Yoga for the 4 Elements

Fire, water, earth, and air are the four elements of the Universe. They make up all that is, everything we see around us, and everything we are.

None of them are either good or bad, and they each have specific, different properties.

Fire, associated with your solar plexus chakra, is connected with passion and inspiration. Water, associated with your sacral chakra, is all about emotion and intuition. Air, associated with your heart and throat chakras, is about communication. Earth, associated with your root chakra, is connected with grounding and stability.

There are many different ways to connect with and balance the four elements in your body and life: eating certain foods, meditation, visualization, spending time with the elements in nature, such as the ocean, connecting with crystals associated with each element, and more.

But one of my favorite ways to connect with the elements is through using yoga.

There are two ways to use yoga for the elements:

1. To create more of an element you desire.

• For example, if you want to feel more grounded you’ll want to connect with the Earth. If you want to stimulate your creativity or get out of your comfort zone, you’ll want to connect with fire.

2. To balance an element you feel you have too much of.

• For example, if you’re feeling overly emotional, you may want to balance the water element by working with its opposite, fire. If you’re feeling materialistic or too stuck in your ways you’ll want to balance the Earth element by working with its opposite, air.

Scroll down to get ideas for different styles of yoga, poses, and some breathwork to connect with each of the four elements of the universe.

Yoga for Fire

To connect with the element of fire, you’ll want to do a power or vinyasa-style yoga flow focused on stimulating your core, where your solar plexus resides.

Suraya Namaskar. For a fire practice, you’ll want to start off with a series of sun salutations. There are several different variations, but I recommend this one:

• Mountain pose at the top of your mat

• Arms lifted over head

• Hand to foot pose

• High lunge on your left side

• Plank pose

• Chaturanga

• Upward-facing dog

• Downward-facing dog

• High lunge on your right side

• Hand to foot pose

• Arms lifted over head

• Mountain pose

That’s one sequence. Do as many as you’d like! And remember that you can always modify your high lunge by lowering your back knee for a less intense version.

Plank pose. Nothing lights a fire in your belly like a plank pose. Try keeping a slight micro bend in your elbow and lifting from the back of your heart space so you really get into your belly.

Boat pose. There are two variations you can take: knees bent (gentler) or legs straight. Try starting with your knees bent and then straighten your legs after a few breaths if you feel strong and steady.

Chair pose. In this pose, tuck your tailbone and really focus on your core. Bring your awareness to those muscles, and see how the posture changes for you. If you feel like adding a little detoxifying in, take a twisted chair variation.

Agni Sara pranayama. You’ll look weird, but you’ll literally feel yourself getting hot. Start in a standing position with your knees gently bent and your hands on your knees. As you inhale, fill your belly with breath. As you exhale, draw in your lower and upper core muscles, hollowing out your stomach.

Yoga for Water

A hip-opening slow-flow style yoga practice will connect you with the element of water. As you move through each pose, imagine that you are moving through water. What would that feel like? What would that look like?

Low crescent lunge. Keep your back knee lowered to keep this pose a little more gentle, and work on finding a little more balance in your hips. If you’re lunging on the left side, try pulling your left hip back and right hip forward to get you there.

Incorporating a mudra into this pose can be really nice, too. Try flowing through Padma, or Lotus, mudra by bringing your hands to lotus mudra at the heart center, inhaling to lift your hands overhead, and exhaling to cascade your arms down and back to your heart center.

Lizard pose. Time to really get into the hips. Be gentle with your body here and use props like blocks or a bolster as needed! Ask yourself: what do I need to feel good in this pose? And listen to your body’s wisdom.

Child’s pose into cobra flow. Start in child’s pose with your legs parallel instead of knees wide. As you inhale, shift all the way forward onto your belly and into cobra pose. Your exhale brings you back to the child’s pose. Keep flowing with your breath, trying to move as slowly and mindfully as possible.

Wide-legged forward fold. Start standing with your legs wide and hangs to your hips. Inhale to open your chest, and exhale to fold, releasing your palms to your mat, ankles, or to a yogi toe hold. After a few breaths here, you might like to add in a side body stretch by walking both hands to the left side of your mat, and then to the right side.

Reclining cobbler’s pose. Bring one palm to the heart and one palm to the belly, and visualize your breath flowing up and down your spine like water with each inhale and exhale. Connect with your heart space and notice any places that your breath feels shallow or stuck. See if you can make your breath deep, smooth, and fluid.

Yoga for Earth

A grounding yin yoga practice will connect you with the Earth. As you settle in each pose, notice the Earth below you. Notice how it grounds you, supports you, and nurtures you. Spend at least five minutes in each of these poses, connecting with your breath.

Malasana seated on a block. As you sit in a yogi squat with your palms at the heart center, visualize your breath running all the way down your spine and out your tailbone, grounding you and rooting you to the Earth a little bit deeper with each inhale.

Caterpillar pose. Place a block on your thighs at whatever height you need to allow your body to completely relax and round forward over your legs. Instead of trying to stretch your hands to meet your feet, let them fall to your sides wherever they naturally do.

Half frog variation on belly. This is one of my favorite poses. Lying on your belly, turn onto your right cheek and stretch your arms out to a T. Bend your left knee and open your hip out to your left side. Take five minutes on this side, and then switch to your right side.

Thread the needle. Try to completely relax through the hips, spine, and shoulders here as you rest on your shoulder and head. For the gentlest variation, walk your other arm out in front of you and release it completely to your mat. You also have the option to wrap that arm around the lower back for a gentle bind. Just find what feels good for you, and return to your breath.

Seated straddle. Sit up on a block for extra support as you take your legs wide. First turn your torso to your left leg and round your spine over that leg, bringing your forehead to a block or to your knee. Then turn to your right leg, and then walk your palms out in front of you and round in the center.

Yoga for Air

A heart-opening, throat-opening Hatha flow style yoga practice will connect you with the element of Air. As you move through these poses, visualize green light beaming out of your heart chakra, opening you up to a flow of unconditional love, and blue light beaming out of your throat chakra, opening you up to speak your truth freely.

Camel pose. Camel pose opens up both of these chakras beautifully when you allow your neck to drop back. Focus on pressing your pelvis forward and opening the front side of your body rather than bending your back body. Breathe into your heart space, and see that green wheel of energy softening, opening, and expanding.

Bow pose. Bow pose opens both your throat and your heart chakras as well. Notice how your breath sinks you lower onto your mat with each inhale and takes you deeper into the pose with each exhale.

Upward-facing dog. Open your throat chakra with the upward-facing dog. You can try it as part of a flow from plank to chaturanga to upward-facing dog to downward-facing dog to really connect with the element of air.

Heart bench. Set up your blocks on whatever setting feels best for you, and make the block supporting your head lower than the block running along your spine for extra throat chakra opening.

Plow pose. Skip this one if you have any back or neck problems. But if not, it’s a beautiful opener for your throat, heart, and solar plexus (bonus!) chakras. Start with the legs straight behind you (and if you can’t reach your toes to the floor, try reaching them to a chair or another piece of furniture behind you), and feel free to bend your legs around your head as you get deeper into the pose.

Which element do you need to balance or call in more of right now?

DIY Essential Oil Cleansing Blends

If you’re reading this blog, you probably already know that essential oils are amazing plant-based magic from this beautiful planet.

They have so many incredible magickal and practical uses, and today we’re talking mainly about their practical uses! To read a previous blog post with some rollerball blends for daily use click here.

You’re probably conscious of the foods you put in the body and the products you use on your skin. But do you ever think about the products you use to clean your clothes and home? These products can be laden with chemicals and toxins that you would never want in or on your body, but many of us use them on our clothing and in our sacred living spaces without even thinking about it.

It’s almost spring, so now is the perfect time to start brewing and mixing up some natural, essential-oil-based cleansing products to make your space as fresh and magical as you are.

Best Essential Oils for Cleansing

In general, some great essential oils for cleansing are:

• Lemon

• Lime

• Wild orange

• Thyme

• Pine

• Peppermint

• Lavender

• Eucalyptus

• Tea tree

• Rosemary

• Cinnamon

• Clove

• Lavender

• Sandalwood

• Oregano

These oils have natural antibacterial, antiviral, and/or antiseptic properties— and they smell amazing, too!

RECIPES & USES

All-purpose cleaning spray

This is your new go-to, all-purpose cleaner. You’ll need:

• 2 cups of white vinegar

• 1 teaspoon of natural dish soap (not castile soap!)

• 2 cups of water

• 15 drops lemon essential oil

• 15 drops peppermint essential oil

• 20 drops tea tree oil

Mix all the ingredients, pour into a glass spray bottle, and use everywhere, like your tables and kitchen counters!

You’ll want to use glass bottles for all of these recipes, because although they are highly diluted, it’s always recommended to store oils only in glass (plus, let’s save the environment!).

Trash can freshener

Three days until trash day and your trash is smelling up your kitchen? Put 2 drops of lemon oil and 2 drops of tea tree oil on 2 or 3 cotton balls and place them in the bottom of your trash can under your trash bag to freshen it up.

Air freshener

There are so many options for air fresheners! Choose from the combinations below or make your own, and spray throughout your space (or car, if you have one) whenever it needs a fresh boost.

Simple peppermint spray

• 1 cup of water

• 10-15 drops of peppermint oil

Tea tree, eucalyptus & lemon spray

• 1 cup of water

• 7 drops of tea tree oil

• 7 drops of eucalyptus oil

• 7 drops of lemon oil

Wild orange, sandalwood & cinnamon spray

• 1 cup of water

• 7 drops of wild orange oil

• 7 drops of sandalwood oil

• 7 drops of cinnamon oil

The combinations are endless! Get creative and try mixing and matching from the list of cleansing oils above to hit on a combination you love.

Dish soap

You’ll need:

• 1/2 cup of water

• 1/2 cup of liquid Castile soap, like Dr. Bronner’s

• 2 teaspoons of baking soda

• 10 drops of lemon essential oil

• 5 drops of rosemary essential oil

• 5 drops of thyme essential oil

If you’re dealing with more grease, use extra lemon oil or add some wild orange oil.

Furniture polish

Polish your chairs, bookcases, desks, and any other wooden furniture with this super easy furniture polish.You’ll need:

• 6-8 drops lemon essential oil

• 1 cup olive oil

Add to a spray bottle, and spray on any wooden surfaces to clean, polish, and protect them.

Carpet cleaner

Use this cleaner to freshen up carpet, couches, and rugs in your home. Combine:

• 1 cup of baking soda

• 30 drops of lemon essential oil

and cover in a container with a lid. Shake well and sprinkle on your carpet, couches, or rugs. Let it sit overnight and vacuum it up in the morning!

Laundry detergent

This will get your clothes clean and make them smell amazing. If you’re new to essential oils, I would recommend trying one of the easier recipes above before you give this one a go.

• 2 cups washing soda (a simple, natural detergent booster you should be able to find in your health food store or online— it looks like this)

• 1 cup simple Castile soap like Dr. Bronner’s

• 1 cup of baking soda

• 15 drops lavender essential oil

• 8 drops eucalyptus essential oil

• 8 drops peppermint oil

Use about 1/4th of a cup for a large load, and as little as 1/8th of a cup for a smaller load.

Natural linen spray

This linen spray works perfectly for sheets, curtains, pillowcases, pillows, and any other fabric things you can think of. You’ll need:

• 1/4th cup of water

• 3 tablespoons vodka, rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel

• 15 drops of lavender essential oil

• 10 drops of frankincense essential oil

• 5 drops lemon essential oil

Clear negative energy

Of course, no cleansing is complete without an energetic cleansing. To clear negative energy from your space, diffuse 1 drop of frankincense oil, 2 drops of yarrow oil, 1 drop of juniper oil, and 1 drop of clary sage oil.

Frankincense raises the vibration of your space, yarrow provides psychic protection, juniper brings in positive energy, and of course, clary sage cleanses and purifies.

After you clean your space physically and energetically, it’s always great to place a few crystals around your home to bring in the energy you do want.

Manifesting with Runes // With Free Rune Printable

Being a master manifestor is a skill that many seek. There are endless techniques and tools available when it comes to manifesting like a pro and I’m sure you’ve tried some of them. Dream boards, visualization, mantras, and crystals are a few popular manifesting tools.

While there’s nothing wrong with these techniques, there’s one powerful manifesting tool that’s often overlooked, Runes.

Runes are symbols that each carry unique universal energy. These special symbols were used by Nordic and Germanic cultures in Northern Europe as forms of language, for religious purposes, and as tools of magick and divination.

Author Lisa Peschel explains this in her book, A Practical Guide to The Runes.

Before this time [being used as a form of language] runes were primarily a magickal system of pictographs representing the forces and objects in Nature. It was believed that by calling upon the appropriate rune one could thereby make contact with the force in Nature the symbol represented.

Each Runic symbol creates a specific type of energy and some lend themselves to manifesting more than others. Here’s a list of the most powerful manifesting Runes and what they’re most aligned with manifesting.

Search this list to identify the perfect Rune(s) to aid your current manifesting project!

The Best Runes for Manifesting

Fehu for abundance:This fast-acting Rune is perfect for helping you manifest wealth. It is great for initiating new monetary ventures and circulating abundance.

Uruz to keep you going: Employ the use of Uruz to bolster your strength and remove self-doubt during manifesting. This Rune will also help you with stamina while manifesting goals that take more time

Thurisaz for change: The original meaning of this Rune is “thorn” so it’s not surprising that the meaning of it is all about breaking through. Use this Rune when you’re working on manifesting big changes in your life and you need a powerful and directive catalyst. This Rune can also help you overcome blocks while manifesting.

Gebo for partnerships:This Rune is all about manifesting partnerships. That could be friendships, business relationships, relationships, or marriage. Gebo helps create a balance of energy and is all about equal exchanges. Use this Rune anytime you’re manifesting goals include working with others.

Wunju for happiness: Looking to manifest some more peace and harmony in your life? Wunjo is your Rune! Wunjo is a beautifully powerful Rune that’s great at helping you fulfill wishes, peace, joy, and happiness.

Jara for material objects: If you have your manifesting eye on a material object that requires specific steps to acquire Jera is your Rune. Jera is a great aid for turning dreams into tangible results.

Teiwaz to win: This Rune is all about being victorious. If you’re in the process of manifesting a specific outcome this Rune will be helpful, especially when it comes to competitions. This Rune seeks justice.

Berkana for creation: My personal favorite! Berkano is here to help you birth your big ideas into reality. Recruit Berkano to help lay the fertile ground needed while manifesting new ideas.Now that you know which Runes are your manifesting besties, here are some key ways to work them into your manifesting toolbox. These methods pair perfectly with other manifesting tools mentioned above, so don’t be afraid to mix them up. Already have a vision board for a manifesting project? Put a bird on it! Just kidding, we’ll be using Runes today ;)

Need some Runes to get going? Click here to get your free printable Rune sheet.

5 Ways to Use Runes for Manifesting

1. Put your manifesting Rune in a visible area like your altar, meditation space, bathroom mirror, or on a vision board.

2. Carve your manifesting Rune into a candle that you light regularly as a reminder of what you’re working on manifesting.

3. Wear a Rune talisman. Having a daily wearable reminder is a powerful way to not only be reminded of your manifesting goals but carry the potent power of the Runes with you.

4. Create a Runescript. Linking Runes together in a specific order can have a positive effect on your end results. Learn more about creating a Runescript here.

5. Visualize or meditate on the rune(s) that you’re working with. Hold the image of the Rune you’re using in your mind's eye and try to embody its energy as you meditate or visualize.

If you’ve been unsure about how to use Runes in the past I hope you’re feeling excited to jump in now! Put these powerful symbols to use and start manifesting.

The Only 3 Love Spells You’ll Ever Need

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” -Dalai Lama

You not only want love, you need love. Love and compassion are like air for sensitive souls like you and me. If you’re anything like me, you probably grew up craving love and affection, and not getting it could be truly painful. Being highly sensitive makes us uniquely vulnerable to our emotions and the emotions of others. The cure, potent and honest love.

So, what does magick have to do with this?

As above, so below. As within, so without. Not surprisingly, the key to finding love in your life manifests from learning how to love yourself truly and fully. Any true magick practitioner will tell you that it’s not only inadvisable but probably won’t work to use magick to lure another to you, friend or lover. The true purpose of magick is self-development and intention setting, not casting spells to bend the wills of others.

This idea is best illustrated by this excerpt from Lisa Chamberlain from her book Wicca Candle Magic:

This phrase [as above, so below] is also known, as the Hermetic Law ofcorrespondence, which states that whatever is true in the microcosm (i.e., the Earth) istrue in the macrocosm (i.e., the Universe in total). Another way to say it is hat theethereal plane (also called the “higher” or “spiritual” plane) is a mirror of the seen,physical plane (also called the “lower” or “material” plane), and vice versa. In order tomake a change on the material plane, magic works by changing the spiritual plane. Thechange then works its way through the linear time and physical space of the materialplane until it manifests. (19-20)

By changing your internal frequency to complete and total self-love you’ll become a magnet for love.

With the constant signals, we can receive from social media and the like, building a solid self-love practice requires regular attention. This is why spellwork and ritual are such powerful tools for bolstering your self-love practice.

I created three love spells just for you based on my own experience with magickal tools, rituals, and learning to love myself. It seems that these are the three topics that have come up the most for me and I hope you find them applicable too. Let’s jump into the three love spell you’ll ever need!

The only 3 love spells you’ll ever need:

Pink candles and rose quartz are used for each of the spells as they’re pillars of self-love. If you don’t have some of the suggested tools for the specific spells you can certainly just use rose quartz and a pink candle.

Each of these spells can be used in a variety of ways. You can place the items on a nightstand, altar, or other visible space in the home. You can put the stones and herbs into a bag to carry around with you throughout the day. Do what feels right to you.

I love my body spell

You’ll need:

• Pink candle

• Rose quartz

• Picture of the Goddess Amaterasu and/or Aphrodite

• A mirror

• Garnet to help you see the beauty in yourself

• Rose petals, rose water, or roses for realizing beauty and self-love

• Jasmine essential oil or incense to inspire sensuality

Spell steps:

Find a quiet space to arrange your items and light your candle. Looking into the mirror, say loving things about your body. Here are some suggestions: I love my body. I am beautiful. My body is perfect just as it is. I am grateful for my beautiful body. Take as much time as you need saying these loving statements to yourself. You may decide to meditate on the love and gratitude you have for your body as the candle burns. Thank yourself for taking the time to offer yourself this love and blow out your candle. Keep your items up as a reminder as long as you’d like.

I love my journey spell

You’ll need:

• Pink candle

• Gold candle for inner strength and to inspire self-realization

• Rose quartz

• Agate to bring you soothing strength

• Rhodochrosite to inspire a loving positive attitude

• Lavender essential oil, incense, or dried lavender will do for bringing calming love and peace

Spell steps:

Find a quiet space to arrange your items and light your candles. Holding all three stones meditate on your life's journey up to this point. As the candles burn think or meditate about your life, the challenges, the high points, and the low points. Look at all aspects of your life without judgment, simply be an observer. Think about three things you’re grateful for that have happened in your life and say them out loud. Say positive affirmations about your journey aloud, here are some examples: I trust my journey, I love my life, My challenges strengthen me, I am open to learning from this life, I trust that I am right where I’m supposed to be. Spend as much time as you’d like in quiet reflecting. Thank yourself for taking the time to offer yourself this love and blow out your candles. Keep your items up as a reminder as long as you’d like.

I love my mind spell

You’ll need:

• Pink candle

• Indigo candle for soothing emotions and bolstering your intuition and clarity

• Rose quartz

• Amethyst to soothe the mind

• Rhodonite to balance emotions and help heal past wounds

• Clove for banishing negative thought patterns

Spell steps:

Find a quiet space to arrange your items and light your candles. Lie down and place an amethyst on your third eye and the rhodonite on your heart center. Imagine your third eye chakra (purple) and heart chakra (green) glowing and swirling brighter and stronger with every breath you take. Aloud or in your mind repeat loving affirmations about your mind, here are some suggestions: I love my mind, my mind is calm and peaceful, I choose to let go of negative thought patterns that no longer serve me, when negative thoughts come up I choose to surround them with love, I speak to myself with love and compassion. Stay in this space as long as you need to. Thank yourself for taking the time to offer yourself this love and blow out your candle. Keep your items up as a reminder as long as you’d like.

Like all spellwork, you’re the creator. Do what feels right and what rings true for you. Feel free to amend or modify any of my tips and make these spells truly your own. You cannot choose wrong. Enjoy and love yourself first, always.

5 Amazing Things You Didn't Know About Amethyst

If you’re reading this then it’s safe to say you probably have some amethyst somewhere in your home. Amethyst is one of the most popular gemstones and for good reasons--it’s sturdy, beautiful, fairly easy to come by, and, energetically speaking, it comes with a slew of benefits.

Thirsty for more amethyst knowledge and uses? After doing loads of research about this purple powerhouse, I came across five amazing things about amethyst that I thought you should know, some are quite surprising! Read on to learn all five.

Your citrine was most likely an amethyst

Did you know that baking amethyst at 850°F for a certain amount of time will turn it into a golden yellow color? Amethyst is pretty amazing, but color-changing abilities too?! Most citrine on the market today was born from heat-treated amethyst. (It’s still up for debate whether or not this heat-treated citrine has the same metaphysical benefits.)

As far as the heat-treated citrine debate goes, some believe it’s all about your thoughts and intentions and some say it’s definitely not the same. Personally, I find that real citrine has a more powerful vibration to it, and feel that heat-treated citrine has a similar but slightly weaker vibe. Heat-treated citrine is also much more affordable and easy to find. I definitely don’t recommend throwing out all of your citrine! Sit with some of each and see what you think.

Here are some simple ways to determine whether or not your citrine is natural or was amethyst in a past life:

• Golden orange yellow rather than a pale yellow.

• Just golden yellow at the top part of the crystal with white at the bottom.

• Fragile and pointed shape. Heat-treated citrine breaks apart faster.

Amethyst likes to buddy up

Amethyst joins up with other crystals naturally within Mother Earth for some seriously magical combinations. Meet ametrine and super 7!

Ametrine hails from Bolivia and is a naturally occurring combination of amethyst and citrine. It creates a pretty dreamy combo. Metaphysically speaking, ametrine carries the healing benefits of both amethyst and citrine. Ametrine can be difficult to come by and heat-treated lookalikes are out there too.

Super 7, also called melody stone, comes from Brazil and has a little bit more going on than ametrine. It’s comprised of 7 different gemstones all in one! Super 7 is a combination of, you guessed it, amethyst, quartz, smoky quartz, cacoxenite, rutile, and lepidocrocite.

With so much going on super 7 comes with several benefits. Some, to name a few, are:

• Grounding and uplifting

• Balances all chakras

• Self-cleaning

• Connects you with your higher self

Recruit amethyst for your tiebreaker

On the fence about a decision? You’ve weighed all the pros and cons but just can’t decide? Amethyst is here to help! Amethyst and your third eye are besties. Your third eye aids in intuition, connecting to your higher self, and taming your busy mind. Amethyst can help to gently soothe the third eye, lull busy thoughts, and can help clarify decision making.

Here are a couple of ways to recruit amethyst as your decision referee:

• Meditate while lying down and place a piece of amethyst on your third eye. As you meditate ask for clarity about the decision you need to make.

• Place a piece of amethyst on your nightstand. Before you go to bed focus on your decision and ask for clarity to come to you in your sleep.

Boost your mood with negative ions

Amethyst won’t release these negative ions on its own, but, by heating it in the sun, an oven (not too high though, don’t want it to turn into citrine!), or from the heat of your own body it is said to release negative ions.

Don’t be fooled by the name, negative ions aren’t negative at all and some believe can help boost your mood. Similar to salt lamps, amethyst is said to release negative ions too. Not quite as much as a salt lamp, but some, nonetheless.

Negative ions are found naturally at waterfalls, beaches, and mountains. This is why some people believe visiting these types of places can put you in such a good mood. Among other positive side effects, negative ions are reported to help increase your energy and improve your mood.

The possible benefits of negative ions are still being studied, and though many people claim they work, the jury is still out in the science community.

Fend off bad vibes

Often touted for its intuitive enhancing abilities, amethyst is also a powerful shield against negative energy. Energetically, amethyst is a potent aid in handling negative vibes, it doesn’t just block them and is said to transmute them into good energy. Here’s an excerpt from The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall where she explains this:

Amethyst is an extremely powerful and protective stone with high spiritual vibration. Itguards against psychic attack, transmuting the energy into love. A natural tranquilizer,Amethyst blocks geopathic stress and negative environmental energies.

Now that you’re an amethyst genius, I hope you’ll take advantage of some of its amazing abilities!

7 Self-Love Rituals for Valentine’s Day

It’s that time of year where everything is about love, but the most important thing you can remember about love is this: Love is not outside of you.

Love is within you. Love is your divine nature.

It’s easy to forget that, but it’s true. The rituals below will help you connect to the love already within you, and most importantly give it to yourself.

For all of these rituals, you might like to incorporate:

• Rose quartz, to open your heart chakra

• Clear quartz, to amplify the energy

• Myrrh incense, a healing scent associated with feminine energy, the moon, and the water element

Try just one of these rituals, or try them all throughout the month. Each of these rituals will be more powerful the more you do them, so find one you like and make it part of your routine this month.

Create Something

Nothing gets the energy of love flowing like creativity. Do a coloring meditation, make a vision board, cook a nourishing meal, write a poem, paint with watercolors, play an instrument, or create your own yoga flow.

Whatever you’d like to do, create a sacred space and tap into your creative energy.

Get this coloring page here

Here's also a fun idea for a self-love ritual where you can play with your creativity:

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A post shared by Cassie Uhl (@cassieuhl)

Tarot or Oracle Card Spread

Tarot and oracle cards are amazing magical tools for self-reflection and connecting with your intuition. Try this three-card spread with your favorite deck:

1. What is holding me back from loving myself right now?

2. What might I experience if I give myself the love I desire?

3. How can I deepen my love for myself?

Don't know how to get started? Check out this blog post for tarot, or this post for the ultimate tarot guide. If you feel called to try oracle cards check out this blog post.

Burning Ceremony

What holds you back from loving yourself more? What limiting beliefs do you hold onto that keep you small? What things about yourself do you struggle to love? What parts of yourself do you hide from yourself and from the world because deep down you believe in their unworthiness?

Get quiet, get your journal, and allow a stream-of-consciousness type of writing to flow until you feel like you’ve got it all out on the page.

Once you’ve poured your heart out, light a single white candle and hold your paper over the flame. Allow the negative energy, limiting beliefs, and your dislike for any part of yourself to burn up with the page.

Then, free-write to these questions: What do I love about myself? What is amazing about me? What am I grateful for? What parts of myself am I working on loving?

When you’re done, place this page on your altar and return to it anytime you feel those sticky, negative beliefs trying to creep back in.

Write a Self-Love Mantra

Writing your own self-love mantra is incredibly powerful because while there are many beautiful affirmations and mantras for self-love, you are unique and your journey with self-love is unique.

Write your own mantra that tells you exactly what you need to hear. Something kind, nonjudgmental, and compassionate that you might say to your sister or your best friend to let them know that you love them and they’re not alone.

Say it to yourself.

Write it on your mirror, on a piece of paper to tuck in your bag or place on your altar, or paint it in a picture (see ritual #1!), and return to it whenever you need it. Learn more about embracing the power of mantras here.

Heart Chakra Meditation

Inhale deeply into your heart chakra. Exhale out of your mouth, releasing all that doesn’t serve you. As you inhale, visualize a bud of green light glowing in your chest, blossoming bigger and brighter with each inhale as you strengthen this chakra. Allow the unconditional love to wash over you with your breath. If you'd like a guided meditation, you can click here for a meditation bundle done by me.

Herbal Bath for Self-Love

Turn bath into a ritual by using herbs, lighting candles, and playing whatever music or sounds help you relax and turn inward.

Try using rose-hips, lavender, elecampane, and balm of gilead to promote self-love. Rose-hips promote healing, compassion, and self-love. Lavender balances and calms while elecampane opens the heart chakra. Balm of gilead promotes love and helps you manifest your desires.

Simply fill a muslin bag with about a third of a cup of the herbs, loop the bundle onto the faucet, and let your tub fill with hot water as it runs through the bag. When it finishes filling, drop the bag into the water and let it infuse with the herbs for about 20 minutes.

For an extra dose of self-love, add a rose quartz crystal to your bath. For more herbal bath recipes, check out this blog post.

Create a Goddess Altar

Creating a goddess altar is a beautiful way to honor the divine feminine energy of the universe and the divine feminine energy within. Make this altar your own! Buy a statue of a Goddess who resonates with you, or just print out a photo online. If you’re not sure which Goddess you’d like to use, do some research! What Goddess energy would help you love yourself more? Some suggestions are:

• Greek Goddess Aphrodite for love, gratitude, and beauty

• Hindu Goddess Lakshmi for abundance and wealth

• East Asian Goddess Kuan Yin for mercy and compassion

• Hindu Goddess Kali for destruction, creation, and transformation

• Greek Goddess Artemis for independence, strength, and fearlessness

• Egyptian Goddess Isis for magic, healing, and protection

• Greek Goddess Athena for wisdom and courage

• Sumerian, Babylonian, and Phoenician goddess Inanna for sensuality and divine femininity in all its forms

Once you choose your goddess, add a white candle, incense, and maybe a cloth to your altar. Choose some objects that represent love to you and ask for help loving yourself. You can also put fresh flowers or a piece of fruit on your altar as an offering to the Goddess.

Goddesses are beautiful archetypes and energies to work with because they remind you that you, too, have this energy within you. You possess the abundance of Lakshmi, the compassion of Kuan Yin, the magic of Isis, and the transformative energy of Kali.