The 13 Holy Nights. A Heartfelt Holiday Tradition to Infuse the Darkest Days of Winter with Radiant Delight! by Alicia Morrow

Transcription

1 A Heartfelt Holiday Tradition to Infuse the Darkest Days of Winter with Radiant Delight! by Alicia Morrow

2 Copyright: Alicia Morrow clearly states her right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the U.S. Copyright Law, as amended from time to time. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author, Alicia Morrow. Copyright 2012 Alicia Morrow 2012 Littleton, CO, USA This (second) edition published in the USA by Alicia Morrow in A Radiant Possibilities publication Disclaimer: Alicia Morrow is a board certified holistic health and nutrition coach through the American Association of Drugless practitioner (AADP) and is not a medical doctor or a physician. None of the advice herein is to be used for diagnosing or curing any disease or medical illness. The techniques and advice described in this book represent the opinions of the author based on her experience and study. The author clearly disclaims any responsibility, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a result of using any of the techniques, recipes, or suggestions herein. If in any doubt, or if requiring medical advice, please contact the appropriate health professional. By participating in this program you understand that your choices in ALL areas are ultimately your responsibility. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 2

3 Dear Reader, Welcome to one of my most treasured holiday celebrations: The 13 Holy Nights. I adore this season of long cold nights and the promise of snow covered hillsides, unforgettable holiday parties and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to giving and receiving all of the gifts this season holds for us. Mostly I look forward to honoring what these short days and long nights nudge me to do slow down, turn inward, hibernate a bit and honor the light that burns brightly within me. It is my intention to share with you a simple yet profound practice that has brought tremendous value and richness to my holiday season. By sharing this practice, it is my desire to empower you, dear reader, toward a deeper experience of magic, wonder and connection to both yourself and something greater during the long nights of winter. May your experience of the 13 Holy Nights nourish your heart and soul from the inside out. May it be an opportunity to give your self the much needed time and space for quiet and introspection so many of us long for during the holidays and shortest days of winter. With heartfelt wishes for a holiday season filled with delight, deep nourishment and divine possibilities~ Alicia Morrow To contact Alicia: Alicia@RadiantPossibilities.com Facebook: LinkedIn: YouTube: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 3

4 Contents Copyright & Disclaimer...2 A Letter to You, Dear Reader...3 Raw Revelation...5 The 13 Holy Nights Unveiled...8 Preparing for Your 13 Holy Nights...10 Honoring the Light Within Holy Imprints for Your New Year...13 Some Guidelines for Your 13 Holy Nights...15 Giving Yourself the Gift of Turning Inward...18 Acknowledgments...19 Self-Acknowledgement Exercise Holy Nights Journal...21 Emerging Patterns and Epiphanies...34 A Little About Alicia...35 Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 4

5 Raw Revelation Raw and living foods have played an important role in my life for a more than a decade. During this time my health, my belief systems, my relationships and my life have changed in many ways. As the quality of my diet has improved, so has the quality in every arena of my little corner of the world. As I have become healthier, happier and more radiant from the inside out, my life has aligned with these improvements. As one of my beloved mentors says, The better it gets, the better it gets!. This has truly been my experience. Raw foods have the power to enliven us from the inside out, and to clean and clear away anything that isn t in alignment with who and what we truly are. On a cellular level, as I have nourished myself with the power and nutrient density of living foods, my cells released the toxins and sludge that they were once holding on to. As this toxicity cleared out of my system my physical body felt, looked and functioned better. My thoughts, moods and general outlook became much more positive and I began to relate to the world around me in an entirely new and sunny-side-up kind of way. The holidays have been no exception to this. There have always been things that I have loved about the end of the year holidays. But before I started eating raw foods, more often than not, I found myself operating as if I was on auto-pilot. I felt really out of balance in body, mind and soul, and this imbalance came from an incongruity within myself. It wasn t unusual for my sleep schedule to get discombobulated and my eating habits to take a turn for the worse. Emotional and binge eating were almost always a part of my holiday tradition, and I d usually drift through December feeling bloated and less than beautiful. My attitude and emotional states mirrored my physical body by being checked-out, numbed-out, emotionally drained and less than truly happy. Looking back I can now see that I hadn t clearly defined for myself what I wanted the holiday season to look like, feel like, and be like for me. As a result I d often go very unconscious during what I believe can be a holy and awe-inspiring time of year. I participated in the holidays the only way I knew how - by being busy and by doing what I thought I should be doing. But all of this busy-ness left me feeling disconnected from myself and empty inside. And this emptiness, and loneliness even, felt so out of alignment with the fullness of heart I deeply wanted to feel. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 5

6 This changed when raw foods became part of my life. Today my holidays are a joyful and heart-filling time of year for me. I truly feel the magic and wonder I yearned for before, and I no longer abandon myself to the frenzied and frantic pace all around me. I experience the holidays from a place of love, presence, health and radiant vitality. As a result I am much more able to experience the true meaning of this magical time of year, and share it with others. I believe that at the core of who we really are lives light, love and the essence of God/Goddess, Universe, All That Is. I also believe raw foods have the power to purify and beautify us from the cellular level all the way to the soul level. As this process of purification and beautification unfolds over time, it shakes loose anything that isn t in alignment with our deepest truth and who we really are. In essence I believe raw foods have the power to take us back to a state of Oneness with All That Is, and return us to a state of knowing who and what we really are. As we begin to tap more deeply into this knowing that we are divine beings having a very human experience, our entire vibration begins to rise. Old habits that no longer serve fall away, relationships change, and how we behave begins to shift. Who we are being in the world evolves and, if we desire to do so, how we relate to the world around us also transforms into something more peaceful, powerful and incredibly poetic. I believe one of the most potent times of year to experience this first hand is during the 13 Holy Nights. This sacred time of year begins at sunset on December 24th and ends on sunset of January 6th. It is a time when the veils between the world of substance and the world of spirit become very thin, and we are granted greater access to out unseen team of guidance and love that is always around us. Of course the Holy Nights are also during one of the busiest, most frenzied times of year. The holiday season encourages us to keep an almost hectic pace just to accomplish everything on our long to-do lists. It s this hurried pace that used to feel so out of place to me during the holidays. It fed into my tendency to go on auto-pilot and made it very difficult for me to really get into the true spirit of the season. My holiday experience became less and less about the possibility of miracles and heartfelt connections with our loved ones. Instead it began to represent stress, longer to-do lists, obligations that didn t feel good to me, and even more demands on my time and my precious energy. I used to wonder if there was something wrong with me because I had a hard time getting excited about the holidays. Now I recognize I was desperately longing for something more in alignment with what my heart and soul were really craving time to slow down, quiet space to feel and listen, and opportunities to self-nurture. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 6

7 Looking back I can see that my desire to live a life of integrity and joy was being enhanced by my high raw diet, but simultaneously challenged by how I was relating to the holiday season. I wasn t honoring my needs and I wasn t living my truth. Instead I had fallen into the common trap of taking too many things on and not paying enough attention to myself. I was allowing the expectations and traditions that weren t in alignment with my heart to dictate my experience. Before I invited a new way of relating to the holidays into my life, it wasn t uncommon to find myself half way through a box of chocolates or a plate of sugar cookies at any given holiday gathering. I d usually have no awareness of what I was doing and the guilt of what I d just eaten would be magnified by the food coma I d slowly slip into. Even though I had shifted my food choices to a high raw diet and I had made a lot of upgrades in every area of my life I went completely unconscious in these instances. My relationship to the holidays and the traditions that I kept hadn t caught up yet with the rest of my life. This was why I d fall off the raw food wagon during the holidays and find myself wondering why I couldn t keep to my usual dietary routine. My behaviors were telling me it was to upgrade my relationship to the holidays as well! The clarity that I received through eating raw foods helped me to see that being stressed out and checked out wasn t how I really wanted to experience my holidays. My soul, the same part of me that compelled me to upgrade my diet and my life by going raw in the first place, was now asking me to elevate my holiday experience as well. So, I began to implement my own traditions into this magical time of year with inspired and beautiful results. I carved out the time and space I required to have the holiday experiences I really desired. I began to allow my holidays to be what I always dreamed they could be filled with laughter, hope, miracles, play, magic and awe. For me the best way to do this, amidst all of the activity and hubbub all around, was to allow there to be time for quiet and introspection in my schedule. Placing these slower moments into my daily routine gave me what I needed to tune into myself, honor the truth that lives inside of me, and discover how this authenticity desires to express itself in my life and my end of year celebrations. I began to implement a practice that supports and enhances my soul s deepest desire to listen to and honor my heartfelt truth. It is a practice that allows me to honor the wisdom that dwells inside of me and all around me. It is a practice that encourages deep listening and a way to receive the reflections and guidance that is all around. It is a way to gather all of this information and let it be our roadmap and guide for the year to come. This practice is called the 13 Holy Nights. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 7

8 The 13 Holy Nights Unveiled The 13 Holy Nights mark an extraordinary time of year when a doorway between the earthly world and the spiritual world opens. The veils that normally separate these realities become transparent for 13 nights beginning on sunset of the 24th of December, ending at sunset on the 6th of January every calendar year. During this time the yearly circle of seasons breaks open and temporarily becomes a spiral. When this circle breaks open and spirals into its next evolution, we are gifted with a unique window of time to receive divine guidance about what can help us grow and evolve into who we truly desire to become. If we create the space to receive and nurture it, the wisdom and guidance from the stars and the realms of spirit are more accessible at this time of year than any other. It can inform and infuse our lives with exactly what we require to learn and grow into the next evolution of who we are here to be. This tradition reintroduces us to the spiritual support and encouragement that is all around us everyday. It provides a way for us to tune into the messages that are all around us, and to more fully receive divine love into our hearts and minds. The 13 Holy Nights also parallel the rhythmic turning inward of the earth that we see in nature in the northern hemisphere every winter. Bears go into hibernation, the trees drop their leaves, and the nights grow longer than the days. There is a call all around us in nature to turn inward, take note of magic and coincidence, allow the time and space for insight and inspiration to fill us so that we may prepare for the year that lies ahead, and hold a sacred space for the real possibility that miracles and magic are true possibilities in our lives. However, for most of us, our physical rhythm doesn t reflect what the earth is showing us. If anything we find ourselves speeding up and moving even faster. On a deeper level, though, our spiritual rhythm does follow the earth s lead, and we all experience a subtle, deep and often unmet desire to go within and get quiet. Could there be something valuable in what the earth is showing us? Is it actually helpful to slow down and turn inward? What wisdom lies in following the earth s lead? Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 8

9 The 13 Holy Nights are an opportunity for us to reconnect with our divine rhythm and nature, while simultaneously providing a gateway to an evolution of self. By slowing down, paying attention and listening with an open heart, we can hear the wise counsel of our soul s calling and the loving guidance from our unseen team of angels and guides. And as we do so, light pours into our thinking from the stars and realms of spirit, informing, inspiring and infusing us with fresh insight and direction for a new year ahead. As I slow down every year to honor these holy nights new epiphanies come into my awareness. One of the most profound realizations I had years ago was about the importance of self-acknowledgment. It became clear to me how difficult it is to get a sense of where we ve come from and who we are becoming if we never take the time to acknowledge ourselves for all we ve accomplished in a year s time. Without this recognition, the inspiration and motivation to keep moving forward in our lives can be curtailed. As a result it can be easy to feel lost, stuck, and blind to our incredible potential and possibility. When we take the time to acknowledge all we have accomplished in a year s time, big or small, we connect with the energy of possibility, potential, magic and miracles. When we honor who we are today and who we are becoming, we infuse our life journey with gratitude, self-compassion, and love. These are the ingredients for living a deeply fulfilling life, and are also the divine gifts we can give to ourselves. Are you ready to learn how you, too, can bring the magic of the 13 Holy Nights into your holiday season? Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 9

10 Preparing for Your 13 Holy Nights The 13 Holy Nights themselves begin at sunset on the 24th of December every calendar year. The preparations for the magical opening of this doorway to the stars and realms of spirit happen between the 21st and 24th of December. You may go about preparing for your Holy Nights in a number of ways, but the idea is to approach this time of year with an attitude of slowness, expectation, anticipation and possibility. Like a bird building a safe nest for its precious eggs, I encourage you to begin creating a receptive mindset and heart space for all that is to come. During the magical nights that lie ahead, what may seem like mundane, day-to-day occurrences may actually hold a deeper meaning for you. During my Holy Nights, I hold a recognition in my mind s eye that all of my thoughts, feelings and interactions with others will be informing me, on some level, about the different themes, patterns and insights that I can use in the year ahead to guide me toward my best self. I like to think of these themes and patterns as imprints, and these imprints are like a roadmap or guidance system in my life. Dr. Stephen Covey, the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People uses airplanes as a metaphor for life. Most of the time a plane is in flight, it is actually off of it s set course due to turbulence, weather, human error and other factors. But because the pilots receive constant feedback from instruments, control towers, other airplanes and even from the stars, they can make the needed adjustments to come back on course and arrive at their intended destination. The planes safe arrival is due to many factors the vision, the plan, and the courage and fortitude it takes to keep finding a rightful course time and time again. The information that we are given during the Holy Nights can be used in the same course correcting way. During these 13 nights we can ask our mind to simply bear witness and receive these valuable imprints from our daily life, so that we may correct our life s course, if need be. This is not an intellectual exercise of figuring something out or rationalizing with our minds. Instead, we are opening ourselves to the metaphors and messages within our daily lives and dreamtime visions. If we can quiet our minds, become receptive, and listen from a deeper place within, we can see and hear the messages we are being given. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 10

11 In preparation for this internal posture of deep listening and receptivity, it is powerful to set the intention to see past the simple storyline of our lives and into the hidden messages of what we are experiencing. We can ask the world of spirit to enlighten us and give us the insight and fresh perspective we need to transcend the beliefs and attitudes that may be limiting a fuller expression of our potential. Instead, we can invite a new awareness to come into our consciousness and help us grow our character. Our relationship to the coming New Year is reflected in the information we receive during the Holy Nights. All we have accomplished in the previous year is the basis from which our future self can sprout, blossom and bear fruit. The guidance we receive from the stars and the realms of spirit keeps us on course with our greater purpose, our growth trajectory and our soul s journey. For instance, when I began this tradition of the 13 Holy Nights the most pronounced pattern for me as overeating, especially during the holidays. It was more like a compulsion than a pattern, and it felt really awful in many ways. Instead of judging and shaming myself for my behavior, I worked with it in a very conscious way throughout the Holy Nights by witnessing and recording my thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. I asked my angels and guides for new insight into what this behavior was showing me, and how I might move beyond it and into my greater possibilities. I received a fresh perspective that really shifted my behavior. You see, at that time, feeling my feelings was really terrifying to me. I discovered that eating was a very calming and comforting activity that soothed my fears and provided a great way to get through a difficult time in my life. I realized judging and condemning myself for this behavior wasn t helping at all. Eventually, as I began to love myself even more than I ever had before, I grew out of this way of coping with my feelings, and I found a better way of dealing with the ups and downs of life. This discovery serves me well even today. I was shown the perfection of what I had been doing, and as a result my desire for something more constructive to take its place grew. This loving perspective helped me move beyond a hurtful pattern and into a place of deeper self-compassion and acceptance. This was not merely an intellectual shift, but a soulful acknowledgement of my innate brilliance and lovability. Something greater than me showed me a way through this painful pattern to the next level of my personal evolution. Years later I am helping others move into their next level of greatness as a part of my work in the world. What began as a self-limiting behavior has transformed into meaningful and empowering service to others. The compassionate guidance I received during my 13 Holy Nights years ago gave me a new direction and directive in my life. This kind of powerful help is always available to us, and is more easily accessible during the 13 Holy Nights if we allow ourselves to create the space to receive it. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 11

12 Honoring the Light Within I believe our journey of personal growth and evolution was intended to be a joyful path of discovery. Raw foods play a subtle and powerful role in this journey because they support the emergence of our true selves. As the mind becomes clearer through clean eating and living, it is easier to place it in the role of the observer of events and information instead of the determiner of what it all means. When our mind takes its rightful place in service to the soul, it allows something bigger than us to offer its higher perspective, and with it, a greater compassion and acceptance of who we really are and all we are meant to be. The tradition of the 13 Holy Nights, as an annual holiday practice, invites us to enter into a receptive state, which is the only state where true wisdom can reveal itself through us. It is this state that can be so challenging to access during the busy-ness of the holiday season. And yet it is this state we are longing for the most. The shift that can occur in how we see and relate to our lives and ourselves when we slow down and create opportunities for quiet and receptivity in our lives can help us gracefully release pain and judgment so we can live into our joy and greater self-expression. We aren t forcing anything to happen or demanding a specific outcome when we observe the 13 Holy Nights. Instead we are allowing the inspiration from the stars and realms of spirit to guide and teach us, work through our imagination, and nourish our thoughts into a deeply compassionate and awake state. From this loving place we can melt away fear, resistance and pain, and move into freedom, delight and the next evolution of our best selves. This is how we deeply bow to and honor the light that lives within each and every one of us. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 12

13 13 Holy Imprints for Your New Year After you have created an internal environment of anticipation and receptivity for 3 nights, the Holy Nights begin at sunset on the 24th of December. It is a great idea to begin to reinforce any spiritual practices you have or would like to begin during the 13 nights ahead. By praying, meditating, doing yoga, practicing Tai Chi, Qigong or any other spiritual practice you can think of, you can strengthen your connection to the loving essence inside of your mind and heart, and deeply nourish and honor the light within you. The information we collect during the 13 Holy Nights is brought into our awareness in an ordered way. Each night reflects one of the 13 moon cycles of the year ahead (28 days = 1 moon cycle; 13 moon cycles x 28 days = 1 annual cycle). If you use a moon calendar, the events, experiences and information we record on the first Holy Night provides the imprints for the first moon cycle of the next year, the second Holy Night an imprint for the second moon cycle, and so forth. Or, if you use a Western calendar, we can think of your nights imprints in this way: pp pp pp pp pp pp pp pp pp pp pp pp pp Sunset 12/24 to Sunset 12/25 Imprint for your entire year ahead Sunset 12/25 to Sunset 12/26 = Imprint for January Sunset 12/26 to Sunset 12/27 = Imprint for February Sunset 12/27 to Sunset 12/28 Imprint for March Sunset 12/28 to Sunset 12/29 = Imprint for April Sunset 12/29 to Sunset 12/30 = Imprint for May Sunset 12/30 to Sunset 12/31 = Imprint for June Sunset 12/31 to Sunset 1/1 = Imprint for July Sunset 1/1 to Sunset 1/2 = Imprint for August Sunset 1/2 to Sunset 1/3 = Imprint for September Sunset 1/3 to Sunset 1/4 = Imprint for October Sunset 1/4 to Sunset 1/5 = Imprint for November Sunset 1/5 to Sunset 1/6 = Imprint for December Throughout this internal process of gathering and recording information, recognize it may be very different than what you think it should be. Remember this is not a process of analyzing and rationalizing the experiences that come into your life as much as it is a practice of allowing, feeling and being present in the moment. It is important to have fun with it and do what brings you joy. After all, experiencing and imprinting things that bring you joy is exactly what you want to be carrying forward into your new year! Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 13

14 These 13 Holy Nights are a great time to celebrate the season and spend time with loved ones. However it is equally important to slow down, take some time off to reflect and draw in the gifts being offered to you from the stars and world of spirit. This is not a good time to overdo anything, be it work or play, food or drink, because the over-doing will be part of the imprint you take in for the year ahead. Instead, prioritize and reinforce the deeply nourishing, pleasurable and fulfilling activities in your life so they may reflect into your new year. For me this includes spending time with friends and family, and participating in activities that bring me tremendous joy. I make a point of keeping up with my exercise routine and movement practices like yoga. I do my best to eat in a way that energizes, sustains and feels deeply delicious and satisfying to me. I take time to self-nurture by taking baths, reading by the fire and appreciating the beauty that is all around me. All of these activities reinforce self-love, self-care and enjoyment in my life; all things I want to imprint into every New Year. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 14

15 Some Guidelines for Your 13 Holy Nights Over the years I have created a few nightly practices, or rituals, that have served me very well during my Holy Nights. I will share them with you here. Please note there are no specific rules for celebrating the magic of the 13 Holy Nights, but honoring them specifically between the 24th of December and the 6th of January allows you to experience the spiritual support that can permeate your life as the doorway to the spiritual realms opens specifically during those 13 nights. 1. Prioritize the time and create a pattern of consistency within your nightly practice beginning on the 24th of December (as early as the 21st if you wish), and ending at sunset on the 6th of January. When we have a schedule for how we spend our time we create a rhythm and predictability in our lives that we can rely upon and relax into. As a result it is easier to take on a more receptive posture in our lives. For me this means taking time for journaling and various quiet and meditative practices before bed. I also set aside time after I wake in the morning to set my intentions for the day, journal and record my dreams from the night before. Where can you prioritize pockets of sacred time in your schedule? How can you increase or amplify the quality of this allotment of sacred time during the 13 Holy Nights? 2. Make this tradition uniquely yours, and do it in a way that brings joy, relaxation, receptivity and a sense of wonder to the time you set aside for this. For many it s helpful to keep a journal to track and write down the events from the Holy Nights so that it is easy to reference later in the year. I select a special journal for this tradition and I paste beautiful photographs, cards, inspirational quotes and other meaningful treasures into it. It becomes a special book that is uniquely creative, beautiful and mine. You can use the journal I have created for you in this ebook if you d like. Consider what will be a part of your unique tradition, and how you can infuse more enjoyment and soul into this practice every year. How will you implement them into your 13 Holy Nights? 3. Do your best to eat in a way that makes you feel awake, alive and engaged in your life so that you can be very present for your 13 Holy Nights experience. For me this means staying well hydrated, eating and drinking plenty of green things, and substituting my own healthier and low-glycemic treats for the abundance of holiday desserts that are all around. By honoring what I know works best for my body I can more readily receive the gifts from the stars and the realms of spirit. I know I won t be checking out or numbing out in any way, and instead I ll be ready to celebrate and fully experience this holy and sacred time with all of my senses. What foods help you feel energized and ready to receive miracles? How can you include more of them in your diet during the Holy Nights in a way that is delicious and nourishing? Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 15

16 4. Create a space that feels sacred, safe and special in some way. This might look like laying out a special cloth on a table, bringing in a sacred object or two, and/or playing beautiful and relaxing music while you record the happenings from your day in your journal. It s not necessary that your space look any particular way, but it is important that it feel good to you. I began my tradition years ago by moving things out of a closet and placing a little table with a candle, my journal and a meditation cushion to sit on inside of it. It was my own little sanctuary for 13 nights. Where will you create your space? How will you make it special, safe and sacred? 5. Begin your nightly celebration by shifting the energy of your designated sacred space in some way. You could burn incense or sage, use essential oils to transform your space into something special, ring a small bell or saying a short prayer when you are ready to begin. Or perhaps putting your work away for the day so you can truly give yourself to this practice will make all of the difference. I make certain my desk is clear so that the never-ending to-do list doesn t intrude upon the peaceful space I am creating. What will help you shift the energy of your chosen sacred space to make it feel different than it might at other times? What kind of simple ritual can you bring to your Holy Nights to infuse them with beauty and grace? 6. Light a candle to signify the beginning of your sacred and quiet time. Let it burn and glow while you write, meditate, listen and reflect. Blow the candle out when you are complete for the evening and give yourself a moment or two to relish in the darkness. Can you notice how the light of your inner being glows as it engages in this sacred work? 7. Journal to record the feelings, events and experiences of your 13 Holy Nights, days too. Record your dreams, phone calls and any contact you ve had with others so that you can reference all of your interactions and activities throughout the year ahead. It has been my experience that those I have contact with during the Holy Nights are who I most frequently have contact with throughout the year ahead, even if they aren t a usual part of my tribe. This act of recording and writing is also a powerful way to engage your personal will in your journey of evolution and personal growth. And it makes all that happens during these magical nights more alive and real. Is there an emotion that is particularly prevalent for you? What are your energy levels like? How do you feel in your body? Notice if there are any themes, patterns or surprises during your Holy Nights, and take note of them in your journal or on page 34 of this ebook. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 16

17 8. You can use oracles like Tarot cards, Angel cards, Medicine cards, Runes, the I-Ching, tea leaves or other forms of divination to give you a complimentary reflection and dose of insight into the imprints and gifts the realms of the stars and spirit are offering you. They can help highlight the emerging patterns and fresh perspectives that are arising within you. What form of oracle, if any, speaks to you? Can you trust that whatever is shown to you is perfect, timely, and trustworthy? How have your nightly oracles coincided with the themes from your Holy Nights, if at all? 9. Buddy-up with a loved one to help you prioritize this tradition into your busy holiday schedule. This is great to do if this kind of dedication to yourself is new or if this level of soul-care is something you have a hard time following through to completion. There could be one other person you do this with, or it could be a circle of loved ones who are committed to self-development. You can even create a gathering on the first Holy Night on December 24th (even virtually or by phone), and then have a 13th night review on January 6th where everyone can share their experiences and insights. Is there someone special you want to share this practice with? Recognize this is a gift you are not only giving yourself, but you can also gift to others. 10. The information and reflections you receive during the Holy Nights can be referenced throughout the year ahead. You can take the time to discern the patterns and imprints that were shown to you and ask your angels and guides to support you in discovering a greater perspective and deeper level of compassion for yourself and your life. It can be easy to live our lives from a very limited perspective, telling ourselves things have to be a certain way, or should be another. Reviewing what you receive during the Holy Nights can prove invaluable and offer insight and inspiration in all areas of your life. You may wish to ask questions such as, What is life calling me toward?, What am I moving away from?, or What could I do in this situation if anything was possible? 11. Remember there is no right or wrong way to do this. This is a tradition and practice of allowing whatever happens to simply be, but to record it so that you can use any insight you receive to inform your year ahead. If you miss a night or more of journaling, don t worry. When you can, write what you recall from those times, and perhaps even record how it felt to have missed those nights. There is no judgment here, only what is. Perhaps there is a pattern or information of value here that can reveal something to you. If judgments about the events and experience of your Holy Nights do arise, what do they tell you about how you are relating to your life? How can they inform the direction you wish to evolve into in the coming year? Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 17

18 Giving Yourself the Gift of Turning Inward With all of the outer preparations and lively activity that accompany the busy holiday season it can be challenging to hear and care for the needs of our heart and soul. Amidst the hustle and bustle many of us are simultaneously seeking comfort, warmth and a place to nurture our inner light. The 13 Holy Nights offer a way for us to tap into something deeper, soulful and nourishing regardless of our unique religious or nonreligious holiday traditions. A grounding, quieting and centering practice like the 13 Holy Nights can assist us in tuning into a rich and informative inner journey that can transform us, and our New Year with power and grace. Our holiday season, no matter how we celebrate it, can take on an entirely new level of meaning and magic when we recognize and honor our need for a slower seasonal rhythm. The information and guidance that is within us and all around us can come clearly forward and inform us about what each of us uniquely needs in order to evolve our consciousness and our lives in the direction of our dreams. I invite you to give yourself the gift of the 13 Holy Nights and dedicate this quiet and potent time of year to conscioulsy choosing to become your best self. It is with deep gratitude and love that I share this practice with you. May it serve your journey of awakening very well. The possibilities are infinitely radiant! Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 18

19 Acknowledgments This ebook would be incomplete without thanking those who have helped make it possible. This practice was given to me by Damaris Jarboux, in Her compassionate and wise presence in my life has deeply supported and transformed me, and for this I am eternally grateful. My gratitude also extends to Karen Knowler for her support, enthusiasm and invitation to share this with you here. Karen, you are a constant source of beauty and inspiration in my life, and I am deeply thankful for you. To my husband Brian, thank you for loving me and believing in me. Your daily love and depth of kindness have helped make this book a reality. I love you! And to you, dear reader, I thank you for taking the time to share in this annual holiday tradition with me. May it support your graceful and beautiful journey of evolution toward radiance and light. Blessings on your every footfall! Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 19

20 Self-Acknowledgement for 2013 What have you accomplished, big or small this year? Take some time to record your achievements on this page so that you can clearly see all that you are now, and all that you are becoming, Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 20

21 13 Holy Nights Journal Holy Night #1 Sunset 24th December to Sunset 25th December, 2013 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 21

22 Holy Night #2 Sunset 25th December to Sunset 26th December, 2013 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 22

23 Holy Night #3 Sunset 26th December to Sunset 27th December, 2013 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 23

24 Holy Night #4 Sunset 27th December to Sunset 28th December, 2013 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 24

25 Holy Night #5 Sunset 28th December to Sunset 29th December, 2013 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 25

26 Holy Night #6 Sunset 29th December to Sunset 30th December, 2013 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 26

27 Holy Night #7 Sunset 30th December to Sunset 31st December, 2013 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 27

28 Holy Night #8 Sunset December 31st to Sunset January 1st, 2014 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 28

29 Holy Night #9 Sunset 1st January to Sunset 2nd January, 2014 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 29

30 Holy Night #10 Sunset 2nd January to Sunset 3rd January, 2014 Corresponding Month and Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 30

31 Holy Night #11 Sunset January 3rd to Sunset January 4th, 2014 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 31

32 Holy Night #12 Sunset 4th January to Sunset 5th January, 2014 Corresponding Month or Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 32

33 Holy Night #13 Sunset 5th January to Sunset 6th January, 2014 Corresponding Month and Moon Cycle: Oracles: Journal & Dreams: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 33

34 Emerging Patterns and Epiphanies What patterns have emerged during your 13 Holy Nights? What awareness do you now have about yourself and your life as a result of observing the 13 Holy Nights? Is there anything that you experienced during your Holy Nights that brought you tremendous joy and satisfaction that you wish to take forward with you into your new year? Is there anything you wish to leave behind? Remember there are no right or wrong answers here, and there is no need to go into over analysis. Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 34

35 A Little About Alicia Alicia Morrow is a woman who had dived deeply into life from a young age, with a huge thirst for growth, learning, adventure and evolution. She has never been afraid to go to her edge both internally and externally to discover and move deeper into the Radiant Possibilities waiting for her there. Alicia s personal journey of transformation has included healing a range of physical conditions and addictive behaviors, as well as studying with some of the world s finest teachers and mystics. From studying therapeutic massage and bodywork, to Qigong healing and aromatherapy, to earth-based traditions and shamanic ceremonies, to a gourmet raw food chef certification and becoming a raw food educator and coach, to studying dynamic eating psychology and the soul s journey through health and healing, Alicia s eclectic personal path has provided her with the perfect opportunities for personal growth and character development she required to become the awake and engaging woman she is today. Through all of her inner and outer adventures, Alicia recognizes eating high vibration foods to be the most powerful and overlooked vehicle for profound inner awakening in every area of one s life. In 2012, Alicia founded Radiant Possibilities LLC as a powerful vehicle for sharing her message and gifts with a larger audience. Her work ignites her heart and passion because it gives her the opportunity to support women from around the world to take center stage, stand in the spotlight of their gifts, and embrace the Radiant Possibilities waiting for them there. Alicia lives near Denver, Colorado with her inspiring husband Brian and their amazing (and raw food loving) dog Dinga. To learn more, please visit: Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 35

36 Are you ready to move beyond the limiting beliefs, health constraints and every day excuses that are holding you back from living the life of your dreams? Is 2014 going to be your year to embrace your full potential and share your magnificence with the world? If you know you re ready to step into your next level of beauty, confidence, radiance, vitality and clarity, or if you re curious to learn how, I d love to show you my expertly mapped out step-by-step program for Click here to learn more! Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved Alicia Morrow, CHC, AADP Page 36