simple shui | 8 shui practices for challenging times

5 easy ways to shui, simple shui tips

in Budapest a couple weeks ago, one eye wandered over the river and through the hills while the other could not glance away from home. i feel stripped to the studs reading the news + a serial fear of what is coming next, and none of it falls under the banner of good shui. so, today’s post is dedicated to a few practices i know + use for nurturing the light that needs rousing now…

USE THE ‘ONE COMMAND’. a friend shared this exercise with me recently. i have been deliberate with its use + impressed by its magical effectiveness. notice the phrasing. rather than get tangled in the words for HOW the healing happens, it puts us in the arms of gratitude. repeat it daily, hourly, often: “i don’t know how, i only know that i/we [insert desire] now, and i am (we are) grateful and fulfilled.”

“i don’t know how, i only know that all the children detained in camps are reuniting with their parents, and i am grateful and fulfilled.”

SPREAD LIGHT. every time i see an image of a detention facility, i quickly run white light around it. it might seem a frivolous solution, but the intention and discipline required are like prayer. next time you scroll past a haunting image, pause and spread the light.

SING NAMES. my favorite new practice was taught to me by Pixie Lighthorse. she explained offering prayers for people – when they haven’t requested them – is slippery because we insert our expectations + desires. her suggestion instead? sing someone’s name over and over. this ritual, i have discovered, has a certain something to it that leaves a deeper joy. now every time i hear a name in need, i chirp like a bird.

SOAK UP. baths need to move out of the luxury column and straight onto the good physical + mental health checklist. trust me here, and do one of the following this week: dip yourself into a magnesium (Epsom salts) bath – magnesium is RELAXING. soak in a Himalayan salt bath – a highly efficient way to DETOX stress. or hydrate with a seaweed treatment in the tub – a guaranteed HEALTH booster. our energy is sustained through self-care, so take a bath and go Z to the E to the N, my friends.  (BIG thanks to Porter magazine for the salty suggestions!)

SHUI YOUR ‘HELPFUL PEOPLE’ AREA. without getting too technical, the element most at home here is metal. metal is represented by the circle. and when we gather round in one, it draws our energy into relationship with each other. i like to think of it as merging our individual awareness into a collective consciousness. in a circle, we are able to hold onto sacred energy. circle energy constantly moves. pushes. pulls. expands. doesn’t expansion sound like a lovely exhale right now?

stand at the front door, looking into your house/space. imagine a tic-tac-toe board over your entire space, dividing it into 9 equal squares. the very front right hand square is where your helpful people area is located. place something here that represents any change you’d like to see; accessorize the space with visual mentions of your cosmic squad; +/or find a way to incorporate something round + assign it the meaning of achieving harmony, understanding, and the pull of progress.

DEDICATE YOUR PRACTICE. whether it’s a yoga class, running, or taking Ruby for a walk, i do my best to focus on my freedom to choose (rather than finding a loophole out of it) – thus, gratitude. which turns my MEH into YES. and as i head out the door, i dedicate my practice that day to a struggling friend, a situation without an immediate solution, or a crisis that leaves me feeling helpless. monks chants; i run.

MAKE OIL A DAILY ESSENTIAL. oils have been around here since before the lovelies were out of diapers, so most of what i know about EO healing properties come from my real-time challenges. bonus: ALL OF THESE oils offer constant protection.

  • ON GUARD is my favorite oil for nurturing the body and building up a good defense system – i typically rub this on the bottom of feet, although capsules are now available, too! when stress starts to make like a tsunami, on guard goes everywhere with me.

 

  • FRANKINCENSE is a warrior queen – protective and powerful. i start most days with one drop on the crown of my head. frank is also a beautiful ally during mediation +/or any sacred devotional practice.

 

  • TERRA SHIELD is a blend often used to keep insects away; however, it happens to also be excellent at getting people to ‘bug off’! if i am in the company of challenging types, a drop of TS on my crown assures easier passage.

DONATE. the people on the ground willing to do the really hard work deserve every bit of financial support + reinforcement we can afford. whether you’re donating $5, $500, or $5000, it ALL adds up – and carries with it mighty BIG energy. not sure what organizations are best? here are the ones getting my green!

CALL. CALL. AND KEEP CALLING. on my flight to Budapest, i watched The Post. and what is still resonating is how well documented the research was disputing the merits of the Vietnam War – though the government + leadership chose to ignore it. makes me certain the same is happening now. even though we don’t see action that mirrors positive changes, our calls + conversations are being collected. let history show you were here! call. use your privilege. make your voice heard. and let your opinion count.

xo