Happy New Year!

Listening to U2, 'New Year's Day'

They say that whatever you're doing when New Year arrives, you'll be doing the rest of the year. I was just getting into the house after helping a friend with a problem. I'd intended to be home a little earlier, take a bath, and do the libation at midnight, but I wound up pouring it about 12:15. Of course, true "middle" of the night right now is about 1:39 am, so I think I was okay. I annointed a plaque of Hekate that hangs over my front door, then poured spring water on the ground, followed by the wine, honey, and lavender mixture, calling to Her and praying. Tomorrow I'll annoint the image of Her on my car with the rest of the honeyed wine.

Then I came back inside, put a diffuser on a light bulb with Song of India oil in it and soft meditative music and sat in the recliner and let my mind wander, dropping off to sleep for a little while. My whole house quickly smelled beautifully. I feel very much at ease and ready to face 2009.

The reason I gave the offering to Hekate tonight (other than the fact I always do at some point when I'm menstruating) is that she is a Goddess of liminal points; she guards doorways, for example. The end of the old year and the beginning of the new is such a point. She is also a Goddess of wisdom and prosperity, two things I'd like to see in the New Year.

My impressions whilst 'meditating' were that in the coming year I need to work, as a friend has repeatedly told me, on not being mentally lazy and really focus on reasoned opinions, mental sharpness, mental health, and my low self-esteem. They say that lack of stimulation makes the brain atrophy and I feel like that is happening now that I've been out of school for some time. Also, I need to address my memory issues with my doctor. As far as problems like weight and finances--the rest will follow if I can overcome some of my psychological issues. I need to work on being happy; I'm not a lot of time, and it has to do with a pessimistic outlook that I have, one I don't want that's developed over time. I need to recapture the optimism of my youth. Hekate's guidance often echoes that of my friend. I can't argue when they team up together.

I hope you have some sort of guiding force in your life this coming year, whether it is an inner voice, God, whatever. I wish you wisdom, happiness and love.