Healing with Kunzite // 4 Ways to Work With Kunzite
Feeling like you need a little emotional protection these days? Kunzite is a lesser-known crystal that comes with a variety of benefits for your mind and heart. The high vibrational energy of kunzite invites you to let go of fear and sorrow so you can move through life with a protected, but open heart.Let's dive deeper into the healing properties of this beautiful crystal and how to benefit from all it has to offer! Here's an overview of this potent healing gem. Keep scrolling for 5 ways to put this stone to use in your spiritual practice.
Feeling like you need a little emotional protection these days? Kunzite is a lesser-known crystal that comes with a variety of benefits for your mind and heart. The high vibrational energy of kunzite invites you to let go of fear and sorrow so you can move through life with a protected, but open heart.
Let's dive deeper into the healing properties of this beautiful crystal and how to benefit from all it has to offer! Here's an overview of this potent healing gem. Keep scrolling for 5 ways to put this stone to use in your spiritual practice.
What is Kunzite?
Kunzite ranges in color from the palest pink, light violet, green, or even white. It can vary from glass-like transparency to opaque, often with vertical striations. The soft pink hues of this stone along can bring feelings of comfort.
On an energetic level, kunzite aids in freedom of expression. It does this by opening the heart enough for you to follow your desires but subtly protects as well. Kunzite is a beautiful stone for those looking for emotional protection without closing themselves off from life or others.
Kunzite can help align you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This stone can bring light and comfort into your everyday life. It is gentle enough to work with daily in meditation or ritual.
Kunzite Healing Properties
When carried, kunzite can aid in calming anxiety and panic attacks.
Wearing kunzite inspires us to be fully present in the moments.
Though kunzite primarily corresponds with the heart and upper chakras, it has the power to clear, activate, and open all chakras.
It helps to heal your inner child or emotional blockages from the past.
It can open your heart to receive spiritual and physical love.
Meditation with Kunzite
You will feel a powerful sense of peace and comfort when meditating with kunzite. This spiritual stone clears and declutters the mind, which can open you up to receiving blocked memories. Kunzite reduces stress brought on by anxiety, making it the perfect stone for meditation. Have your kunzite near while meditating, or wear it on your body for a strong, energetic connection.
Create a Crystal Grids with Kunzite
Kunzite is an excellent addition to your crystal grid. Use kunzite in grids for self-love, expression, working through trauma, peace, and healing. This powerful stone combines well with rose quartz, black tourmaline, malachite, and hematite, to name a few.
Kunzite can be harder to come by and more expensive, so I suggest using it as a center stone. Learn how to make a crystal grid here.
Heal Your Chakras with Kunzite
As a stone that represents unconditional love and compassion, kunzite aligns best with the heart chakra. It can help to open your spiritual and emotional heart and bring healing to past trauma.
Kunzite not only activates the Heart Chakra but aligns with all of the upper chakras (throat, third eye, and crown), triggering a harmony of transformative energy. To work with kunzite for chakra healing, place a piece on your heart chakra and visualize in creating a field of soft pink energy around your body. Learn more about chakras here.
Cleanse and Strengthen Your Aura with Kunzite
This delicate stone allows us to embrace kindness and joy while connecting to a higher power. If you've built walls around your heart over time, kunzite can help. The calming energy of kunzite will cleanse any negative auric shadows that may have accumulated. Cleansing with kunzite encourages us to breakdown barriers to make room for unconditional and abundant love. Kunzite will also strengthen your aura.
To work with kunzite to heal and strengthen your aura, hold a piece of kunzite about 6 inches away from your body and use your intuition to guide it through your aura, clearing away any negative energy. Performing suggestion number 3 will also similarly affect your aura. Learn more about auras here.
Energy Clearing 101 // For You & Your Home
At the smallest level, we are beings of energy. Your aura can radiate several inches out from your body and can pick up energy from people you don’t even know. If you consider yourself an empath, it’s even more likely that you’re picking up energy that doesn’t belong to you.Stuck inside your home for weeks on end, you say, due to a virus? You’re in the right place! I’m going to share best practices for cleansing the energy of yourself, your space, and a variety of energy cleansing tools. Use all of them, one of them, or any combination. They’re all useful, and many of the tools suggested you might already have in your home. Tip: you don’t need to be a trained Reiki master to cleanse the energy of yourself and your space! These tools are great for the novice and expert alike.
At the smallest level, we are beings of energy. Your aura can radiate several inches out from your body and can pick up energy from people you don’t even know. If you consider yourself an empath, it’s even more likely that you’re picking up energy that doesn’t belong to you.
Stuck inside your home for weeks on end, you say, due to a virus? You’re in the right place! I’m going to share best practices for cleansing the energy of yourself, your space, and a variety of energy cleansing tools. Use all of them, one of them, or any combination. They’re all useful, and many of the tools suggested you might already have in your home.
Tip: you don’t need to be a trained Reiki master to cleanse the energy of yourself and your space! These tools are great for the novice and expert alike.
Why is Energy Clearing Important?
Your subtle body (energy body) is connected to your physical body. This is reflected in the phrase, “as above so below.” What this common phrase points to is that if the energy of yourself and your space goes untended, it will no doubt begin to manifest in your physical body and your actions, and vice versa. If left untended, this bubble of energy swirling around your physical body will begin to muddy up your home as well.
Cleansing your energy and the energy of your home is one of the fastest ways to lift your spirits. It also makes for good energy hygiene! I’m sure you’ve had the experience of going over to someone’s house, and the energy just felt heavy, or like it stuck to you even after you left? When you let the energy of yourself or your living space stagnate or pile up, it can begin to affect other areas of your life.
Energy Cleansing Process
Before we dive into my suggestions for cleansing tools, let’s explore a few best practices for the energy cleansing process.
Dedicate time, 15-30 minutes, to the sacred practice of energy cleansing. Maybe even consider setting a weekly time to cleanse yourself and your space. Turning it into a regular ritual will mean you’re more likely to do it every week, and you’ll probably start to really look forward to it. I know I do. You’ll also probably start to become more aware of the energy building up in your space and how it affects you.
Clean and declutter physically first. This will get you into the right state of mind to clean the energy of your space. This doesn’t have to be a thorough deep clean, but get your space clean enough that you’re not going to be distracted by any messes.
Get your energy flowing. I like to dance, do some yoga, meditate, or do some breathwork before I begin my cleansing process. Anything to get your energy going and raise your vibration a bit helps! This isn’t mandatory, but it will help get your prana (life force) moving and your energy flowing. This will make it easier for you to clear away stagnant energy in your aura.
Know what kind of energy you want to bring into your energy field after you cleanse. Anytime you clear out stagnant or unwanted energy, it’s important to bring in the energy you want to fill up all of that extra space. If you skip this step, all of that cleared energy will likely just fill back up with all of the same stuff you cleared out. Some of the tools used for cleansing that I share below can also be used for bringing in some good energy. I like to use my energy, the energy of a higher power, candles, and selenite to bring positive energy, and I dive deeper into each of these below.
Salt
Salt has been used as a purification tool since ancient times. From witches to ancient cultures, salt acts as a tool to banish all kinds of unwanted energy. My favorite thing about salt is how versatile it is! Here are three ways to use salt for energy clearing.
Take a salt bath
Sprinkle dry salt around the edges of your house
Make or purchase a salt spray by mixing salt and water. Spray it around yourself and your house.
Card featured from the Ritual Deck
Smoke & Herbs
Like salt, smoke cleansing dates back to the ancients. A variety of plants have been prized for their energetic clearing throughout history and are still used to this day. You probably have some of these dried herbs in your spice cabinet!
I suggest exploring the plants used in your ancestral lineage for space cleansing first. If you want to rely on popular favorites like white sage and palo santo, be sure to do your research and ensure that you’re purchasing from a company that’s harvesting the plants ethically.
Herbs and resin for energy clearing:
Rosemary
Thyme
Peppermint
Sage- garden sage, desert sage, and blue sage are some great alternatives to white sage.
Frankincense resin
Copal resin
You can burn sprigs of loose herbs, wrap them in a bundle for a smoke wand (learn how to make your own here), diffuse essential oils, or if you have fresh versions, you can simply hang them in your space for the aroma.
Candles
Candles can be used for a multitude of purposes, including energy clearing. Candles are also a great tool for bringing in the kind of energy you want after you cleanse unwanted energy. To cleanse your space, I suggest a white candle. Light the white candle and walk around your space while visualizing a white cleansing light, clearing out negativity. Next, you can light a candle color associated with the energy you want to bring into your space. Learn more about candle magick here.
Crystals
When it comes to energy cleansing, selenite is my favorite! Selenite is a high vibrational crystal that is queen when it comes to cleansing away unwanted energy. Selenite is often sold in wands and plates, which are ideal for energy cleansing. You can use a wand to comb through your aura or a plate to rest objects on that you’d like to cleanse. Check out the video below to watch a video of my cleansing the energy of my shop and using a selenite wand to cleanse my aura.
Some other great options are clear quartz, amethyst, and black tourmaline. Crystals are another tool that can be used to bring in the desired energy after cleansing. To do this, place some crystals out that represent the kind of energy you want to bring in.
Crystal tip: Supercharge the cleansing power of your crystals by creating a crystal grid for cleansing. Learn more about creating a crystal grid here.
Sound
Sounds are an incredibly powerful and often undervalued cleansing tool. Sound occurs from vibration; the vibration causes the air molecule around the source of the vibration to vibrate. The vibrating air molecules affect more than just your eardrums, which turn the vibrations into the sound you hear, but will match everything around it to its vibration as well. This process is called entrainment.
Use sound to cleanse yourself, your crystals, and your home. You don’t have to have expensive singing bowls to cleanse with sound either. There are a variety of sound healing tools available. Here are some of my favorites.
Tuning forks
Gongs
Chimes
Chanting
Singing bowls
Online frequencies (free and paid versions are available)
Learn more about sound healing here.
Your Energy and Energy from a Higher Power
Using your energy or that of a power greater than yourself (Goddess, God, Angels, spirit guides, Source Energy, Universe, loved ones passed on, etc.) can be used for both energy clearing and bringing in the kind of energy you want. I like to use this technique in tandem with other tools. For example, if I’m using a white candle to cleanse my space, I will ask Source Energy to help remove stagnant and negative energy. After cleansing, I will call on ancestors and guides to bring in good vibes and inspiration.
You can work with this kind of energy through visualization, asking for the presence of your higher power of choice, and by placing physical reminders such as pictures or amulets of your higher power of choice.
Energy hygiene will have a ripple effect on your life. Remember, as above so below, as within so without. Whatever is going on inside will reflect what’s going on inside. I hope these tips help to keep your energy clear and flowing, sweet soul!
Unlocking the Power of your Pineal Gland // 8 Tips
If you're interested in opening your third eye chakra and expanding your psychic abilities, understanding the pineal gland is essential. Ancient cultures were well aware of the power of the pineal gland. It's referenced and depicted in a variety of texts and artwork around the world. Furthermore, a variety of breathing techniques, chants, and exercises from ancient cultures are dedicated to activating this tiny gland inside your brain.
Somewhere in our evolutionary process, we've forgotten about the power of this pea-sized intuitive aid. For many of us, our pineal gland has gone unused and become calcified. Don't worry, there's hope! Science is slowly catching on to this forgotten gland, and there are so many tools (both ancient and modern) to help you activate your mighty pineal gland. Bonus, the tips I'm sharing don't all involve eating copious amounts of seaweed and green leafy vegetables.
In this post, I will cover what the pineal gland is, how it functions in our body physically and energetically, and tips for decalcifying the pineal gland for optimal psychic sight and third eye activation. I’ve linked several studies and resources in this post to help you out along the way! Keep scrolling for a video and more tips.
Science is slowly learning more about the pineal gland. However, many doctors and scientists still dismiss it as a useless gland after sexual maturation. New studies are starting to pique the interest of the scientific community and are shedding light on what many ancient cultures and spiritual communities already know to be true. For starters, did you know that microscopic calcite crystals were recently discovered inside of the pineal gland? I’ll dive into this a bit deeper later in the blog post.
The study of the pineal gland from a scientific and spiritual perspective is deep and complex. I’ve covered as much as I can in this post in a digestible format. However, if you feel called to research further, I encourage you to do so because there is much, both recent and ancient, to be learned about this topic.
What is the Pineal Gland?
The pineal gland is a tiny cone-shaped gland in the center of your brain. It’s about the size of a grain of rice, when not fully utilized but can grow in size when used properly. Its location inside of the brain lines up with the area of the third eye chakra, in the center of the brow bone.
At a quick glance, the pineal gland is responsible for regulating melatonin, circadian rhythms, and spurring sexual maturation. It actually has light receptors in it that function much like an eye, which enables the pineal gland to keep your circadian rhythms in check.
Recent Discoveries About the Pineal Gland
Here’s where things start to get a bit more woo-woo and compelling...
A recent study indicates that DMT, a psychoactive, may be produced in the pineal gland. Though the jury is still out on whether or not DMT is produced in the pineal gland, the implications are intriguing. Many describe the effects of DMT as feeling like an out-of-body experience or a feeling of being connected to all things. Both of these descriptions sound quite similar to being in deep states of meditation.
Another recent study found tiny calcite crystals inside the pineal gland! They are tiny and can only be seen with a microscope. That said, it is one of only two places where natural crystals are found inside the human body, the other being the inner ear. The calcite crystals in your pineal gland are piezoelectric (conduct electricity) when they vibrate. Yes, you read that correctly, there are tiny crystals in your pineal gland that can create energy when they vibrate. Because these crystals are so small, it doesn’t take much to make them vibrate.
Your pineal gland is not protected by the blood-brain barrier and unlike most of your brain and has frequent contact with your blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In fact, the blood supply to your pineal gland is higher than almost any part of your body! Your cerebrospinal fluid is highly structured water (extremely pure and energized water), which you can learn more about in this wonderful blog post by Jen Isabel Friend here.
These three facts indicate that the pineal gland is an incredibly important point in your brain. The fact that it aligns perfectly with several ancient descriptions of the third eye or spiritual eye is not a coincidence.
Ancient cultures clearly understood the importance of the pineal gland, which is evident by the frequent depictions of third eyes, single eyes, and references to a singular eye in ancient texts. Many ancient pranayama techniques and chants are intended to push your cerebrospinal fluid up to your pineal gland and vibrate the tiny calcite crystals inside. If you’d like to learn more about third eye references in history, I suggest this digital short read by Manly P. Hall.
Based on these few facts, it sounds like we have an energized antennae in our brain. The more important question is, is your pineal antennae working?
Calcification of the Pineal Gland
Now for the downside. It’s estimated that 40% of American’s pineal glands are calcified (this percentage varies from country to country). Calcification of the pineal gland has been seen at ages as young as two! To a certain extent, the calcification of the pineal gland is natural over time, many parts of our body calcify as we age. However, the extent to which our pineal glands are calcifying is likely much greater than what nature intended and certainly makes it harder for us to utilize the full potential of this gland.
Several outside factors can cause the pineal gland to calcify. The top offender is fluoride intake. Most countries add fluoride to their water, with claims of helping tooth decay. Fluoride can aid in cavity prevention, when used topically, but does not appear to add any benefit when ingested and is actually toxic. Read more about this here. Beyond fluoride consumption, processed foods and age also play a role in the calcification of the pineal gland.
Tips for Decalcifying and Activating the Pineal Gland
You can find a host of suggestions online for decalcifying the pineal gland. Many of them may require huge lifestyle changes, which I also share here. I would also like to offer some more realistic suggestions, that, I believe, are just as valuable.
These suggestions work best when they’re combined. Taking a supplement and ignoring the rest of the tips may not yield the results you’re hoping for. Start small and do what you can. I’ve placed the suggestions at the top that I find to be the easiest (and most cost-effective)
.1. Hydrate with High-quality Water
Remember how I said your pineal gland is bathed in cerebrospinal fluid daily? Well, this can’t happen if you’re dehydrated, which most of us are. Try drinking naturally structured spring water or learn techniques for creating your own structured water. Structured water, among other things, does a much better job of hydrating us. Learn more about structured water from my favorite water guru, Jen Isabel Friend, here.
2. Practice Conscious Breathing Techniques
Conscious breathing and pranayama exercises are the simplest and cheapest way to cleanse and activate your pineal gland. Breathing consciously, especially sending the breath deep into your belly, helps push CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) up your spine and up to your brain, bathing your pineal gland in highly charged and clean water.
Three-part breath and the breath of fire are two great options to get started. If you’re not familiar with them, you can find a plethora of videos with instructions with a quick internet search. If you’d like some more advanced suggestions beginning to work with the bandhas (pranic locks) as you practice your breathwork can be helpful. Dr. Joe Dispenza also offers a variety of meditations with breathing designed to push CSF up the spine (I’ve been using the Break the Habit of Being Yourself meditations and enjoying them).
3. Meditate Regularly
Before you run off and say you don’t have time to meditate daily, I want you to know that even ten minutes a day will have a big impact. I also want to emphasize the daily aspect of this step. Regular, consistent meditation will help you access and activate the pineal gland. Learn more about how to start and stick to that meditation practice here. If guided meditations resonate with you, check out my guided meditations here.
4. Add Some Chanting to Your Meditation Practice
Chanting can help vibrate those tiny calcite crystals inside of your pineal gland and wake them up a bit. This is best used once you’ve started the process of decalcifying your pineal gland. Once you’re in a good groove of giving your pineal gland some love, add in some chanting and see if you notice a difference. My favorite meditation to use this “AHHH” meditation by Dr. Wayne Dyer. I always feel AMAZING after completing this meditation!
5. Reduce Fluoride Intake
I’m not saying you have to stop going to your dentist and stop brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste. I am saying to be aware of how much fluoride you’re consuming. Using it topically is one thing, but ingesting it from tap water on a daily basis is something else entirely. Do your research and find out how much fluoride is being added to your local water supply.
Here are a couple of companies that offer great fluoride filtration systems, including fluoride removing straws and water bottles. Check out PWF here for fluoride removing straws and Clearly Filtered here for a variety of fluoride filters, including fluoride removing water bottles. I’ve used PWF’s filters and can attest to their quality. Again, these aren’t sponsored, simply products I’ve used or that look helpful.
6. Eat Mindfully
As I mentioned above, processed foods are another calcifying culprit for the pineal gland. In a fast-paced world, it can be tough to limit all processed foods. I’m just as guilty of relying on easy-to-make processed foods to get me through the day. I invite you to simply become more aware of what you’re putting into your body and how it makes you feel. Opting for whole foods and less processed foods will have a cleansing effect on not only your pineal gland but your entire body.
7. Dark and light
Try minimizing light pollution in your room at night. Your pineal gland controls your circadian rhythm. Consider dimming lights and avoiding screens after sunset, and give yourself time in total darkness before bed. Both of these things will give your pineal gland cues that it’s nighttime and help it maintain normal function.
Alternatively, some ancient practices (that are still practiced today by some) suggest sun-gazing to invigorate your pineal gland and third eye chakra. It’s advised to gaze at the less intense light of the rising or setting sun and not the bright midday sun. Of course, please do your research on this and practice caution. Some also suggest candle gazing as an alternative.
8. Suggested Supplements and Foods
There’s a slew of supplements that can be used to help decalcify the pineal gland. Bonus, they’re also pretty great for your entire body! As with any supplement suggestion, be sure to run it by your healthcare provider and do your research before consuming any supplements.
Here’s a list of supplements to help in combination with the other steps outlined above. Many of these will cause your body to detoxify, please take these with caution and start with just one. I don’t recommend taking all of these at once, as it could leave you feeling pretty awful.
Spirulina
Chlorella
Green leafy vegetables
Turmeric
Apple cider vinegar
Iodine supplements and iodine-rich foods. (Iodine can significantly affect the thyroid. Please, exercise caution and discuss with your healthcare provider before taking iodine supplements.)
There are some great supplement options created by trusted natural herbalists. One product that I’ve been using and enjoy for the purpose of decalcifying my pineal gland is this blend by Anima Mundi Apothecary. This isn’t a sponsored ad, I just really love all of their products!
As I said, doing all of these things at once could be completely overwhelming and unnecessary. Start small and be kind to yourself. Bonus, all of these suggestions are pretty great for your entire body ;)
Want to learn more about the third eye chakra? Check out this previous blog post all about opening the third eye chakra.
6 Ways to Align Yourself with the Energy of Imbolc
Imbolc is a sabbat on the Wheel of the Year that happens on February 1st.At Imbolc, the Earth is beginning to wake up and we celebrate the approaching return of spring. We are through the hardest and darkest part of the winter, and we begin to prepare ourselves to direct our energy outwards again in the lighter part of the year to come.The word Imbolc means “in the belly” - offering us the promise of hope, renewal, of the awakening of the Earth again. Imbolc is also deeply associated with the Celtic triple goddess Brigid and her sacred flame. Brigid was one of the most powerful and most loved goddesses in Ireland, and she is the goddess of healing, poetry, and smithcraft. She is associated with the hearth, fire, the home, and water. At Imbolc, as the Earth reawakens, Brigid is said to be in her maiden aspect. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing some ways to align yourself with the sacred energy of Imbolc. Keep scrolling to read them!
Imbolc is a sabbat on the Wheel of the Year that happens on February 1st.
At Imbolc, the Earth is beginning to wake up and we celebrate the approaching return of spring. We are through the hardest and darkest part of the winter, and we begin to prepare ourselves to direct our energy outwards again in the lighter part of the year to come.
The word Imbolc means “in the belly” - offering us the promise of hope, renewal, of the awakening of the Earth again.
Imbolc is also deeply associated with the Celtic triple goddess Brigid and her sacred flame. Brigid was one of the most powerful and most loved goddesses in Ireland, and she is the goddess of healing, poetry, and smithcraft. She is associated with the hearth, fire, the home, and water. At Imbolc, as the Earth reawakens, Brigid is said to be in her maiden aspect.
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing some ways to align yourself with the sacred energy of Imbolc. Keep scrolling to read them!Page featured from The Goddess Discovery Book V2.
Page featured from The Goddess Discovery Book V2.
1. SPRING CLEANING
Imbolc is a beautiful time to clear some space for the new beginnings to come - physically, emotionally, and energetically. This could mean literally cleaning your home and donating things you no longer use, or it could be about letting go of an unhealthy pattern, belief system, or even identity. Whatever it is for you, it’s time to clear space in order to plant seeds for spring.
2. HONOR BRIGHID
Honor the goddess Brigid in whatever ways feel good to you. Writing poetry, reading poetry, and making something with your hands are all beautiful, tangible ways to honor Brigid. You could also sit in meditation and ask Brigid to come to visit you and share messages with you.You can read more about Brigid in this blog post.
3. CONNECT WITH FIRE
As I mentioned above, this sabbat is deeply associated with fire, the sun, and the sacred flame that burns within. You might connect with fire by going outside during the day and sitting in the sun, lighting candles or burning a fire in your fireplace, meditating on the sacred flame within, or doing a fiery movement practice to open your solar plexus. Find a journey to fire here.
Card featured from The Ritual Deck.
4. CREATE AN ALTAR
Create a fresh altar with items and symbols that invoke new beginnings, hope, fire, and awakening. Some suggestions:
Seeds
A Brighid cross (click here to learn how to make one)
Fertility symbolism
Blackberry
Tiger’s eye, citrine, or carnelian crystals
An image of Brigid - print one out or use her card from a goddess oracle deck if you have one
White and red candles
Frankincense or dragon’s blood incense
A bowl of water
As always with building altars, get creative and use your intuition!
5. TAP INTO YOUR INNER MAIDEN
Brighid is said to be in her maiden aspect at Imbolc, so we’re all invited to tap into our inner maiden. Connect with the young part of you that is playful, that believes in magic, that has a vivid imagination. Let yourself embody creation, pleasure, and desire - whatever that means to you.
6. PREPARE FOR SPRING
If you haven’t been resting through winter and really sinking into the winter invitation of sacred solitude, this is your last opportunity to connect with this energy. If you have been resting and feel excited about spring, preparing for spring could mean starting to plan, organize, and align yourself to set some strong foundations for spring growth.
3 Rituals for Letting Go
What is your relationship with letting go?Ritual and magical practice can help us with more than manifesting, attracting, and calling in. It can also help us shed, let go, and transform ourselves and parts of our lives. The winter season invites us to incubate, release, and hibernate. It is an ideal time for release work (as well as the fall!). The phases of the moon that correspond to release are all the waning phases - the waning gibbous moon, the last quarter moon, the waning crescent moon, and the dark moon. Learn more about the phases of the moon with The Ritual Deck (pictured below.)
What is your relationship with letting go?
Ritual and magical practice can help us with more than manifesting, attracting, and calling in. It can also help us shed, let go, and transform ourselves and parts of our lives. The winter season invites us to incubate, release, and hibernate. It is an ideal time for release work (as well as the fall!). The phases of the moon that correspond to release are all the waning phases - the waning gibbous moon, the last quarter moon, the waning crescent moon, and the dark moon. Learn more about the phases of the moon with The Ritual Deck (pictured below.)
Before we get into the rituals, I also want to add that we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to let go of things, and I want to honor that letting go can be really hard. Especially if what we’re letting go of has been something we have loved and cherished but is no longer a fit, feels comfortable, and/or feels safe.
So please, be gentle with yourself, be kind to yourself, and let release happen on your own timeline.
Keep scrolling to find a few rituals to support you in letting go.
MOON RITUAL FOR LETTING GO
Our sweet, gorgeous moon is more than just an archetype, a deity, or energy. She is a real living body just like the Earth that we can go outside and look at, connect with, and talk to. I think sometimes we forget this but this is one of my favorite practices!
This is ideal to do when the moon is in its waning phases but still visible (so not the dark moon).
For this ritual, what you’ll need is yourself, an offering for the moon, and clarity on what you’re releasing. Your offering could be anything - a plate of your dinner, a glass of water, a branch, a flower, a drawing, a song - let your intuition guide you and go with what feels right.
When you have your offering, it’s ideal to go outside and sit or stand under the moon. If it’s really cold out or you don’t have space outdoors to do this, you can also sit by a window - that works just as well!
Take some time to center and ground yourself, entering a ritual space. Turn your gaze to the moon, ask to connect with her, and share your offering with her. Spend some time gazing at her and share your offering with her in whatever way feels good to you.
When you’re ready, tell her what you’re desiring to release. Ask for her help letting go. Sit in meditation, drawing down her energy and light through your crown and your whole body, letting this energy fill you up and either help you release whatever you’re desiring to release internally (blocks, fears, internal limits, ways of talking to self, etc), or charge you with the courage and power to release externally (a relationship, a job, a situation, project, etc.).
When you feel the energy shift, you know you’re finished! Thank the moon, ground yourself again, and spend some time journaling and processing afterward.
TAROT OR ORACLE SPREAD FOR LETTING GO
For this ritual, you’ll need your tarot or oracle deck and journal. Take some time to create a ritual space, whatever that means to you, and ground yourself before working with your cards. Set the intention to communicate with your highest self, spirit guides, ancestors, intuition, or any other deities or beings you had a relationship with.
Once you’re fully present, shuffle your deck and pull cards for the following questions:
What do I need to let go of at this time?
Why do I need to let go?
What is on the other side of this release?
Supportive energies to connect with to help me let go.
Take your time with each card, really letting its messages move through you. I find it incredibly helpful to either meditate with my cards or journal about each card and what the spread means to me. I always get more information and a deeper understanding this way.
When you feel complete, it could be nice to add the cards to your altar - particularly the first and third cards - to support you throughout the release.
CANDLE MAGICK FOR LETTING GO
I love working with fire in spells and rituals, so naturally, I love candle magick! Fire is such a powerful element with its ability to transform and transmute - think of how fire turn logs into ash. It helps things change shape, die, and transform.
For this spell, you’ll need a black candle, a tarot card or oracle card representing what you’re releasing, and a safety pin to carve your candle.
Start by grounding yourself and casting your circle. Call in any supportive deities, guides, or other beings you have a connection with to join your circle and help you.
Next, you’ll want to intentionally choose the card from your deck that most represents what you’re releasing at this time. Take your time with this and really make sure you’re clear on what you’re desiring to release.
Once you have your card, it’s time to carve your candle. Carve into your candle any words and/or symbols that represent letting go to you. For example, I like to carve the glyph for Pluto into my candles when I work with releasing spells. Pluto represents change, rebirth, and transformation. Symbols and words work best when they’re personal to you, so don’t worry as much about the technical meaning and just intuitively choose what feels right to you!
Once your candle is ready, set it up with your card under it and take a few deep breaths. Speak your intention aloud as you light your candle, saying, “As I light this candle, I release X.” You might like to spend some time gazing into the candle flame as you focus on this intention.
Then, it’s time to raise energy. You can raise energy however feels good to you - you might chant, sing, dance, do breathwork, or use any other tool that feels good to you. As your candle burns, you are raising energy in order to support this release.
When you feel the energy is at its peak, direct it with your intention towards releasing whatever it is you are releasing from your body, from your life.
When you feel complete, ground yourself again. Let the candle burn all the way down, thank any beings who joined you to help facilitate this release, and re-open your circle. Spend some time processing in your journal afterward, writing down what came up for you and what you felt.
Vibrational Healing 101
What sounds are part of your daily life?For many of us, those sounds may be things like cars honking, sirens blaring, alarms and timers beeping, and music on the radio. Those sounds can be incredibly harsh on our nervous systems. Think about it: how do you feel when you hear a horn honking or a siren blaring? Startled, anxious, on edge, heightened, nervous? Most of the sounds we hear on a daily basis aren’t soothing or healing, and many of them are also inevitable. Many of these noises simply go along with living a modern life. But that’s where sound healing comes in as an incredibly helpful tool for resetting the nervous system and realigning our energy centers.Keep scrolling to learn more about some of the science behind sound, the benefits of sound healing, and ways to weave sound healing into your life each day.
What sounds are part of your daily life?
For many of us, those sounds may be things like cars honking, sirens blaring, alarms and timers beeping, and music on the radio.
Those sounds can be incredibly harsh on our nervous systems. Think about it: how do you feel when you hear a horn honking or a siren blaring? Startled, anxious, on edge, heightened, nervous?
Most of the sounds we hear on a daily basis aren’t soothing or healing, and many of them are also inevitable. Many of these noises simply go along with living a modern life. But that’s where sound healing comes in as an incredibly helpful tool for resetting the nervous system and realigning our energy centers.
Keep scrolling to learn more about some of the science behind sound, the benefits of sound healing, and ways to weave sound healing into your life each day.
WHAT IS VIBRATIONAL HEALING?
Vibrational healing, also called, sound healing, frequency healing, or vibrational medicine, uses the vibration of objects that resonate (such as bowls, tuning forks, gongs, and other instruments) as well as the human voice to soothe the body and mind, access a deeper state of meditation, and stimulate healing. Sound healing is definitely having a moment right now, but it’s far from new. Cultures around the world have used sound for healing for centuries.
THE SCIENCE OF SOUND
An article for the New York Times shares this:
“…Healers, sometimes called sounders, argue that sound can have physiological effects because its vibrations are not merely heard but also felt. And vibrations, they say, can lower heart rate variability, relax brain wave patterns and reduce respiratory rates.
When the heart rate is relatively steady, and breathing is deep and slow, stress hormones decrease, said Dr. Mitchell L. Gaynor, an oncologist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York and the author of "The Healing Power of Sound." That is significant, he said, because stress can depress every aspect of the immune system, "including those that protect us against flu and against cancer.”
A study where participants received about 35 minutes of sound therapy (some in person, and some via an online recording) found that “Statistically significant, highly significant and extremely significant data was produced in the domains of Physical Relaxation, Imagery, Ineffability, Transcendence of Time and Space, Positive Mood, Insightfulness, Disembodiment and Unity across both live and recorded studies.”
There is also some fascinating research being done about the power of sound to help us access alpha brain waves, the brain waves associated with daydreaming, mindfulness, and meditation. Alpha waves, according to studies conducted by neuro-electric therapy engineers Dr. Margaret Patterson and Dr. Ifor Capel, boost the production of serotonin in the body.
There aren’t a ton of studies available, but as you can see research has been done and hopefully will continue to be done to explore the science behind sound healing.
THE BENEFITS OF SOUND HEALING
Some of the benefits of sound healing can include:
Access a deep state of meditation
Relief of physical pain
Lowering stress
Soothe anxiety
Decrease in mood swings
Improved sleep
Improved creativity
Heightened self-awareness
Personally, I find sound healing to be incredibly relaxing and heart-opening. It helps me connect with my intuition, open my heart, and access a deeper meditative state. It definitely helps me release stress and relax as well, letting my body truly restore itself.
HOW TO WEAVE SOUND HEALING INTO YOUR LIFE
Now that you know how amazing sound healing is for you, how can you weave sound healing into your life? Here are a few ways:
Meditate with sound frequency meditations on Spotify - here and here are a few sound healing playlists I like
Buy a singing bowl and play it for yourself
Attend a local sound healing event in your area - often called a sound bath or sound meditation
Listen to binaural beats, music that specifically works to generate alpha waves
Chanting OM
Buy tuning forks and use them at home
Vocal toning to open your chakras (this website shares a simple vocal toning practice)
Have you tried sound healing? If you haven't, I hope you now feel inspired to give it a try!
