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 ©2003 by Joyce MasonThe right timing for new beginnings is at the vernal (spring) equinox, as the astrological sign of Aries gears us up to innovate, target our goals, and just do it. From Winter Solstice on December 21st until Spring Equinox on March 19th, it's time to reflect, slow down, and hibernate... let the old disintegrate and die while the embryonic seed energy builds up for sowing new and wonderful things at the Natural Spring New Year.
Whether you choose January or March, here are some suggestions for flower essences to help create the New You. Consider blending 3 to 5 (or if you're a seasoned essence taker, up to 7) according to your issues and how these capsule descriptions match your goals. Start with one Habit Helper (covered in more depth as the base note remedies) and blend from the other categories those that really feel right.
Chestnut Bud tackles "not getting it": for when you repeat undesirable behavior patterns without learning from the experience or when you are attached to self-limiting habits. It is ideal for compulsive behavior that seems to short-circuit will or reason, like what happens when we start eating our individual "red light foods." If you can't stop even when you get biofeedback (like a stomachache, headache, or hangover), Bud might be your best bet (the non-beer variety, of course!).
Two other tried-and-true essences in this category have in common others' influence (family, community, church) on the way we see ourselves. Sagebrush helps release old habits and self-images that are no longer valid or appropriate. If you can't imagine yourself thin or not smoking, Sagebrush will transform you from the inside out. It helps you let go of anything inessential and find your true core, devoid of others' projections. Walnut works similarly, and a walnut itself hints at how. If you crack one open, notice that the meat is divided into two chambers resembling the lobes of the human brain. Walnut short-circuits years of neurological input that leads to lower-brain, knee jerk reactions. It helps reroute your thinking to a higher plane that results in healthy rituals.
Bottling It Happy New Year!
Editor's Note: Two more helpful articles on how to break old patterns can be found here and here. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joyce Mason is a frequent contributor to Vibration Magazine. To find out more about her and to read her articles from this ezine, click here.
Art Credits: These wonderful images are from vintage cigar labels and are used by kind permission of Cigar Label Junkie.
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At first it may be difficult to buy this idea while your friends run to the gym, devour the latest diet book, and act like time is running out on every personal improvement project they ever considered. Wonder why so many people get sick in winter? They are running (jogging, stair-stepping) against the tide. Not that all good things, especially exercise, should be thrown out with the bath water or New Year's Eve champagne. However, these measures will definitely improve your chances for success: add a big extra dose of seasonal R&R, switch to gentler activities (like walking, yoga and t'ai chi), and honor that start-ups have their season. 
Habit Helpers
This is only the "short list" -- there are dozens of others which are possible helpers. Consider reading up and finding the essences that fit your resolutions like a glove. But don't forget, flower essence blends are an art, so don't wait for the perfect mix. Start somewhere with those flowers that stand out for you when you read this article. As you begin to gently let go of the old, you can deal with issues a layer at a time with new blends as time goes on.