What’s in My Spiritual Toolbox?

What’s in My Spiritual Toolbox?

When it feels like I’m walking “up” the down-escalator, I make sure I’m plugged into the below practices. What are some of your practices? What items do you want to add and/or take out of your toolbox? I look forward to connecting with you in the comments.

Morning Ritual 

The yogis taught us the importance of having daily disciplines to purify our minds, bodies, senses, and spirits.

  • Quick prayer for God to direct my thinking 
  • Write down my dreams 
  • Read sacred texts, scriptures, sutras 
  • Light incense + listen to holy / uplifting music 
  • Oil Pulling (Sesame oil), wash face, brush teeth, etc.
  • Yoga with Del Sol or an Ashtanga personal practice (6 days/week)
  • 20 minutes of seated meditation
  • Drink water with lemon and apple cider vinegar 

Healthy Foods

When I’ve made yummy snacks to grab, I set myself up for success.

  • I make a vegan menu for the week ahead based on:
    • Gardening – What is fresh and ready?
    • Shopping – What is available?
    • Meal Prep – How much time do I have?
    • Travel – How many meals do I really need to cook?
  • Snack Ideas:
    • Banana slices with peanut butter + chia seeds + flax seeds
    • Dates stuffed with almond butter + hemp hearts + sunflower seeds
    • 3-ingredient Dip for blue corn tortilla chips: roasted cumin seeds, roasted and mashed butternut squash, vegan sour cream
    • Twice-baked acorn squash with cinnamon, nutmeg, and walnuts
    • Sweet potato muffins
    • Quinoa with pesto and fresh herbs/veggies

Keep a Strong Vitamin Game

But not too strong… I rotate things out and take a few days of fasting from vitamins to make sure I’m not overloading my system.

Here’s what I’m taking for Immune and Respiratory Health: 

  • Vitamin C, E, D, B
  • Astragalus Root
  • Licorice
  • Skullcap
  • Dong Quai
  • Oregano oil
  • Zinc
  • Garlic oil
  • Red sage
  • Rhodiola rosea
  • Black elderberry
  • Minerals + magnesium
  • Colloidal silver
  • Cordyceps

Break up the day with mood-lifters:

  • Read the astrology forecast or something fun
  • Acts of Service for others 
  • Play holy music + burn some sage 
  • House cleaning – keep everything fresh and sparkly

Evening Ritual: 

  • Warm Tea + Journaling a daily inventory of my behavior/emotion: Do I need to clean anything up?
  • Salt bath and alone time.
  • Put the phone on airplane mode.
  • 20-minute meditation
  • Request assistance in dreamland for efficient processing and resting.

Extra goodies!

Here are few things my talented friends are doing:

Here’s my Gaia watch list:

  • Awake: The Life of Yogananda
  • What is Real? The Story of Jivamukti Yoga
  • One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das

Here are some podcasts I’m enjoying: 

  • Pilgrim Heart Podcast
  • Ram Dass Here and Now
  • Shakti Hour Podcast
  • Vedanta and Yoga

What’s on my nightstand: 

  • Lilly Dale: The true story of the town that talks to the dead, by Christine Wicker
  • Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahamsa Yogananda
  • The Yoga of Discipline, by Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
  • Yoga and Veganism, The Diet of Enlightenment, by Sharon Gannon

What’s on my yoga playlist:

  • Sri Argala Stotram (Show Me Love), Krishna Das
  • Sueno en Paraguay, Chancha Via Circuito
  • Om Tara, Hamsa Lila
  • Sowing the Seeds of Love, Tears for Fears
  • Samba Sadashiva, Donna De Lory
  • Once in a Lifetime, Talking Heads