Oh boy – vows.

The words uttered in a moment of passion or slow consideration can – and do – maintain an impact long after they are spoken.

There is not a single person who has not made a vow – a vow of love (“I’ll love you forever.”), revenge (“I’ll make you sorry.”), and a thousand others in-between.

We intend vows as sacred commitments, or agreements of honor… but sometimes, we cannot fulfill the promises we have made. For example, if you made a vow to love someone unconditionally (e.g. when you got married) and you realize you cannot love them unconditionally (i.e. you are getting divorced), doesn’t it make sense to release that vow?

By releasing outdated vows and promises, we empty out spam from our lives and consciousness and return to the integrity of our desires and intentions. Once we reposition ourselves in this way, we can attend to our lives with clarity and confidence.

Here’s a method for clearing out those spam-y vows.

Take a couple of deep, deep breaths into your body and close your eyes. Allow your breath to move smoothly through your whole being, and begin to feel the shift in your consciousness. On your next deep breath, ask your Higher Self (your inner voice) to show you a vow that you need to release now.

It could be something as simple as a promise to a friend, or a vow you made to yourself; for example: “I’ll never give up.”

Give yourself a few moments to see which vow comes into your awareness, and how it feels. Once you have a sense of it, ask your body where it holds this vow. It could be anywhere or several places. It may come as a tingling sensation, or a knowing. Just listen to your body.

Now ask this area what color it wants now to release this vow. Imagine this color pouring in from the universe, directly into that place in your body. Allow it to take as much color as it wants to release this vow.

When you feel it is washed out – take a deep breath and open your eyes.

The light of consciousness can free us – not only from vows of our own making, but also from promises and commitments that we are born into, such as cultural or religious practices. So take a moment to let the light in!