“We turn not older with years, but newer every day.” ~ Emily Dickinson
The Piraha from Brazil have been described as among the happiest people on earth. Could their intriguing attitude towards sleep be the reason? They prefer to nap rather than sleep through the night. I am in no way suggesting here that you should cut back on your sleep - as a good night’s sleep is vital for your holistic well-being - but I am drawing your attention to their absolutely fascinating belief about what happens to your personality when you sleep.
According to the Piraha, if you sleep for more than a few hours you actually wake up a different or new person. You are no longer “you” anymore. Piraha who sleep longer than a few hours often change their names, because they believe the person they were yesterday has “died” and is not the same person who wakes up in the morning. They even refer to the person they were yesterday as “him” or “her” —in other words, a previous version of themselves.
The Piraha may be on to something both profound and real here. Science proves that when you fall asleep your body isn’t just resting—it is regenerating. Your cells repair and renew, your brain also recalibrates meaning you wake up every morning renewed and different from the person you were the day before. Every night when you fall asleep, the person you were that day “dies.” You are reborn physically and psychologically every time you wake up.
So, in this sense, every single day of the year is your “birthday.” Every morning heralds the dawn of a new cosmic year for you.
Using this cosmic year deck can remind you of the importance of making each day of the year count. And what better time to remind yourself that each new day is a miracle than right now with Spring in the air. The season of green shoots, new beginnings and the start of a new astrological year, with headstrong revolutionary Aries leading the way.
In the morning before your day begins tune into the vibes of the cards for the date, month, astrological sign and moon phase aligned with your new day. Simply spend a few moments meditating on the visual representation and accompanying text wisdom on the back of the card. Allow it to help you become a more aware and deeply evolved version of yourself than you were yesterday.
And let the cards remind you to always wake up filled with gratitude for the new day and the opportunities to fulfil your potential that lie ahead. Those twilight moments between sleeping and waking, are powerful because your brain is highly suggestible then. Let your brain know you are truly grateful for all that you are and all you can be.
In essence, using this Cosmic Year deck isn’t just about discovering your birthday potential, it’s about making the most of every single new day of your life. A daily reminder that every new dawn is a unique and glorious miracle, a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to be born anew again and reach as high as you can for the sun, moon and stars.
Theresa Cheung (Author) Theresa Cheung has been researching and writing about spirituality and personal transformation for over 20 years. Her bestselling books - two of which are Sunday Times top 10 titles - include The Dream Dictionary from A to Z (2019) and 21 Rituals to Change Your Life (2017). Her other Laurence King titles include Dream Decoder (2019), Runes for Modern Life (2020) and Angels for the Modern Mystic (2022)
For more information about Theresa Cheung please go here: www.theresacheung.com.