Part of living a healthy and abundant life for all of us is the process of closing cycles. This is an individualized process that is different for everyone in terms of length of time, challenges in closing the cycle, and specific needs in order to do so in a healthy way. Yet, there are also some common factors of how we can best close these cycles and move into our new beginnings.
The goal of closing cycles when it comes to spirituality is to promote personal growth, healing and a deeper sense of inner peace. Knowing that the close of a cycle allows for us to step into our purpose and begin living a new chapter of our life's story helps us realize the essence of our higher self.
Here are the steps for closing cycles related to spirituality;
1. Reflection and Awareness
This is a time to reflect on the experience that we want to close. It includes acknowledging the feelings, lessons, and insights connected to the phase we went through. Journaling, meditation, and awareness activities are helpful practices to use during this step.
2. Acceptance
This part of the process is when we begin to accept the reality of what has happened from an objective perspective, where we take our feelings out of the experience. We see the positive and the negative aspects from this part of our life. We also accept all emotions that come through and realize our feelings are valid, useful, and true. This is when we process whatever we did not realize or see clearly at the time it happened. Talking, writing, or creating art are some ways to work on acceptance of past cycles.
3. Letting Go
During this step we release attachments, expectations, and lingering emotional patterns that are no longer serving our highest good. We begin to put an emphasis on our own self-love by making sure that everything in our present life aligns with our best interest. This includes releasing any relationships, habits, beliefs, or material items that are not mutually beneficial or energetically aligned. We begin to see our life in terms of a "bigger picture" and desire the greater good for all. Using reflective journaling as well as guided release activities is helpful during this phase.
4. Gratitude
This part of closing cycles is where we are able to recognize and appreciate the growth, experiences, and opportunities that the past cycle provided us. We see the reason for the cycle and take the lessons learned as something needed for our soul's evolution. We express gratitude regularly which brings closure to any residual thoughts or emotions from that time. This step often involves daily gratitude practices like prayers or intentional acts of kindness.
5. Forgiveness
After we move into showing gratitude and have a sense of acceptance, we are able to forgive ourselves and others for any perceived wrongdoings. This is a key step in releasing any lingering negative energy. We show forgiveness by not holding resentments or grudges. We wish others who were involved in the cycle well and have a positive outlook about the experience. Visualization and future planning are beneficial during this period.
6. Closure Ritual
This part of closing a cycle can be formal or informal. It is a time that symbolizes the closing of this chapter. The ritual might be something as simple as writing a letter, creating art, or a prayer. After a closure ritual, we no longer spend time thinking about the experience in depth. Although, thoughts may come to us from time to time, we are not consumed by them. We think about the phase with a fondness, whether from the growth we've made or from the experience itself. The closure ritual signifies us intentionally moving forward and being done with the past.
7. Reclaiming Energy
After we have fully closed the cycle, we redirect our mental, emotional, and spiritual energy towards new experiences and growth. This is an important step to embrace in order to ensure the cycle remains closed and we don't leave any negative energy attached to our present moment. Making a point of including uplifting hobbies or activities in daily living is helpful during this part of the process after closing a cycle.
8. Embracing Change
This step of closing cycles is where we accept change as a natural and needed part of life. We let go of any resistance to change and are open to new possibilities and experiences. This is where we begin to flow with life and allow events to unfold with objective reasoning. We let go of the fear of the unknown and fully step into embracing new possibilities as they come into alignment with our present self. During this phase, we can sometimes feel unsure and don't have a clear set path forward. However, we look to the future with excitement and eagerness allowing the new cycle to come in. This might include meeting new people, forming new relationships, trying new activities, moving, changing careers, or traveling more.
9. Integration
After closing a cycle, there comes a time where we assimilate the lessons, insights, and wisdom that we gained from the experiences into our day-to-day life. This is where we incorporate what we learned into our sense of self and our worldview. We take everything we went through along with the process of closing the cycle into consideration with our decisions moving forward. This part of the process usually involves creating new habits, establishing our current beliefs in our daily living, and continuing with our spiritual practices in a productive way. Full integration is a time where people from our past sometimes have a hard time recognizing and accepting our new life. It is also a time where we are challenged and tested by the world around us, to see if we have fully learned the lessons needed and can live authentically after the cycle has closed.
10. Clarity
This is the final part of the process of closing a cycle. It includes us being able to move forward with a clear vision. We have more joy and a sense of purpose that comes from the finality of the close of the cycle. We use the newfound understandings to guide our next steps and decisions. We have moved beyond the unknown to a new path that we realize was meant for us all along.
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