Are you looking for a spiritual practice? Or perhaps you have been curious about shamanic healing and want to learn more. Many people come to me seeking simple advice on how to find more meaning in their lives. While I believe diving into radical responsibility and holding ceremonies with one another are key tools for transformation, we must also find our beginning. If you are seeking personal growth or healing advice for where to begin, let me tell you a little bit about what my daily practice looks like.

I recommend that we all have a meditation or centering practice and take at least, at least 10 minutes a day for it. I try to do this every day, but honestly, my average is probably 5 times a week, varying from 10 minutes to 2 hours. Sometimes the practice is wildly feminine and is just dancing. On other days, it is intensely masculine and focused more on formal meditation techniques.

Usually, I begin by centering myself, calling my soul parts in, and getting into my body. I usually sit with my back straight but relaxed and my feet on the ground. Although the lotus position is traditional for meditation, I spend a lot of time out of my body. I have to call my spirit in and allow it to rest in my body, so having my feet on the ground helps me stay grounded and connected.

Then I quiet my mind, doing basic meditation with no intention. Sometimes this is 20 minutes, sometimes it is actually just 2. I try to give myself time and space to have at least an hour every day, but of course, it doesn’t always happen and that’s totally fine. I feel that even if I rush it, at least checking in helps me keep my habit and gives me some mindfulness for the day.

Once I move beyond that, I step into myself and check and align my chakras. Often it is just noticing what is over or under-active and I may work on one chakra, sometimes over several weeks if need be.

After this I like to bring it back to the center and let myself rest at the moment, staying open and allowing myself to feel cohesive, vibrant and open. Visualizations of my aura and energy stream usually accompany this.

Then I like to move on to some breathing and pleasure practices. Lately, it has been 30 or so rounds of ocean breathing or yoni breathing. I am mending heart to root connections, so the practice is really healing for me now, but it is a powerful practice aside.

When I open my eyes, I like to make an intention for the day. I say it out loud. That is important. I’m in my head a lot but process things externally, so saying it out loud helps bridge the two worlds. The intention is usually spontaneous, I just go with what I am feeling.

I’m good at doing this most mornings. What I would like to do is really begin the habit of doing this practice or a different one at night too. Beginning and ending my day intentionally seems lovely and I am ready to integrate these practices more deeply into my life. But I do have to remind myself that sometimes the soul just needs to flow and creating chores for it can inhibit that flow, so I try to listen to what is right for me at that moment.

There are so many different practices to explore, but the most important is to begin a mindfulness practice. What is it that you want? What is it that you are doing to block yourself from achieving that? When does your mind take control? Simple meditation practice makes a huge difference in our conscious awareness. From there, expand your practice into something more, weaving in intentions, healing work, and dreaming yourself awake. Be patient, the universe is mysterious.