Please note, while it is great to do this with the New Moon, you can really start ANYTIME, so don't make excuses why you can't start TODAY!

New moons are the Perfect time to focus on new beginnings and things that we want to bring forth. The first New Moon of the year, in Capricorn, is especially powerful for setting your year in the direction you want it to flow. The New Moon in Capricorn is all about setting long term goals and taking actions towards them.

Knowing the power of tonights New Moon, let's really focus on goal setting for the new year. I will still clear my crystals and set them in the New Moon energy infused with my intentions like I wrote about a few weeks ago, but tonight I really want to get clear and focused. I want to set my goals with laser focus;

Remember.

“A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.” Harvey MacMackay

To start, let's get quiet. For me, I will sit by my Altar, light my incense and candle and play THIS PLAYLIST . I find practicing One Minute Breath, before I journal, helps my creative flow. It calms my mind and my body so that my thoughts can flow clearly. It helps me get into my body, and into the present moment.

When the gong portion of the playlist is finished (The first 3 songs are 11 minutes, including the Gong), get out your journal and just start to write out some of your desires for this upcoming year. The song following the gong, is a very powerful mantra. Ek Ong Kar Sat Gur Prasad, Sat Gur Prasad Ek Ong Kar mantra, the Magic Mantra, stops anything negative and removes all obstacles. It brings great intuition. (3HO)

“This mantra is so strong that it elevates the self beyond duality and establishes the flow of the spirit. This mantra will make the mind so powerful that it will remove all obstacles. We call it the ‘magic mantra’ because its powerful effect happens quickly and lasts a long time. But it has to be chanted with reverence, in a place of reverence.”-Yogi Bhajan

ONE MINUTE BREATH

Sit in Easy Pose with Neck Lock.
- Neck Lock: Lift the chest and sternum up while lengthening the back of the neck, by pulling the chin toward the back of the neck. Neck, throat and face muscles remain relaxed.
Inhale very slowly for 20 OR 10 OR 5 seconds.
Hold for 20 OR 10 OR 5 seconds, pull the spine up, drop the shoulders.(the same amount of time you inhaled)
Exhale very slowly for 20 OR 10 OR 5 seconds. .(the same amount of time you inhaled and held)
Continue in that pattern. Just keep the numbers for each part of the breath the same. (Each part of the breath is the same amount of time)

Adapted from The Library of Teachings and KRI Teachers Manual.

JOURNALING AND GOAL SETTING

After you free flow with your thoughts, start to add structure to your journaling and goal setting. I find the more detailed I get with my goals, the easier it is to see the steps I need to take to create them into my reality. So, be specific with each goal. For this exercise, focus on one goal at a time. You can repeat it multiple times, but stay focused and bring each goal through the list of questions.

Start by asking yourself some questions:

1) What is it that I want?

It is important that we get clear on this. The process of manifesting and creating the life we dream of, starts with us holding a vision of it. In order for us to create the life, it helps to see it, feel it, breathe it into our energy and hold it on our body. So, specifically write down; how will you feel when you have this goal met? What will change for you physically? emotionally? visually? Go through all the different aspects of your life that can change when you attain the goal.

2) How will you know you have met your goal?

It is helpful to have clear milestones that show you progress in attaining whatever it is you are wanting to call in. In this step you want to create timelines where you check in to see the progress you made. It is important that you take your time with this step. Putting down right now as when you want to have this goal is not setting yourself up for true success. When figuring out your milestones and the times to attaining them, you really want to think it through. What are the steps you will have to take? How long will those steps take? Think about this step as if you are making a map with timeframes on your goal.

3)What might stop you from having this goal met?

This is not to be negative, but we want to anticipate some of things that might present themselves as obstacles. This way we go in, knowing how to get around them...So think about some of things that might stop you and then go inside and see the ways that you can get yourself around it. This includes outside influences, as well as inner stories that you tell yourself. Walk yourself through your doubt, so that you don't let it stop you.

4) What resources do you have NOW, that can help you in achieving your goal?

Go through and inventory all the things, people, connections and support you have that can help you with achieving your goal. This could be a friend who is in the field you are looking to move into, an editor of a blog you might want to be featured on, a Yoga teacher that inspires you etc...More often than not, people want to help each other. Get together with people that inspire you towards your goals and spend time with them. Ask the questions, ask for help. It is incredibly helpful to hear other people's success stories. This gives your mind the conformation of what is possible.

5) What are your steps?

After answering the first 4 questions you will have the answers to your last question. What steps can I take to get closer to my goal? List out the steps you need to make. Give yourself a number of steps you want to take each day, week, month etc...Track it. Write down what you want to accomplish and when you do, write it down that you have completed it. Look at it often, SEE your progress written down, in your handwriting. This can be really helpful when you are having an off day.

I have used these questions on myself and with clients, and if you do the work, your goals are just moments away... Please let me know how it goes!

And if you haven't started yet, NOW is a perfect time to start the New Years Mediation I posted a few weeks back, you can find it HERE . A New Moon is a perfect time to start a new habit. Remember, Yogi Bhajan says practicing every day for 40 days straight will break any negative habits that block you from the expansion possible through the kriya or mantra.

If you’re ready to really go after your goals and want a little extra help, I would love to see you in New York City in person, or virtually anywhere Schedule a time here. Looking forward to connecting!