opening out as you confront density. So there comes a great peace with it.
What you're doing is a great inspiration to all tuning in. 
Open 
Letting go of an outside source of love..
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..and embracing the patriarch within. Thank you for the article Open, I've really been touched by the David Whyte poems. Layer after layer of emotional attachment seem to come up, slowly this time, strong enough to clearly feel, subtle enough not to act on it but to just hold them in my awareness. They now seem more like echo's from the intense waves they once where, ready to be released. Yes it's a breaking down process, with a lot of grief and feelings of despair sometimes. But so worth it.
What will you let go of this solstice? What will you embrace?
Comment
So Openhanders, do you get a sense of what you're ready to let go of at this time?
Are you aware of a new sense of you that you'd like to embrace and embody?
It's always good to share and speak it out into the universe with some heart felt emotion. That way the space-time-continuum bends around your soulful expression. You're putting a positive soul-yearning out into the Universe which always gets answered and reflected.
Namaste
Open
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