Moon Cycle: August 11th – September 8th 

New Moon/Super Moon/Solar Eclipse: August 11th 

Keywords: A new you, the next phase, bravery, courage, time to shine, self-appreciation, royalty, strength, energy, family bonds

Phew! It has been one crazy summer full of powerful celestial phenomenons. High planetary retrograde activity, combined with a series of powerful eclipses, a Blood moon, Super moons and more. If you are feeling a tad shook from it all, it’s completely understandable. In fact, this moon cycle will finalize a highly transformative summer for most of us, whether we are aware of it or not. Shifts happened within ourselves and out in our physical realm. For example; did you get a new job or big client? book a trip? have a baby? undergo a friend-group turnover? All transformations, big or small, that occurred this summer will be showing up in different ways through to the end of the year.

While July’s moon cycle called in the introspective feels of Cancer, as we step into August’s new moon on Saturday the 11th, we are invited to channel the powerful energies surrounding the brave and courageous Leo, the Lion. It may almost feel as though we have rested and reflected these past few months, set down the ground work, and really felt our way around our new roles and selves. All the while we were strengthening the foundations of our stages to ensure they are solid and firm for the next great phase in our lives. We are now finally ready to let the world see us for who we are and show what we can do.

The Solar Eclipse

Saturday’s new moon will align with a solar eclipse, a brief moment of darkness were we can finalize our intentions regarding what we want to achieve between now and the end of the year. Make sure to find a quiet and reflective moment during the new moon phase to write these intentions down clearly. Tell the universe EXACTLY what you want. Even if it may seem like too much, set the intention, and write down clearly (i.e. I want to make $5000 more a month). The universe has plenty for everyone. Play close heed to the 8 moon phases this month. Each will be extremely important in guiding you through this Lion cycle with intention and purpose.

You’re Going to Hear Me Roar! But Carefully 

The most important thing to remember for this August moon cycle is to allow the Lion within to come out. While being humble is always important, we are invited to celebrate our unique virtues and strengths this month, putting them to good use in order to get what we truly want. Embrace and channel confidence. Believe in yourself and give yourself the royal treatment. Lions are regal and strong.

But remember, Mercury remains in retrograde until August 17th, so while we are encouraged to speak our truth, do so with caution. Communication can get messy during this time. Further to that, don’t confuse bravery and confidence with pride and boastfulness as it can lead to embarrassment or loss. Practice humility, embrace discussion and evaluate all your options carefully before marching on into judgement or action.

Now go get it, Simba!

Image By
Alex Woods

Letting go of bad habits is a huge obstacle when it comes to personal development. People often consider habits to be bad when they are present in their physical manifestation; drinking too much, eating poorly, smoking, not exercising and so on.

Rarely do we consider the bad habits of the mind, In other words, how repeated negative thoughts can affect our feelings, influence our actions and ultimately develop into real life manifestations i.e. weight gain, exhaustion, lack of energy and focus and an inability to show up to task in our finest form.

A common bad habit of the mind is to focus on what we believe to be lacking in our lives, such as money, career, love, the ideal body etc. However, once we begin consciously working with the universal Law of Attraction, we will find how powerfully our thoughts affect what shows up in our life. Therefore, by constantly focusing on what we believe we are lacking, we are calling in more of the same; more debt, more weight gain, more troubles in love, etc.

Your Thoughts and Feelings Are Stronger Than You Think

The Law of Attraction helps us create our own life experiences through the power of thought and internal vibrational alignment, aka how we are feeling. So if we are wallowing in thoughts of misfortune and letting those thoughts permeate our bodies, we will continue to vibrate on a low level, attracting more of what we don’t want.

One of the easiest ways to counteract the attraction of more negativity is to practice gratitude. Practicing gratitude on a daily basis will work to align you easily with feelings of abundance. Those feelings of abundance will generate thoughts of happiness and alignment, opening yourself to receive more of what you do want into your life

Pretty simple right?

Easy Ways To Practice Gratitude

Start Simple

Depending on where you are in your journey, it can sometimes be very difficult to see what there is in your life to be grateful for. Try writing out 5 things  of the simplest things you are grateful for. For example;

1. I am grateful for the weather today, it was sunny and it made me feel nice
2. I am grateful for my dog. He is so sweet and his spirit makes me smile and comforts me
3. I am grateful to have shelter. I am warm and I am safe and I have somewhere to sleep tonight
4. I am grateful for my morning cup of coffee. I love taking that first sip
5. I am grateful for my body’s mobility. I have two legs and two arms that work and I can serve myself physically

SO simple! But when you review it, you realize that the above 5 simple things are not available to everyone. Even the weather can hinder people who do not have shelter.

Build On That

Each day, try adding on 5 more things to your list. You will find it becomes easier and easier to establish gratitude as the days go on.

Do A Page A Day

Once you are in the practice of finding gratitude in smaller things, try journaling and letting your mind take lead. Put your pen to paper and don’t think too much about it. Start writing down everything in life you are grateful. Practice this regularly.

Meditate

After you have established a practice of expressing and acknowledging gratitude, try incorporating meditation into your daily gratitude routine. Even 5 minutes a day will help clear your mind and allow feelings of gratitude to better permeate your being. Acknowledge your feelings and give them time to resonate within you.

Self-Care and Self-Love

As you are the most important person in your life, practicing daily self-care and love will show the universe that you believe you are worthy for the gifts you are calling in. Love yourself and treat yourself with great kindness. Be grateful for your mind, your body and your beautiful soul. Try telling yourself at least once a day what you love about you. Give yourself the proper nourishment, exercise and care you need and deserve.

After gratitude becomes a habit in your life, you will find more reasons to be grateful will come your way with ease. Get ready to welcome them with grace and love.

Image by
Anders Jildén

The Blood Moon is coming in HOT this Friday, bringing with it the longest lunar eclipse of the century. If you thought that the new moon energies of July 12th were intense, Friday’s full moon will bring some serious cosmic energies that may test our human capacities for stabilizing emotion and our responses to touchy interactions and not-so-sweet situations.

However, there’s no need to be fearful of a Blood Moon or a lunar eclipse. In fact, these phenomenons are a wonderful opportunity to work with intention towards achieving our goals, become more self-aware and to let go of everything that no longer serves us.

In order to do that, it’s great to have a clear understanding of what we are working with.

What’s a Blood Moon?

It’s totally not as sinister as it sounds. A Blood Moon is what happens when the Earth’s moon is in total eclipse. As the moon passes the Earth’s shadow, it adapts a rusty or reddish hue, as some sunlight that goes through the Earth’s atmosphere bends around the edges of our planet and will fall onto the moon’s surface.  Unfortunately, us North Americans will not be able to see the Blood Moon, while our friends in the Eastern Hemisphere will be able to get a good glimpse.

How Will The Lunar Eclipse Effect Me? 

Listen, there’s no sugar coating it. If you are a subscriber and believer in the forces and power behind the moon’s phases (and if you’ve found yourself on this site, you probably are) then yes, this one’s going to be intense. This lunar eclipse is highly influenced by the planet Mars, the planet that rules our feelings of aggression, desire, anger and survival. Mars focuses on immediate action as opposed to calculated and intention-based reaction.

This means that we may be more susceptible to reckless behaviours, especially if we are faced with particularly important decisions or situations. It is important that we are mindful to react from a space of being calm rather than giving into aggressive instincts.

The trick to navigating this celestial phenomenon is to remain mindful, grounded and full of intention. A Lunar Eclipse brings with it similar energies to a full moon, only much much stronger. Therefore, while there is opportunity for disaster if we do not stay mindful, there is also great opportunity to call into play the things you want to change.

How Do I Work With The Lunar Eclipse? 

Set Intentions

At Age of Lapin, we set our intentions every new moon and use the energy of the full moon to either emphasize our focus through ritual, ceremony, yoga, self-care, intention-focused meditation and mantra or journalling, OR we use the opportunity to course-correct, and set a new intention.

This powerful lunar eclipse offers us an incredible opportunity to highlight and focus on what we truly want to call into our lives. Not only is it an excellent time to reiterate what you may have set down as your intentions during the new moon, it is also an incredible opportunity to call in to play what you want to focus on and bring into your life over the next few months. Leverage the moon’s powerful energy on Friday to your advantage with an intention setting practice, such as journalling, vision-boarding or mindful meditation. The most important thing to remember is to write your intentions down, say them out loud or collage them on a vision board. Get them outside of you, into the air, the universe and into play.

Ditch What No Longer Serves You

This Lunar Eclipse is still leveraging that transformative and rebirthing energy from July’s new moon. Friday’s full moon is the perfect time to declare that you will not be carrying that which no longer offers you anything of value going forward. Look at your life and determine what you have been holding onto that has no more benefit to you. This could be an old friendship that is dragging you down, a pattern of self-doubt or a bad habit that is holding you back from your goals (i.e. negative self-talk or smoking).

Letting go is hard, but leveraging Friday’s energy will make it so much easier to stick with it. The universe wants us to have what our hearts desire so it is important to take advantage when the forces at play offer us natural gifts to rid ourselves of things that may be holding us from achieving those desires.

Embrace this time of rebirth by letting go and saying goodbye to anything that is taking you away from receiving your goals.

Gather and Embrace Ritual

One of the best ways we can leverage the energy of any full moon is by gathering and embracing a practice of ritual with likeminded friends and people. If your close group of friends aren’t into woo-woo or the moon, no worries. We love to curate full moon and new moon events happening locally from places like Eventbrite and our own beautiful community. No matter what your budget is, there are always beautiful gatherings happening throughout whatever city you live in, even free ones like the Soul Sister Gathering. 

Ritual can be practiced in a group or also on your own. If you are not so inclined to join a group, embrace a time of peace for yourself where you can focus with intention on what you want to achieve and let go of. This can be something as simple as attending a yoga class, embracing quiet meditation or even indulging in a ritual of self-care and self-love.

With the moon in Cancer and the intense cosmic happens occurring this month (a solar eclipse, a supermoon, a blood moon, etc.) many of us are computing these cosmic energies into highly emotional vibrations. Whether you’re feeling sad, tense, irritable, nervous or uncertain, agate is recognized for its loving ability to help us get grounded and focused.

Agate stones can be identified by their stunning layers and signature bands, with an appearance akin to marble. Agate comes in a range of beautiful colours such as blue, green, grey, red, brown and yellow. It is a stone that is deeply connected to the Earth and vibrates at a slow and steady pace, making it an ideal crystal for balancing and harmonizing our chakras. In fact, different colours of agate vibrate and align with certain chakras. And while some colours will soothe and open up certain energy flows within the body, agate in any colour can help us find our balance in times of trouble or unease.

The slower vibration of agate makes it an excellent crystal for daily use, offering a soothing presence that can help us centre when we feel scattered or unfocused. It is a great crystal for when you are feeling overwhelmed as it will not overstimulate or interfere with our internal frequencies, but rather help us align with a more steady energy, stabilizing the aura and bring a sense of calm and harmony.

Beautiful Ways to Incorporate Agate into your Day-to-Day

Blue Lace Agate Bracelet

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Destera Pendant

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Moss Agate Mala Beads

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Moon Cycle: From July 12th – August 10th

Blood Moon/Full Moon: July 27th

Keywords: Transformation, Change, New Beginnings, Rebirth, Strengthening Our Foundations

This week, on July 12th, we welcome a new moon that will lead us to a Full Blood Moon on July 27th. If you’re feeling transitional, emotional and a bit unsteady, trust that this is completely aligned with the Cancer season. The date of this new moon also marks the start of a powerful solar eclipse, the first of three which will happen this summer; the second will happen on the Full Blood Moon on July 27th and the following on August 11th.

This series of solar eclipses will no doubt have a powerful effect on our sense of stability. Do not expect things to remain the same. In fact, these solar eclipses could prove to bring life-changing and unexpected circumstances leading all the way through to 2020.

We love the fact that the solar eclipses of this month align with the new and full moons. As the moon blocks our view of the sun and the world is in proverbial darkness, we are invited to come out of each eclipse with a sense of rebirth, leveraging the energies for new beginnings. Working with an understanding of the planets and their shifts helps us leverage their powerful energies with focused intention, rather than letting them rule us without a sense of purpose.

Remember in this powerful time of transition that we will likely be presented with feelings of hesitation, perhaps even fear. We cannot see through the darkness and we cannot know the ultimate outcome of what is about to happen.

This is when the practice of trust will truly come into play. You may feel a strong need in your personal life to hand your trust over to the universe on the dates of July 23rd to July 26, during the Gibbous Moon phase. Expect your questions about your personal direction to be amplified during that time. The universe may throw you some curves or challenges during this moon cycle where trust will be needed.

Leverage That Cancer Energy

Remember; this new moon is occurring in Cancer, a potent and emotionally charged period, affecting our senses of security, support, our connection to our roots or heritage, our family and of course our inner sense of self (who we are, what are we doing, our feelings, our responses, etc.).

This is a time to nourish our foundations and everything that we feel a connection to as our home. Not to be confused with strictly our personal houses or dwellings, this can include anything that is in our daily vortex; people, our workplaces, our routine and of course the “home” within, our inner foundations and strengths.

Ensure to dedicate time in July to honour your inner being, your true sense of comfort and security and every single feeling. Acknowledge, confront and release. Take comfort in your sources of security; your family and your true close friends.

Expect to be called to a new beginning of sorts, one that may require you to leave behind something valued and treasured. While this will be difficult, remember new beginnings can be an exciting blessing, it’s a matter of what we learn and how we choose to leverage things going forward.

averie woodard

When it comes to tapping into our spiritual side, it can often be viewed as an intimidating process, or at least a very serious one. And while finding alignment with our inner being is certainly a powerful and serious affair, it must be remembered that the entire point of finding that spiritual connection is finding our capacity for the greatest joy.

As the Law of Attraction tells us, it isn’t until we are truly happy that happiness will become abundant in our lives. For those who are looking to dabble in the world of wellness and woo-woo, we wholeheartedly suggest making your first foray into the space as fun and joyous as possible.

We’ve curated a bundle of our favourite ways to bring spirituality AND smiles into our journey for alignment.

That’s So Retrograde Podcast

Hosted by besties Stephanie Simbari and Elizabeth Kott, this is more than just a witty take on the woo-woo space. These girls get into it, interviewing shamans, astrologists, meditation experts, comedians, and experts in health and wellness, all with a highly relevant pop culture spin. If you’re looking to understand a bit more about the moon and the stars and the newest trends from wellness-mecca, LA, then this is the podcast for you. The ladies are hilarious and offer a refreshingly light-hearted take on the universe and all its beautiful complexities. Check out more here.

Do Arts and Crafts

Some of the most powerful activities in our spiritual journeys involve (biodegradable) glitter and glue. Vision boarding, for example, is one of the funnest ways to get your inner being’s most powerful desires and intentions out in front of you in an exciting and creative way. You can even invite your friends and make a party out of it. All you need is some old magazines (great way to up-cycle), bristol board and glue and get going. Allow the pictures to speak to you. Cut them out and collage.

Other fun activities include bullet journaling your spiritual intentions, sketching, and painting.

Image: Estee Janssens

The Kawaii Tarot Ap

Filed in things we’re kind of obsessed about, the Kawaii Tarot app is the cutest way to get a tarot reading in a pinch. Perfect for tarot newbies who are looking to understand the intricacies behind the practice.

Tossing Things Out

Ok, this may sound like a chore, but there is nothing funner than tossing out that which no longer serves you. It is one of the easiest ways to generate a sense of instant gratification and an appreciation for a visual change. Everything like old clothes, old beauty products and bits and bobs that are weighing you down; get rid of them! Let your inner being guide you to know what you truly do not need in your life anymore as you make room for all that is fresh and new, both physically and mentally.

We must make space for the things we want in life, whether it is physical or spiritual abundance we’re after. Remember, the things we own have their own energies and frequencies. If you’re holding on to something, even something as simple as clothes you no longer wear, it is possible your spiritual frequencies are connecting with the past and creating potential roadblocks for the future abundance you wish you draw into your life.

Once you do old items toss out (or donate or recycle), make sure to give your space a once over with palo santo to reset the energy in your home or office (very important).

Image: Averie Woodard

Traveling 

Next time you’re travelling, take time out to understand a bit more about the spiritual practices of the people who live in the country you are visiting. Often times, the wholeness of our spiritual selves is compiled with the elements we resonate with from other cultures, including the people and practices we have encountered. And there is nothing more eye-opening than being immersed in the culture of another country. Take everything in, listen, observe and appreciate the values of the people around you.

Aside from the people around you, it is vital for our spiritual selves to take advantage of being in a new place as a means of gaining insight on who we are and who we want to be when we are back at home. Travel often comes with the gift of being our most authentic selves so regardless of whether you are travelling with your partner or a group of friends, ensure you have some quiet reflection time to appreciate the present moment, acknowledge your feelings and recognize what about the traveller within you you would like to bring home.

Image: Joshua Earle

Go To an Event 

Gathering with likeminded people, even those who may be a bit more advanced in their journeys, is one of the most amazing ways to feel connected, aligned and as though you are on the right path. It can be anything as simple as a creative learning workshop, a full moon gathering, a wellness talk or even a yoga + beer class (they’re super awesome). Anytime you step out of your daily routine and move towards a new space, you are showing the universe you are open to growing, learning and transforming. Plus, it’s a great and productive way to shake up another night of Netflix.

Check out Eventbrite and our own event section, where we curate amazing, welcoming experiences.

Image: Geert Pieters

Remember, above all, if something doesn’t make you happy, your inner being is totally not into it. When we feel good, we are best positioned to make the powerful and transformational shifts we desire to grow full and completely into our spiritual selves.

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John Gibbons

For those who are very in tune with the planets and find themselves to be affected by natural and universal shifts, you may find yourself stepping into this Summer Solstice with an unexpected lump of emotion in your throat. Not only are we at a halfway point of the year, a time when we are meant to take stock of the past six months of our work, accomplishments, losses and spiritual growth, we are also at a critical period when we should be looking forward to the six months ahead, visualizing our next steps, setting our intentions, all while letting go of that which no longer serves us.

It’s a lot of pressure.

To top it off, this Summer Solstice happens on the exact same day when the sun moves into Cancer, which can characteristically be an emotional time. In addition to being the most emotional of all astrological signs, Cancer is also ruled by the moon, the ruler of all our feelings. So we have a trifecta of emotional turbulence running currents through our small human bodies.

So while we encourage acknowledging and honouring our tendency towards ups and downs, passionate outbursts, powerful tides of love and sincere vulnerability to heartbreak and disappointment, we do not view Cancer season as a time of weakness. To the contrary, the season of Cancer gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our hardshell strengths in the face of adversity, while embracing the opportunity to balance our masculine sun energy through the Summer Solstice with our feminine ties to the moon.

So How Do I Do That? 

Ritual. Ritual is everything when we are working with our universal connections. Rituals do not need to be anything extensive, that you’re not familiar with, they can be subdued, mindful moments of acknowledgment and self-love.

Here’s a couple ways to implement ritual this Summer Solstice:

Honour Your Work

Take 5 to 10 minutes and write down what you have accomplished over the past six months. Read your list as many times as you need to over the next few days to let acknowledgement of your accomplishments resonate within your soul. Further to that, write down what you want to let go, what hasn’t worked out and give yourself acknowledgement for trying. And then, tell yourself that everything that didn’t work out, or that no longer serves you is something you will not be taking into the next 6 months of the year with you. Let. It. Go. 

Smudge Your Space

Start the next six months off with a clean energy slate. Smudge your workspace, closets, and home with sage or palo santo. Clear old energy and make room for new positive frequencies.

Use Citrine

Said to embrace the energy of the sun, Citrine is one of the most powerful stones to use for stimulating passion, strength and the power of manifestation. Citrine is connected your Sacral and Solar Plexus chakras where our feelings of personal power, will and determination are found, as well as our capacity for abundance and joy.

Keep Citrine close to you over the next few days. Hold it in your hand while you meditate or visualize the next six months to come.

Self-Care with Meditation

This is a beautiful ritual that ideally we would make time for everyday. Take an hour to your self  and do something that is only and completely for you. Whether it’s yoga, a bike ride, a run, a salt scrub, drink a warm calming wellness tea afterwards. Then settle into a meditative state for about 10 minutes or more if you can. Clear your mind in preparation for what is right around the corner, while practicing tools to help deal with any Cancer-induced emotional tides.

Ryan Holloway

Meaning

June’s moon cycle is recognized as the Strawberry Moon, aptly named by Algonquin tribes who recognized it as the best time to gather wild strawberries as they started to ripen.

On June 13th, the new moon enters Gemini and is also a Supermoon, recognized as a sacred point in the year, the halfway point. If you have been working towards something special in 2018, now is the ideal time to reflect, acknowledge and appreciate how far you’ve come at this halfway mark. How much work have you put into your intentions and desires over the past 6 months? Give yourself some serious self-love for working towards your dreams, and reflect on every brick that has been lovingly laid by your hand to create the foundation of your intentions since January.

This is an excellent time to turn to the horizon and calculate what the next 6 months will require from you in order to finish the year off with satisfaction. Remember, all goals are valuable and small wins go a very long way. Leverage the momentum of all positivity from the past few months into your focus forward. As for the negative energy? It has no place within you or around you. Let it GO!

We’re in luck as we head into the next stages of our journey towards our intentions and goals. The energy of Gemini offers extra self-expression, creativity and opportunities to speak our truth. And because of its Supermoon status, these energies will be especially vibrational, offering us the opportunity to leverage them to our benefits.

Our inner beings are highly accessible during this moon phase, opening up the possibilities to find great alignment and discover our capacities for joy. Let go of the ego and the superficial. Pick up a journal and let your inner being channel through to the page. Intention and goal writing will work strongly in your favour this moon when it comes to manifestation. Not a big writer? Try vision boarding, bullet journaling, or mantra.

Local Toronto Ceremonies and Rituals 

Soul Sister Sacred Circle – New Moon in Gemini

The Soul Sister Sacred Circle is a recurring new moon event designed to bring likeminded people vibrating on similar energy frequencies together, to enhance our manifestations, while leveraging intention setting practices. Expect astrological readings, visualization practices,affirmations, oracle readings, reiki, vegan snacks and wine. And it’s totally free.

New Moon Vibes – Cacao Ceremony & Crystal Singing Bowl Soundbath

Embrace powerful soul cleansing and prepare to leverage manifestation techniques through a ceremony with cacao, said to be the food of the gods offering a strong heart-opening effect. Crystal Bowl sounds will work to heal and set vibrations into perfect alignment for the power of the moon cycle ahead.

Rainbow Energy Healing, Meditation and Sound Healing Circle

This event doesn’t fall on the beginning of the new moon, it is within the first stages of the new moon on June 15th. This unique experience is offered in a sacred space and tailored to the specific needs of all who attend. If you are looking to connect with likeminded people and leverage healing energy into the Strawberry Moon, we recommend this event.

With the new moon here, it’s a great time to talk about citrine, the crystal most commonly utilized in manifestation and associated with joy and success.

Widely known as The Merchant’s Stone or The Success Stone, citrine has long been recognized for its ability to stimulate abundance and wealth, and is particularly useful when working towards manifesting our goals in the areas of finance or business.

That said, citrine is not magic crystal that will bring you an abundance of wealth simply by being in its presence. As with all stones and crystals, it is important to remember that it is our guiding will and intentions that are aided by the crystal in question.

Citrine works towards our goals of manifesting success through the energy and frequency found in its beautiful colours. Yellow and gold light activate and stimulate the Sacral and the Solar Plexus . These particular chakras are associated with our feelings of will, our personal power and our abilities to move forward with control, along with our joy and feelings of abundance.

Keeping Citrine close to your work space can aid in keeping us focused and strong as we work through the steps required to meet our goals in the business or financial realm.

Further to this, meditating with Citrine will bring clarity and focus, and can help aid in our creativity and inspiration, which is also helpful when working towards our goals. Citrine can help elevate our feelings of worth and optimism, reminding us that we are worthy of what we desire and keeping us optimistic about the path the universe sends us on to get what we want and need.

Below are some beautiful ways to incorporate Citrine into your day to day.

Raw Citrine Pendant

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Citrine Points

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Raw Citrine Ring

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Image By
Garrett Sears
When dealing with our spiritualities, the idea of getting grounded may seem counterproductive. After all, aren’t we always working to align with our higher self? However, while some of us may constantly have our heads focused on the workings of the moon, or are thinking about the universe and the stars, it is important to maintain a strong connection with the grounding energies provided to us by our planet Earth.

When working with practices like Law of Attraction, for example, it can be easy to let our minds wander far and wide, developing and visualizing our desired paths and futures. But the practice of grounding our selves in the present is extremely important to staying aligned with our higher selves.

Further to that when working in our day-to-day experiences, it can be easy to let our heads move quickly to the future, worrying about what needs to be done and how you are going to do it, or focusing on the incessant “what ifs” of every day life. When our minds begin to spin, it can generate worry, doubt and keep us from the task at hand. We can feel less productive, less focused and more stressed.

Getting yourself grounded in the here and now can be done anywhere, any time. Here are a few ways to practice getting grounded, fast.

Go Barefoot 

Easy enough right? The simple practice of taking off your socks and shoes, whether you are inside or out, can help you feel connected to the earth below you, fast. Try to walk barefoot at home more regularly, being mindful of why. The simple movement of taking your socks off and placing your bare feet on the floor, while mindfully saying the word “grounded” in your head, will help you achieve it.

Burn Palo Santo

Palo Santo has been recognized for its soothing and healing qualities, known to keep our energies clear and grounded. The earthy aromatic scent of Palo Santo can help bring our minds back down to Earth, while providing clarity to our minds and a grounded sense to our inner beings.

Use Black Tourmaline 

Black Tourmaline can help clear or neutralize negative thoughts. It is commonly used in practices of grounding and can add as a protective force from experiences or people that may seek to drain your positive energy. Black tourmaline is associated with our root chakras, and activates our feelings of security.

Journal 

Journalling helps you get connected to the physical quickly. The practice of having a pen in your hand and a notebook in front of you helps you formulate your thoughts. Even if you are applying a stream of consciousness practice, the act of getting your thoughts out of your head and into a physical space will work to ground and calm the mind.

Simple Yoga Poses

It’s in the name. Simple poses like Tree or Mountain can help you feel connected to the earth below you, calm your heart and steady the mind. And they can be done anywhere, any time.

Meditate

Conscientiously clearing your head space while connecting to your physical being, will help you come back into a state of feeling grounded and connected with the earth. The simple act of feeling your back against a cushion or taking a moment to be mindful of how you are breathing will help you find alignment, as well as gives you an opportunity to appreciate with how your physical body works and connects with the physical around you.