Let’s take a moment to reflect on our patterns.
Welcome the 2nd week of 2025!
In today’s issue, we will continue our work with self-reflection. We will explore how to work with our patterns and cycles and how to build awareness around them.
Looking at our patterns and cycles
Nature has a cyclical nature, and all beings in it do as well.
Trees grow and lose their leaves. Flowers grow and wither. Snakes shed their skin. Bears hibernate through the long winter and wake in the spring. Rain comes, and the sun returns. Nature knows it’s patterns. It has a rhythm that follows a cycle. It is predictable and consistent. It knows how to release what no longer serves it.
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Humans blind spot self-awareness.
Humans have a more challenging time seeing our patterns and cycles. It relates to two factors. First, we are not taught in our modern society the value of tracking our biorhythms. We also fail to pay attention to our bodies, emotions, or choices. Our disconnection from self is due to our rejection of nature and it’s cycles. We switched from using a lunar calendar that tracks subtle movements every 28 days. Now, we use the Gregorian calendar, which is powered by the sun. Its movement is at a 1-minute difference each day. Major shifts occur only four times a year on the equinoxes. Secondly, our culture instigates a lack of awareness. It encourages us to be led by our egos. Our egos do not allow us to gain understanding through slowing down and being vulnerable about our choices. The ego wants us to feel joy and pleasure all the time. It believes we are more likely to be hurt and become targets when we are vulnerable. Slowing down, taking accountability, and being vulnerable do not fit into the dog-eat-dog world of capitalism. What we believe makes us who we are. We are taught that our thoughts, words, and possessions define us. However, I think this does not allow us to grow and change.
“Self-awareness is one of the rarest of human commodities. I don’t mean self-consciousness where you’re limiting and evaluating yourself. I mean being aware of your own patterns.”
— Tony Robbins
Villain – Victim mentality
The one thing that we seem not to discuss in the culture at large is our actions. When we are unaware of our actions, we are tempted to adopt a victim-villain mentality. Sometimes, we are the victims, and nasty stuff happens to us. At other times, we are in a place of power, and we become the villain. I have often played roles in this power and control pattern. It never feels good because it is not a real connection. It is a power dynamic.
Power and control
Power over others does not empower us. It is created by fear. The need for power and control stems from fear and insecurity. This issue is part of the more significant problem in our culture. Humans have a hard time sharing Power. However, it is possible we can have shared power. This can only happen if we are willing to track our actions. We must be aware and take responsibility for them, individually and collectively.
“There are two kinds of power. One is power over, which is always destructive, and the other is power from within, which is a transcendent and creative power.”
— Starhawk
Developing safety within
We need to learn to feel safe within ourselves without power over others. This safety comes from learning how to regulate our nervous systems. It also involves establishing boundaries and attending to ourselves. Additionally, we connect with our spiritual team, guides, and protective figures.
Change comes from awareness of our actions and observing our patterns.
For many years, I was externally focused. I believed that if I could control everything around me—the people and my environment—I would be safe. I was taught in 12-step that recovery was an inside job, but I didn’t understand what that meant. My nervous system was set up to stay busy. It tried to arrange everything to make me feel comfortable and safe externally. This concept felt very foreign. Being still and reflecting was very challenging.
Sometimes, it is still tricky when my system is full of sympathetic energy. But now I work on discharging that energy through gentle movement, breath, and chanting. This helps me to be contemplative and active at the same time. We must slow down to a safe pace for our nervous systems. What do you enjoy doing that involves slowing down, being still, contemplative, or meditative? That can look like a lot of different things. Remember, the intention you are bringing matters; this is what creates the magic of life.
Since this is our Hermit year, it is a perfect time for self-reflection.
Here are some prompts to help you gain awareness of your patterns and cycles:
- What patterns are you aware of?
- What patterns would you like to change?
- Do you notice cycles in your life?
- What are your cycles?
- Do you cycles co-inside with anniversaries or the changing of seasons?
- Does your body respond to different seasons in different ways?
- What are ways you are willing to support yourself in the challenging times?
- What are you willing to do to celebrate the times that feel effortless?
- What can you do with this information to support yourself in the future?
You take note of the time or times that you identified on your calendar 
. So then you have a note to help you on your journey. If you find this helpful and gain insight please reach out and let me know!
If you need help with your patterns and cycles please reach out to to me for an individual session.
If you need help with boundaries, I am holding a workshop. It will be on Wednesday the 21st of January from 6 – 7:30 PM PST.
May you have a blessed week!
Until next time!
With love and compassion,
Celine
Celine believes in empowering clients to understand their own nervous systems. This helps them reduce symptoms. It also allows them to learn to embrace themselves in whatever state they are in. Celine is an LMFT, Art Therapist, EMDR trained, Certified Hypnotist, Reiki Master, Certified Havening Practitioner, and EFT Master Practitioner.
