Guardian angels, archangels, spirit guides, and ancestors make up our Divine Spirit Team! Although most of us can't physically see them, all of these spirits are here to guide us on our Earthly journey in love and truth. How dope is it to know that there are beings who love us in the spiritual realm that actually WANT to see us thrive as the best versions of ourselves? It's only fair that we remember to give thanks and acknowledge this gang of warriors around us! Our spirit team is always eager to connect with us whether that be through meditation, spirit dancing, or leaving out an offering of their favorite tea. Let's dive in to the many ways we can give them a personal shout out in our everyday routine!
Thank you, Spirit!
Simply saying, "Thank you", to your spirit guides, whether out loud or in your mind, is a beautiful and somewhat simple way of letting them know you are aware of their presence in your life and the many good things they send your way. Every rising, I love to say "thank you to the Most High, my angels, and guides for breathing life into me for another day". You can refer to this team of spirits, a specific spirit, or energy however you know them to be! Not only does saying "Thank you" show your guides your gratitude, it's also a way for you to mindfully connect with whatever you are giving thanks for, whether that be the rising sun, a manifestation coming into fruition, or a warm cup of tea to awaken your body. Sometimes we may take even these small things for granted, but we must remember that our experience in this existence is a blessing! Always give thanks with a smile, because, why not!
Connecting with Nature
I don't know about y'all, but I feel more connected to the Spirit of Mother Earth as well as my personal spirit team when I'm amongst the trees and a body of flowing water! The spirit of the Earth is our healer, our food source, our home; the spirit of the sky can be thought of as our light source, or energy source. Both of their divine energies are here to support us, the plant life is also here to support us and deepen our connection with physical growth and spiritual expansion. Connecting with nature does not have to be difficult, we can do so by taking a walk around our block, admiring the deep green of the trees, paying attention to the way the wind make the leaves sway slowly, smiling at the way the setting sun illuminates the clouds, or listening to the birds carry out their songs and conversations.
Take a hike up a mountain trail and point out all the yellow flowers you come across, sit on the lush grass and draw a picture of the butterfly resting on the nearby leaf, journal your thoughts while basking in moonlight. Gardening is another beautiful way to connect with nature, for you are touching the soil, planting a seed, and caring for that life that you helped create with Mother Earth. I see this as giving back to Spirit! Connecting with nature is connecting with Spirit as a mindful practice of taking in the beauty or mystery of your environment and appreciating it for exactly as it was designed.
"Dear Spirit..."
When I was a child, I used to write letters to 'My Older Self'. In my adult life, I enjoy reading these letters over, I get to have a good laugh, learn from my younger self, and heal my inner child. Just as we would write to a future or past version of ourselves, we can also write letters to our Spirit Guides. No, we won't be able to physically send them, sometimes we may feel called to burn our letters or even put them in a little jar and sail them out to sea. I always set intentions before I write to them, making it clear that I am taking this time to mentally and spiritually connect with the energy of the spirits who are walking with me in love and truth. If it's one thing that I know, our guides are always present with us, think of it as them looking over your shoulder as you write out why you are appreciative of their assistance, even the times you didn't know they were helping you out.
Creating a Sacred Space
Setting up an alter is a beautiful commitment to connecting with your ancestors and spirit guides and offering them a designated place where you will honor them and where they can visit. There is a process to creating an ancestral alter, but it's important to set it up the way your heart and intuition guide you in doing so. Try not to focus on having you alter look like the one you saw on Pinterest, though you may use them for reference. I encourage you to DO YOUR RESEARCH on ancestral alters before diving right in. Some questions to consider when starting your alter, who are the specific ancestors you want to welcome into your space? Get pictures or heirlooms of theirs that you will place on your alter. What will you be offering your ancestors? If you decide to honor your great grandmother who you knew loved a cup of chamomile tea every rising, prepare a warm cup of tea to place on the table. Your ancestors will soon let you know what they would like as offerings, whether it be through your dreams, during meditation, or you may even hear their voice! I always joke and let my family know, they better burn lavender flowers as one of my offerings! The offerings can be whatever you know that person loved.
Now, what if you don't have an alter but would still like to honor your ancestors and guides? That can definitely work! Try using a travel alter instead, a small box filled with things like pictures of your ancestor(s), a crystal, a tealight candle, ultimately the same things you'd put on a bigger alter space, just a miniature version! I'd still find a designated space where you'd like to keep this. Your alters can be inside or outside of your home, somewhere where you will have privacy and quiet to connect with your guides.
Woo-Saahh
Take a deep inhale... and as you slowly release that breath, notice the warmth that escapes between your lips or out of your nostrils, relax into the gentle fall of your shoulders. Our breath is our spirit! I believe connecting with our breath is the first step to being able to listen to our inner guidance or intuition, which is how our Spirit team will often communicate with us! So many of my friends and clients tell me "I just can't seem to focus enough to meditate"... Baby! I’ve learned that meditation isn't always about focusing on one thing. However, I can understand not being able to sit still for long periods of time, there are days when I can meditate for an hour and days when I can only sit there and breath for about 5 minutes. Sometimes, your meditation can be taking 3 deep and mindful breaths upon waking up and appreciating the simple fact that you are here, you are present, and you have LIFE!
Your form of meditation can be anything that grounds and centers you and allows you to find peace in your environment. A good friend of mine enjoys creating various forms of arts as his "meditation". After a draining day, he'll take some time away from his daily routines and either paint, write a short story, or create beats on Garage Band. What works for one, may not work for another and that's normal! Find what brings you inner peace. How can we tie our mindful practices into expressing our gratitude? I’d say setting the intention of keeping an open heart and mind to whatever Spirit is sending your way. Thanking Spirit and allowing yourself time to do what you love, being grateful for your creative energy, and asking Spirit to continue to guide you in using that energy in whatever ways are necessary for assisting the collective and yourself.
You may have noticed, I have mentioned Intention quite a few times throughout this message. When we make it a habit to focus on the purpose of our thoughts and actions, we are able to hear the guidance of Spirit more clearly, make the best decisions for ourselves, and walk in total alignment with our purpose. I would love if you all shared with me the ways in which you express gratitude toward your spirit team, do you have other suggestions for the collective?
I thank you all for taking the time to read, and I give a special THANK YOU to my own spirit team for guiding me to share my own practices and tips.
Peace ❤
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