Tag: dailyprompt

  • Material self-care is a spiritual prerogative

    According to many religions we all contain some aspect of divinity. Whether that is incarnation, a divine spark, a pillar, or the potential to ascend to the level of a God or goddess. At this point I feel my beliefs are a combination of the first two. We can incarnate some aspect of gods who have taken a hand in our creation and growth. For those who believe in one particular God, they say that people are made in his image. Which could be interpreted as the same thing. And we all have divine energy within us, those little gifts and moments of intuition beyond the physical.

    In my own personal practice I ally with, work with, and give offerings too, many different types of gods and spirits. So what if when we give without expecting anything in return to other people, we are in some ways making offerings to their spirits? And what if when we initiate an exchange of labor or material possessions, we are allying with that person’s spirit the same way we do with the non-physical entities we work with? Sometimes those human spirits in living bodies aren’t necessarily deserving of what we give, and sometimes we give with ulterior motives, but that’s a topic for another day. Most religions would say it is good to be selfless. But I think a healthy amount of selfishness is also a good thing.

    If the only food you have in your home is a plate of cookies, and there are five, and three people come to your home asking for food, are you going to give away all of the cookies? We have to take time to physically restore our emotional Resources, our sense of comfort in this physical reality, so that we have enough abundance to share when others need it. We do this in three ways. We are careful not to give to those who only seek to drain us. Community means that when you share resources, there is an unspoken promise that when you need support, others will share with you. This goes for emotional and spiritual resources, not just physical. You protect what you know you need. This means that the three people who came to your house wanting food can get a cookie if you know you are going to have more food in the next few hours. But if you don’t, then maybe sharing isn’t the best idea. Maybe they promised to bring something back in return. You don’t know if they will keep that promise.

    The third way is self-care. Actions that bring you a sense of well-being, contentment, and security start in the physical, boosting your emotional resources, giving your spirit space to heal. For some people this is cleaning or working out. For some people this is a rare steak and red wine. Of which I approve. For some people this is a luxurious bath involving fancy special occasion products and scented candles. Also lovely.

    How do you practice self-care?

    I personally engage in self-care in a few stages. I will enjoy a nice bath, to remember how to love the body I am in. I might bring a mineral water with me. I will listen to a favorite book. Then when I am done, I make sure to take care of my skin, put on fragrance, and throw on a favorite dress. I get ready as if I am going out on a date or with friends. But instead, I order a pizza, put on a favorite show, and acknowledge my gratitude for how much the gods and spirits I am aligned with due for me. And how incredible life is. Or if this is too much of a production, I get a mineral water or a coffee, maybe a brownie or a few pieces of dark chocolate, and I find somewhere quiet to just sit and read. I still might throw on a pretty dress though. I have put myself in a better state of mind to make it easier to handle whatever life throws at me next. And be there for the spirits of those I care about.

    I offer two courses that relate to this topic. Right now they are live for $30 an hour, and they are one hour courses. Later this year I hope to have print download options. They are glamour magic and self empowerment. You can read more about these on my courses page. 

  • Positive moments of self-care

    Describe one of your favorite moments.

    I like to try to manifest as many positive and beautiful moments throughout my day as I can. The world feels as though it has lost its mind, and part of my spiritual path involves prioritizing my own sense of contentment within my life. I love a luxurious bubble bath, doing stretches or walking loops through my apartment listening to favorite music, dressing up just for me, or making a charcuterie board for dinner. None of these are rituals necessarily, but they are some of the choices I actively make to manifest positive energy in my life.

    Here is one recipe I love for emotional self-care after a bad day. You can use skim or oat milk. About half a tablespoon of dark cocoa powder, the Hershey’s Dutch dark is my preference, and real honey. A lot of store-bought honey is flavored syrup, you want to make sure it says organic. Or at least raw. All you are going to do is heat up a mug of your milk or substitute of choice, add your cocoa powder and then sweeten with honey to taste. You get a rich luxurious drink that is also quite nourishing and will help you sleep. You can even add a sprinkle of cinnamon or cardamom if you like. This is also an excellent alternative to coffee.

  • The only boundary of life is death

    What are the most important things needed to live a good life?

    The only boundary of life is death. Within life you do have to create your own framework. This is defining your purpose, building your morality from experience and not from arbitrary sources, and intentionally choosing whether you will follow the roads created by others or cut your own trail through the challenges you will inevitably face. I think it’s always better to do the latter.

    I believe in horizontal morality. This is a set of principles you create based on your experiences. You are not entitled to impose your own morality on others, only to live by those morals. Even if you feel your views are universal or the only right ones, that’s still just your opinion. One thing I believe in but do not always perfectly apply is that spiritual violence should only really be used as a response to aggression. It is a self-defense tool. It is all right to act as the hand of karma to those who have hurt you, but we do not victimize innocent people or someone who has made a simple mistake. But that is just a rule I have for myself. I also believe we owe everyone basic respect and personal agency, including children, as long as they are not harming themselves or others. You are not obligated to fix someone’s problems, you are not obligated to continue associating with someone who has done you wrong or made you uncomfortable, But we can do so much better in the way we relate to each other.

    The purpose of existence to me is to have a good time. To enjoy the life you live to the fullest. To some people that might mean spending every moment in nature. To me that means having as few worries as possible and surrounding myself with beauty. I hope I can travel one day, especially taking scenic train trips around the absolutely beautiful USA. I hope I can afford to have a little place on a lake somewhere that is always warm, where I can swim almost every day of the year. Water is a spiritual tool for me, and swimming is emotionally cathartic. Catharsis is also a spiritual act. That is why I love my music. I think I will always want to surround myself with beautiful things, preferably handmade or creative. what I bring into my life should be symbolic of where I am on my path and how I view myself, and should have memories connected to it.

    Finally I do believe that a good life involves prioritizing your comfort, protecting your peace, and sharing out any type of resource only after you make sure that you are in a good place, especially when it comes to your time and emotions. Obviously it is important to share the love we have and take care of those around us, but we can’t adequately do this if we are living at a deficit while also expending resources for those who might not have built their own yet. Trauma can cause the deficit, or physical poverty. Sometimes the people we are trying to take care of our children and just don’t have the experience they need yet. But sometimes those draining our resources just don’t want to be responsible for how they deal with the world. And that is not our problem.

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