Last month I took you through the different items in my spiritual toolkit. Now, this month, I’ll take you through part two of this series with a medley of metaphysical practices that enhance spiritual connection with yourself and the universe.

As I often mention, I’m not especially an expert on the topic, but I’ve been on a spiritual journey for the better part of the last year and love sharing the lessons I gain along the way.

Thus far my journey has enlightened me, given me room for more introspection, made me value self-care more, and opened my eyes to the unseen energy of the world.

These practices - whether you call them spiritual, metaphysical, or phony baloney - they’re meant to aid anyone in their journey towards their purpose while also providing an internal safe-haven.

I genuinely believe that at their core, these practices help me break down my walls, forgive myself and others, let go of worry, share energy, trust in something bigger than myself, and grow confidence organically.

I hope that by sharing my exploration, it’ll help break any preconceived notions or hesitations around metaphysical tools or customs. After all, I was once a skeptic too.

So, before we begin, let’s take a second to inhale the good sh*t, exhale the bad sh*t, and now let’s get metaphysical.

Meditation

The word “meditate” is defined as engaging in thought or contemplation. This practice of reflection has indeed begun to change my life. I try to incorporate at least five minutes of meditation into my morning routine although 15 to 30 minutes is typically ideal. Generally, you’d meditate while sitting down with your eyes closed, but there are a variety of different meditation techniques. Crystals are also used to enhance meditation depending on what you’re currently working on or seeking.

The goal of meditation is mental clarity and calming one’s mind - but there are plenty of other benefits too. Don’t worry if you feel like you’re “not good” at meditating - that thought it more common than you think. Like with anything else, meditation takes practice. The more you do it, the more you’ll learn not to blame yourself for intrusive thoughts and learn to tag and move on from them instead. Interested? Check out these ten guided meditations for every situation.

Spiritual Readings

There are many readings that you can do, and I suggest you take each of them with a grain of salt. Each of these practices aims to give you insight into your past, present, and future. If you go to a reading, make sure you research the person you’re going to well and go in with an open mind. The point is to make these readings fun, and don’t let yourself get too caught up in the result.

Different kinds of readings:

• Tarot: the practice itself is called taromancy (divination through the use of tarot cards). Tarot cards are commonly used to gauge possible outcomes and their influences around a person, an event, or even both.

• Palm: Wikipedia puts it best by identifying “palmistry, or chiromancy, is the claim of characterization and foretelling the future through the study of the palm, also known as palm reading or chirology.”

• Astrology: by using your birth chart, an astrology reading could offer you guidance or advice on how to best leverage planetary influences based on when and where you were born.

• Aura: each of us is made up of energy that gives off a particular vibration. The energy that’s typically referred to as an aura and can often be seen or felt. Our auras are made up of different colors and continually changing. An aura reading gives you a snapshot of what energy you’re giving off at the moment.

Smudging

I touched on how to use sage and palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space around you in the spiritual toolkit post, but here’s a great recap on the practice of smudging. Good vibes only, of course!

Affirmations, Intentions, and Mantras

You always begin with an intention, which is answering the question of what you want out of a specific moment or out of life (i.e., be kinder to me or get that new job). From there, you can use mantras and affirmations to help you reach your intention.

Mantras are sounds or words repeated frequently and adjust your vibration. You’ll notice that many yoga classes use the sacred mantra “OM” to begin and end class - which is a Sanskrit word that translates into “source.” The mantra helps set the tone for the remainder of the yoga class by working alongside your intention.

As for affirmations, these are more of a powerful self-love tool to reaffirm your intention such as saying or thinking “I am worth loving, I am confident, I am capable.” Mostly, it’s all about making a goal and then booting your spiritual connection to help you achieve it.

Are you a little overwhelmed and looking for something a little less metaphysical?

Stay tuned for part three of this series on self-care practices that strengthen your spirit. In the next post, I’ll take you through yoga, gratitude, journaling, mindfulness, and connection. Anything else you’d like to see!