Oh, that's a loaded phrase, isn't it? "Letting go of what does not serve me..."

At the same time, this phrase can be a great jumping off point for figuring out what does serve you, and in what way does this thing serve, or not? What does "serve" even mean?

When you're working on yourself, which you should do in order to grow into a better person and a Best You, what "serves" you is simply: those attitudes, habits, emotions, and actions (and sometimes relationships) that help you be your Best You.

That "which does not serve"? Well, those are the attitudes, the emotional dysregulation (or if you're me, the compartmentalization of emotions and logic), the habits, and the actions that prevent you from being your Best You.

This spell is a simple cord cutting. You can find these all over, and they are super easy to do. But they can be really helpful in putting you in the mindset of letting go of what you cut. Remember: intention is choosing. Spells are intention. Therefore, you're choosing.

Act with intention, and choose with wisdom.

You will need:

3 strings, ropes, ribbons, strands about 2 feet long; I use embroidery thread (no splitting)

Colour and material don't matter, just use something stronger than thread, so you don't accidently break it; just ensure you have 3 different colours

Needs to be long enough to tie into 7 knots

1 candle:

bright colours or white, whatever you have laying around, even a tea-light is fine

is it's scented, make sure it's a scent that makes you feel happy

1 envelope

size and colour don't matter, just big enough to stuff the "rope" into

Cello, or "scotch" tape, masking tape, or some other tape that won't ruin your surface or hurt your threads.

You will do:

Hold the three strands in one hand, and look at them. Take a few minutes to feel the fibres, the strings, the colours and feel. Are they coarse or smooth, silky or smooth?

Name them, aloud. One is a past success, something you did and excelled at. One is your future path, where you want to go and where you want to excel. One is your burden, the problem you're cutting.

Now, use a little tape and tape the three strands together on a table, desk, even a clipboard (remember making "friendship bracelets" back as a kid? Something like that). Just don't knot it yet. Braid the strands. Your past and your future are converging on your Now. Now, you have to let something go, whatever it is, is isn't helping you any more. It is not your burden to carry. It is not your sin, not your fault, not your problem. Not any more.

As you braid the strands, remind yourself (and the cords) of the intention you have. You are actively putting down that thing. You are starting fresh. Breaking that habit; kicking the addiction (with help from an addiction counselor!), or whatever else it is.

If you are cutting a relationship, remember that you can't cutting a person. You are setting that intention, and reminding yourself that you need to lay down the relationship. Something in it is harming you, or them, and you need to remove yourself. Here's where the wisdom will need to kick on.

Hold the strands, keep the tape on one end (just fold it over the ends) and holding the other end to keep it from unraveling.

Concentrate on being present in your Now, and consciously putting down what doesn't help you. The work you can't do for someone else. The hurt you're carrying. The harm you're causing yourself. Whatever it is.

Take as long as you need. This is where your intention kicks in. You are remembering the steps you are taking to be your Best You. And this is just one of them. You're being "on purpose".

When you're ready, decisively knot the end you're holding. Say something aloud that you have triumphed over, learned from, and celebrated. (This could be anything, so long as you succeeded).

Now, knot the end that was taped closed, slipping off the tape. Now the rope is knotted at both ends.

Say aloud something like, "I can't carry [this] any more. I'm tying it up. I'm putting it away."

Now, tie 5 more knots, so you have a total of 7. Tell the strands that you will celebrate all you've learned. That you are joyful in what your path will bring. Consistently, with intention: remember that you can't do the [thing], carry the burden or whatever it is. You're tying it up, tightly, in the Now, in the Present, the "This Moment". And you're laying it down.

When you have 7 knots, and you feel ready, place the rope in the envelope. Close it, and stash it in a safe place. Leave it alone until the next full moon (the full moon represents fullness, openness, and moving forward).

Then burn it, or throw it away.

When you find yourself trying to take up that problem, stop. Literally stop, and tell yourself, "Sorry, Self. We can't do that. The [thing] is burned up. It's gone, and we're doing [these steps] to be our Best Me".

You can't go back into the past and un-burn the cords, and so you can't go back and pick up that problem. You're too busy working toward the Future Path.