If you’ve followed my blog for awhile, you know that I advocate the use of conscious tools and spiritual practices. Examples of conscious tools could include mindfulness and deep reflection, and examples of spiritual practices could include energy or light healing and developing your spiritual sights.
In recent years, the metaphysical community has grown and gained broader acceptance in society. The use of sage smudging and collecting crystals are both widely acknowledged, from smudging how-to in women’s magazines to amethyst pieces available at discount department retailers.
In that context, a lot of people wonder about what my spiritual practices are and what I believe. You can check out my About page for a shortlist of my key beliefs.
Given some of the questions I tend to get, today’s post will look at what I mean when I refer to my spiritual development. We’ll also take a look at some firm boundaries I simply don’t cross.
What does my spiritual development look like?
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I take my spiritual development very seriously. On average, I invest 2-3 hours per day in my practice.
This means that I 1) meditate, 2) study, and 3) actually use my spiritual practices and abilities every day. I split the time between first thing in the morning before I leave for my fulltime job, and in the evenings before bed.
1. Meditation
My meditation is a blend of concentrative techniques and contemplative meditation. The length of my meditation varies by day.
For folks who are starting out with any meditation practice, I recommend using a timer and doing a bit of both concentrative and contemplative. You can learn more about how to do that in this previous post.
2. Study
I am a prolific reader. It’s rare that I’m reading fewer than three books at a time, and I read on a (very) broad range of topics.
The more we learn and understand about the world through a variety of subjects, schools of thought and from a range of voices, the more connections we make in our brains. That makes us smarter and allows us to think in more innovative ways.
Apart from my other interest-related reading, I have studied books from a range of religious, spiritual, psychological and metaphysical beliefs and perspectives.
As I’ve discussed previously, I don’t believe any one single belief system truly has it all figured out. Lots of folks may not agree or be unsure about how they think on that. I suggest checking out that article first and giving it some thought.
3. Practices
Throughout a given week, there is a range of spiritual tools and practices I use. Here’s a snapshot of a few that I regularly employ:
- Energy and light healing (I am a Reiki master, after all).
- Dressing and lighting candles with intent.
- Energetically clearing or charging spaces with incense blends, from a simple blend of sage and cedar, to a multidimensional custom blend of resins and herbs.
- Connecting with my higher wisdom and the higher wisdom of the universe through Tarot and Lenormand cards. Again, I am a professional reader, after all!. I also occasionally use a pendulum.
- Spiritual connection and communion (what some people may call ‘prayer’).
For folks with strong religious views, it’s possible I’ve lost you at this point. I respect that you have your views as I appreciate your respecting I have mine, and recognize that I’m not for everyone. And that’s okay!
For the folks who are open to the work I do, be sure to check out my Instagram often as I post regularly on what I get up to throughout the week.
Why do I do all this stuff?
I am so passionate about people being fully empowered in EVERY part of their lives and in ANY and EVERY situation. And I believe with every cell within me that each of us can be just that.
A decade of counselling didn’t have the effectiveness that concerted spiritual development had on my physical, psychological and professional advancement and healing.
Don’t get me wrong. Of course I regularly and firmly recommend that you get the professional support (including counselling) that you need. And of course the years of counselling were helpful and I learned some useful tools and had some ‘aha’ moments as part of them.
But there are limits to what counselling can do for you. Especially depending on whether you make any fundamental changes based on the counselling.
Empowerment and healing happen when you actively work on the key patterns that combine to create the life you live. That’s why I only do empowering, choice-based readings. And it’s why I’m such a believer in working on your personal alchemy (those key patterns).
What kinds of boundaries do I have?
While I study and consider a wide variety of beliefs, I do have boundaries. These include subjects, systems and practices that I am not interested in learning.
Key boundary: Systems and subjects I avoid
There are definitely systems or schools of thought that I avoid because they contravene my core values. These include any beliefs that openly embrace:
- Violence
- Personalities that even adherents view as evil
- Hatred
- Fear
- Closemindedness
One example is that I am not interested in Satanism or anything like it.
What we surround ourselves with – including the information we take in, affects our thoughts due to brain plasticity. This means that if we spend time reading or thinking about violence, fear or closemindedness, then that is the life we will create for ourselves.
Key boundary: Never send back negative energy to its source
Another, less obvious example (but just as important) is that I’m not into any practices that have anything to do with wishing harm on anyone or infringing on their life or decisions. It seems obvious on the surface, but I take the non-violence to a whole other level in that I do NOT send energy back to where it comes from.
It’s a very common practice in energetic circles to send negative energy back to its source. But I see that as an act of violence, because regardless of why I have received negative energy, I am now responsible for what I do with it.
While there is debate about this in metaphysical circles, I firmly believe in choice. You’ve heard me say countless times that we can’t always control our circumstances, but we can absolutely control our response.
The same applies to what we do with negative energy sent our way. And so I always ask that negative energy be sent to a place of healing.
Key boundary: Don’t go anywhere uninvited
I also have strict boundaries in my spiritual abilities and practices. One example is that I don’t go where I’m not invited.
In other words, I don’t intentionally ‘tune in’ to others who haven’t asked me directly. This means firstly that if you’ve come to me for a reading, we’re not tuning into other people’s minds or choices.
We are looking at your patterns from a choice-based perspective. Empowerment is all about understanding that you always have choices, after all. Regardless of your circumstances.
This means secondly that I don’t do readings to intentionally look into the lives of others. I do readings myself every day, and these are focused on my own choices and how I can support myself and grow as a person. Again, it’s all about choice.
Beyond my modus operandi for reading as empowerment-based, it’s also a matter of ethics, which I take very seriously. You can check out my Ethics page if you want to learn more.
Other common questions
In addition to questions I’ve discussed above (like what philosophies and beliefs I draw from, or what my boundaries are), there are a couple more areas that are common questions. I am not one to shy away from genuine questions, so let’s discuss these directly.
Common question 1: Am I a witch?
The short answer is no. But let’s explore this together.
Popular marketing
In the current metaphysical community, it’s a popular belief that anyone who uses tools like crystals, smudging and candles is practicing witchcraft.
Much to the chagrin of many people who identify as wiccan or witches, there’s also this increasingly popular marketing approach.
The approach is to tag anything related to any tools or practices involving the natural world or earth-based spirituality (such as aforementioned crystals, smudging and candles for fire) as “#witchesofinstagram” because it’s catchy and popular.
Respect for other beliefs and religions
Although I incorporate earth-based tools into my spiritual development and practice, I do not identify as a witch, I do not practice witchcraft, and I am not a practitioner of Wicca.
To be clear, I respect there are many who do. And I know a few people whom I value and respect who do belong to those religious and spiritual groups. I think it’s unfortunate there is still so much cultural and religious misunderstanding and fear about those ways of living.
Consider the historical context
It’s interesting to consider the history surrounding the subjugation of insightful, educated and empowered communities of women by the church through the historic witch hunts. If you haven’t previously read up on it, you should. It’s quite telling how many people were murdered in those days because they were conveniently found to be witches.
However, my beliefs and practices do not fully align with all of the religious beliefs of wicca or witchcraft, just as I don’t feel fully aligned with lots of other religious beliefs.
Broader perspective
While I do use smudging, candles and have stones and crystals, these implements are not the purview of only one religion. Consider that groups across the globe from time immemorial have found many of these tools that DO work. Which is why they’ve stood the test of time, and are reflected across various religions and beliefs.
For example, let’s also consider that many Christian churches such as Anglican, Greek Orthodox and Catholic and many Protestant denominations to this day use incense (smudging), intentional candle lighting, (like Advent), and spiritual connection/communing (i.e. prayer).
This is of course in addition to Indigenous practices from across the globe relating to the use of candles/fire, smoke/aroma and stones/shells.
If you’re curious about my spiritual beliefs, you can learn more in this previous post. But people do wonder so I thought it’s worth addressing this question directly.
Common question 2: Isn’t Tarot evil?
There are certain religious beliefs that the usage of any sorts of items like candles, incense and Tarot is ‘evil’.
Release limiting beliefs
My perspective is that it’s a limiting (and inaccurate, if you ask me) viewpoint and throws the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. If you want to learn more about what I think about how to avoid doing just that, check out this previous post.
Tarot is like any other tool or object, and it’s how you use it that matters.
For example, food is a wonderful thing that we need to live. But it can be used with unhealthy dependence (like any other substance), at which point it’s not really serving you.
Technology is also a great tool that can advance our wellbeing and connectivity, or it can be used as a shield from real life, a source of obligation/pressure or another form of dependence.
I use Tarot as a tool to support my growth as a person and guide good decision-making, in combination with lots of other tools, and without dependence.
Broader perspective, again
For those from religious backgrounds (let’s say for those who identify as religious Christians) who still aren’t convinced, let’s not forget that the reason the Three Wise Men knew to show up to Jesus’ birth is that they were astrologers and diviners.
And they showed up with the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Frankincense and myrrh have been used for centuries (and continue to be used today) in incense.
If you’re interested in what I do believe, check out my About page.
Conclusion
I hope this has been a helpful glimpse into my daily practice, and that we’ve cleared up some common questions.
Have any other questions? Go to my Instagram or comment below and ask away! I read every message.
Have a blessed day.