My Thanksgiving Gift: Spiritual Toolkit Resources
To strengthen your spiritual development, heal and help you return to your most loving place
Happy (early) Thanksgiving!
Hopefully, we can agree that Thanksgiving’s origins aren’t anything to celebrate, but for me, the holiday never represented those origins.
It’s always been my favorite holiday because instead of focusing on “what did you get me? what do I need to get you?” and a whole array of other expectations, it focuses on what’s most important — those we love, food, and gratitude for all we have.
And I am thankful for YOU!
I created this resource list for my newsletter family but wanted to share it with my podcast & Medium community, too.
For the past month or so, I’ve been talking about the importance of building a spiritual toolkit on my podcast. The Akashic Records shared that in these times, we must empower ourselves with tools to strengthen our spiritual practices and to utilize them when life gets tough.
But what does that look like? What is a spiritual toolkit? Why do you need one? And what goes inside of it?
I decided to not only clarify these questions but also create a resource list to aid you in this endeavor. It’s comprised of resources I love, trust, and use in my own life. And the list is expansive. It was created to assist your growth, healing, and help you return to your center i.e. most loving place.
A spiritual toolkit is comprised of tools or lists of topics used daily to connect you with your spirituality or to use when life gets tough.
A few reminders: 1) This is 100% about you — don’t feel the need to choose items because they’re trendy or because someone else you know uses them. Think about what resonates for YOU. If it excites you or brings you joy, then you’re on the right path. 2) These items will change, grow and evolve with you — no need to keep something after it stops resonating with you. Mix it up! Try new things, there’s no right or wrong way. My spiritual toolkit goes through periods where nothing changes and then one day ALL of it changes, haha — do what serves you best.
Toolkit items bring you back to yourself, to the wisdom that’s inside of you. They might bring you joy. They might help you excavate your hardest emotions. Or they might make you laugh. Bottom line, they bring you back to your highest and best self and ground you into your very being.
Not only will these resources be useful in times of need, but they will also help you build your spiritual practice, learn to trust in yourself, and gain confidence in your intuitive abilities.
This is an extensive list because we’re not all the same and not everything here will resonate with you. But hopefully, it will provide practical assistance or inspiration for what works best NOW.
To learn more, listen to the most recent podcast episode.
You ready??? Let’s do it!
Spiritual Toolkit Resources (in no particular order)
Before we dive in, my FIRST and FOREMOST reason for sharing these resources is to encourage you to develop a personal relationship with spirituality. It doesn’t need to be confined to just one being or thing.
Spirituality looks different for all of us and what’s most important is that we each have our own connection to it. Living a life without spirituality is empty. It leaves us forever hungry, looking for ways to fill a thirst that can’t be satiated by anything in this material world. Spirituality is the answer and it’s not my place to judge what you choose, it’s my mission to introduce you to multiple things so you can discover what works for you. For some, being spiritual is connecting with God. For others, it’s connecting with ourselves.
Whatever it is, develop a personal relationship with spirituality by consistently giving it your time and devotion. By arriving with an open heart. By being radically honest about how you feel and what’s going on. By believing no matter how chaotic life looks, EVERYTHING works out for your benefit.
These resources can help you develop your spirituality and open you up to the magic of everything around us. Use what works, leave what doesn’t. And please, send any suggestions you might have. Rest assured, this is just the beginning, haha.
Okay, let’s dive in!
1. Tapping — EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique is fast becoming one of my favorite ways to release limiting beliefs, to lighten the mood, and to heal those parts of me that I don’t like to talk about (ahem, money issues). These two resources offer assistance in different ways. Lynley Welte, a Soul Driven Podcast guest and one of my talented friends created a video specifically for you to help with anxiety and overwhelm from worldly issues. You can find it here. In addition, be sure to check out her Instagram account for more videos.
Second, if you’re like me and in the midst of renovating your financial life, then I highly recommend Brad Yates. I’ve got loads of limiting beliefs around money and his holistic approach focuses on improving our self-worth to increase abundance in our life. You can find his YouTube channel HERE and this video is widely known for bringing in mega $$$. I’m in the midst of a self-imposed 30-day financial reconstruction tapping challenge (bleh, soo many words, haha) whereby I’m tapping along each day with different financial videos to knock out my financial hangups from different angles. Things have already begun to shift and I’m excited to see what happens!
2. Astrology — One of the greatest loves of my life! I started learning astrology when I was a kid and oof, it was love at first sight. Astrology gave me the ability to understand myself and those around me in new ways. But I’m no pro — at least not yet — so I love leaning on others for assistance on understanding what’s happening in the heavens. It provides me insight into why things feel the way they do, what might be coming, and empowers me to choose differently ahead of time. Listed below are some of my current faves.
Molly McCord — She shares multiple videos and podcasts every week on everything from forecasts to astrological learnings. I loveeeee her Instagram account (she’s hilarious) and always listen to her weekly forecasts. Here’s a link to her YouTube where you’ll find all links.
The Astrology Podcast — easily one of my favorite podcasts because the creator, Chris Brennan, loves to go deeeeep on different astrological subjects. He’s my kinda nerd and always brings in killer cohosts. I never miss his monthly forecast episodes with fellow astrologers. Here’s a link to his YouTube where you’ll find links to all he does.
Sara Elise — the resident Soul Driven Podcast astrologer who’s been on the podcast multiple times, cohosted the 2021 forecast episode with me AND will be back for the 2022 episode (coming soon!). She’s an amazing astrological teacher and her new/full moon videos always blow me away. I heart Sara! You can find her YouTube here with links for all the things.
3. Numerology — Just another mega love of mine that’s so helpful for understanding the world around us, what’s going on, and how to better navigate life.
Dr. Craig Wright — An old-school numerologist who has more knowledge about numbers than anyone I’ve ever come across, which is why I had to interview him for the podcast. He’s been studying numerology for over fifty years and the wisdom he brings is deep and powerful. Find his links here.
Felicia Bender — An amazing numerologist who calls herself “the practical numerologist” because she makes it easy and accessible for everyone. I love her monthly “personal year” newsletter and never miss it! You can her YouTube and links here.
4. Meditation — Where oh where would I be without meditation? Oof, I shudder to think. When it comes to meditation, I believe this is a personal choice. What works for some, won’t work for others. But I want to share some of my favorites.
Headspace App — For total newbies or those who are really challenged by meditation, this is a great place to start. The meditations are offered at different time increments, so if you really struggle, start with 3 minutes — anyone can do that! Headspace isn’t just for newbies but I do recommend it to my clients who struggle. I discovered Headspace two years into my meditation practice and it taught me techniques I still use today. Available for Android and Apple phones. PS they always have a killer sale in December to purchase a yearly subscription for $50+ — totally worth it!
Tara Brach — If there’s anyone I consider a meditation OG, it’s her. Once I left Christianity, her teachings became my new sermons. She’s wise beyond her years. I loveee her book “Radical Acceptance” and can’t get enough of her meditations. Plus, she has a podcast that shares her teachings and meditations freely. Here’s a link to her YouTube and all other links. If you love her work, please donate — creating content isn’t free even if it’s freely given.
Samarpan Meditation — For those who want to transform their life in 45 days! I took the Samarpan challenge at the beginning of 2021 and it changed my life so much that my first quarter goals didn’t even apply when I was finished. (Okay, I did 80 days instead, haha) Part of the challenge includes writing down ten things you want to change in your life — at the end of 45 days, they had all changed in one aspect or another. In short, it’s a beautiful technique of saying an incantation and then focusing on your crown chakra for 30 minutes. It cleanses the chakras, cleanses the energetic body, and rewires your awareness and focusing abilities. It can break the harshest of addictions and truly works magic. I’ll be doing this challenge at the beginning of 2022 again if anyone wants to join! Here’s my own video that explains it quickly and succinctly!
5. Chakra Balancing — You may have heard about the seven energy centers that govern our bodies, but you might not understand how KEY it is that we consistently rebalance and clear them out. It helps to keep your health in tip-top shape, generates positivity in the mind, boosts your intuitive abilities, and restores your whole system. It’s VERY important.
There are numerous ways to balance and clear our chakras, but this is my favorite (short) video that I use twice a week. When listening to this, I place a tumbled clear quartz crystal on each chakra and hum/sing along with the chakra sounds. The crystal isn’t necessary but I highly recommend singing along for the highest impact.
Also, here’s a great meditation that’s a bit longer.
6. Breathwork — The newest tool in my toolkit and I’m MADLY in love with it! If you’re looking to become more embodied or transform the relationship you have with your body — YES. It’s also a great way to clear out anxiety, fear, and rebalance the nervous system. The health benefits of breathwork are numerous, but for me, healing the relationship I have with my body is the goal.
Also, it’s blown open my clairsentience (feeling) gifts and my Akashic readings have been off the charts! The coolest part, I’ve only been doing it consistently for two months. Can’t wait to see where I’ll be at in two years!
Jenn Mansell — Interviewed her on the podcast and within ten minutes, I knew that I wanted to work with her. She’s magical. Her voice is smooth like honey and she knows how to choose the right music. I highly recommend her monthly breathwork sessions priced on a sliding scale so all can attend. Unfortunately, Jenn doesn’t have an active YouTube Channel (two great practices tho!), but I found THIS and THIS amazing mini session on her Instagram. There’s plenty more so definitely check her out!
Kurtis Lee Thomas — Aka Man from the Stars! He created his own breathwork modality, offers teacher training, and does these insane monthly (new and full moon) breathwork sessions that will shift your BIGGEST emotions. He also knows how to put together an insane playlist.
Whereas Jenn likes to take it easy with her sessions, Kurtis goes ALL in. It’s not for everyone but wow, is it a ride.
7. Music — This could go any number of ways, but I’m mainly sharing music that is either calming or stimulating. Music is extremely powerful and has profound effects on our mood, mental abilities, and overall feelings. When times are tough or you need to get going, music can make or break the moment. Music adds richness to our lives and can heal our inner parts. Never underestimate the power of what you listen to and its effect on your life, mind, spirit, and body.
OM Chanting — Having a bad day? Baby won’t stop crying? Just put this on and watch what happens within 20–30 minutes. The sound of Om is said to be the sound of eternal love resonating within our Universe and can have profound effects on us. This recording is of monks chanting Om and one of my go-tos.
Meditative Mind — One of my favorite music channels on YouTube for everything from tunes I use for my Holy Fire Reiki sessions to chakra balancing to just feeling good. There’s something here for everyone.
Jason Lewis | Mind Amend — I call it Brain Food because this guy creates these insane compilations that help me get. shit. done! And it’s all very scientifically engineered — superrr cool. If you need to study, have ADHD (this one rocks!) or calm down after a busy day, there’s a solution here. I love this one when I need to knock out work, this one when I need to focus but want a more uplifting beat, and this one for meditation.
Teri Uktena — For sound healing enjoyment. Her music isn’t professionally produced but I love the authenticity of her sound healing sessions and the variety of instruments she uses. It’s very relaxing. Plus, she’s a fellow Akashic Record reader!
8. Daily Gratitude Practice — Gratitude should be at the TOP of this list because it’s literally saved my life twice. Yes, your girl aka me, has been suicidal in the past and it was through a daily gratitude practice that I returned and thrived. I’ve gone back and forth with it but returned full-time in the midst of the 2020 blues and realized it’s a non-negotiable for me. I live with dysthymia — a low-grade chronic depression and thankfulness have changed my life. As my father always said, when we stop being thankful, we fall away from God. So true.
My practice — use a journal/pad/whatever and WRITE 3–5 things each day that you’re thankful for and why. Do it twice a day if you’re really going through a tough time. Writing connects the mind and body so it’s much more powerful than typing. But if you’re someone who must type, there are apps to help remind you. I use Grateful (iPhone) for emergencies.
A few tips: 1) the items on your list do not have to be profound — I’ve written down everything from a cup of coffee to the way a stranger smiled at me. Don’t overthink it. Just be honest. 2) If you’re REALLY going through a tough time, replace “I am thankful for” with “I like” and start there. 3) WRITE them down — sooo key. Plus, your penmanship will thank you 😛
9. Journaling — I honestly don’t know how people get through life without it. I’ve had a journal since I was seven years old, and although I go through periods where I won’t write every day, I always return. It’s my favorite form of therapy because it helps us to get inside of ourselves and bring that inside out. It’s helped me to deal with the hardest times in my life and the best. I’m that crazy person who keeps all her journals thinking that someone will want to read them one day, haha.
My practice — Find something you love to write with and something you love to write on. Might sound silly but it helps me get excited to write. I use Moleskins and ink pens. Sometimes I use markers that write like pens because I like color.
But I’ve been going through one of my weird times when I don’t like to write much, so I switched to voice recordings. It’s something I recommend to clients who aren’t a fan of writing because it can still be very helpful. It’s a good way to work out what’s going on. However, the trick is to talk without paying attention to what you’re saying and see where it takes you. Whether writing or speaking, when we release control, incredible things happen.
10. Anger Releasing — This could be one of my most life-altering practices. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a passionate person. I have LOTS of emotions and feel them with the volume turned up loud. And while I’ve gone through traumatic things in my life, I was simply born with a lot of anger. I won’t get into my history of this lifetime or prior ones, but suffice it to say, learning how to feel and release my anger has been huge for not only healing my emotional state but also my inner child. It’s helped me learn to trust my emotions and not freak out whenever I start getting angry or find myself pissed for no reason. I’ve even gotten my partner into some of these practices and he’s a believer as well.
My practice — The key to releasing anger is knowing it will require different practices for everyone. But the underlying key is to not hurt yourself in the process. Not only because hurting yourself is no good but it actually prevents the energy from releasing — it keeps it trapped. So punching a wall is a no-no for more than the obvious reason. For some, writing angry letters, screaming into pillows, twisting towels, or screaming while driving down the road works beautifully.
For me, I’m a very physical person, especially because I feel emotions so intensely, so I needed a physical outlet. First, it was slapping my bed with towels. But then my psychotherapist suggested beating empty liter bottles on the kitchen counter and I got SO EXCITED. I tried bottles but the narrow hold hurt my hands so it transitioned to a foam sword my partner found at Walmart that cost .40. I use it on my bed frame and just let all hell break loose. Sometimes I scream out loud, other times, I scream inside my head. I know it sounds wild, but when I’ve finished fully exerting myself and the anger resides, I collapse on the floor, often cry, and have had the most profound interactions with my inner child that have healed me in deep ways.
Anger is a beautiful emotion that gets a bad rep because of what happens AFTER we feel anger. But if we allow ourselves to work with it, magic can happen.
My partner and I love it so much we’ve talked about creating a junkyard for ourselves and others to come to beat the crap out of old things and release their anger, haha. Just try it — you’ll thank me!
11. Prayer — This might seem like an obvious, but is it really? First, it’s important that I establish my definition of prayer. 1) It doesn’t matter who you pray to — all gods, goddesses, or whatever works. 2) Pray in a way that’s most comfortable for you. That means you can pray while in the shower, driving down the road, or on your knees in the morning. 3) Prayer doesn’t need to be ritualized event. Don’t feel the need to jump through hoops or get in a holy position to say a prayer. Like Jesus said, prayer should be like breathing. That means we can address our entity/being/person however we choose.
I’ve known God my entire life and these days when I pray, it’s kinda like — what’s up, I need help! But I’m also humbled and thankful for the relationship and have reverence for who I’m praying to. God = love to me, so there’s no religious connotation there. God is anything founded in love. Universe. Source. Creator of all things.
My practice — There is an art to praying. Meaning, that some ways work better than others. 1) Be open and vulnerable. Speak how you really feel. Cuss even, if that’s where you’re at. As long as you speak from the heart, you’ll feel the heavens open up and love burst inside of you. 2) While it’s important to be honest and talk about what you want or need, be sure to include lots of gratitude for what you do have. I believe magical things happen when we’re thankful and that includes answered prayers. 3) Know that regardless of where you’re at on your journey, God/Source/whatever will meet you riggght there. You don’t need to be perfect and don’t need to include everything that’s happening in your life for it to be considered. We don’t pray to God for God’s sake, it’s for ours. God already knows what’s up, but it’s powerful for us to share and vocalize those things. 4) One of the best ways to pray is with an expectation that our prayers will be answered. So instead of, “God, I need your help to pay this bill”, we say, “Thank you for paying this bill — I know it will work out. Even though I have no idea how it will. Thank you for making it happen.” See what I mean? And if you grew up in religion, don’t think this will offend God.
Remember, God said to come boldly to the throne and ask for what we want.
Pray when you’re hurting. Angry. Annnd happy! It doesn’t matter who you pray to, I guarantee you’ll walk away feeling better IF you share your heart.
12. Silence — Non-negotiable. I know, I know. If you’re a parent then you’re probably shaking your head. Truthfully, I can’t relate. I don’t even have a goldfish and I still struggle, haha. Most of us don’t like silence. It brings up things we don’t want to think about. It speaks to us in ways we’d prefer not to conversate. But it’s a healer of the most EPIC proportions.
My practice — Sitting, working, driving in silence whenever and however I can. Going on walks without listening to anything on my phone. Don’t get me wrong, I loveeee music and podcasts. I want to learn ALLLL the time. But when I allow silence into my life in a purposeful way, it cleanses my mind. Rejuvenates my energy. Ramps up my intuition. Calms me down. And restores my ability to deal.
It can be tough to choose silence when we feel stressed out but I urge you to give it a try. It’s one of my favorite things.
And last but NOT LEAST…
The final piece to your spiritual toolkit is to create a list of items under each of these topics.
Spiritual Toolkit Resources: Topics
1) Humor. What makes you laugh? What brings you to tears you laugh so hard? What shakes you up and can get you out of a bad mood faster than anything else? A TV show, a certain someone, being around kids, watching comedy, going on scary rides? Whatever it is, write it down. Humor is one of the most powerful necessities of life because we take life tooooo seriously. And we need to just stop it already! 😛
2) Reconnect with your inner kid. I separated this from humor because it’s a different frame of mind. Sure, some of the things that make us feel like kids might also make us laugh, but what’s most important here is that they bring out that innocent curiosity that’s hidden deep inside all of us. Maybe it’s going to a playground and being silly. Or pulling out Leggos. Or making a piece of artwork. Or plunging into the woods on some new adventure. Whatever it is, write it down. We should always strive to connect with our inner kid because they’ll restore our curiosity and prevent us from getting too caught up in the living of life.
3) Peace. What brings peace into your life? When do you feel at peace? What can you do to cultivate more peace? Maybe it’s sitting in your car’s silence for 5–10 minutes before going into the house. Or meditating. Or reading a book — a real book. Or watching birds on your back porch for hours on end (hand raised!). Whatever it is, write it down. We NEED peace like we need air.
4) Grounding. Being grounded is probably one of the most underrated states out there. We always think of happiness and peace, but grounding is EPIC. When we’re grounded, we feel secure about how things will turn out, no matter how tough they are. When we’re grounded, we’re able to tap into that part of ourselves that is holy and divine. Sure, I love all the spiritual stuff, but we chose to incarnate on this planet and experience life ON this planet. Therefore being grounded into it is crucial. When we’re grounded, we’re present. We’re capable. Write down anything that makes you feel grounded whether it’s taking a walk in nature, playing with kids (always works for me), sticking your hands in the soil, or wrapping your arms around a tree. We are mighty when we’re grounded.
5) FUN. If we aren’t having fun, then it’s time to go home! None of this 3D life is worth losing our joy over — it’s really not. And I know, I know, we’ve just gone through 2020 annnnd it’s still crazy. It might have always been crazy in your life! But past generations had it even worse. Whenever I get down about current times, I just remember that tampons weren’t always a thing and that always cheers me up, haha. We’ll get through this! And in the meantime, let’s have fun! Write down anything you classify as fun. It could mean going for long car rides, listening to loud music, being with friends, dancing, traveling, whatever. I don’t care what anyone says, fun is a fundamental need, and it’s important you know how to do it!
This final list will be your go-to when tools or other things aren’t working. Or when they are!
Building a spiritual toolkit is about putting all the things that bring you back to your Beautiful, Divine, AMAZING self.
Believe me, if you build it ahead of time — N O T H I N G will be able to shake your foundation. Promise 😉
I hope these resources are helpful to you. Let me know what you think or if you have any added suggestions!
To learn more about my Spiritual Guidance sessions, Akashic Record Soul readings or to book a session with me, click HERE.
