0:00
Let me ask you this. Do you have a consistent spiritual practice? Or do you find yourself dabbling? Or maybe you have good intentions, and start well, but you easily fall off your path. Either way, in this episode, I wanted to bring the idea of a consistent spiritual practice into your consciousness, now, as we step into the first month of the year. I'll share my tips for embracing daily practices that will help you find peace, and live your dream life now, so stay tuned.
0:44
Intro: Hi, it's Amy here, and welcome to The Prana + Patchouli Podcast. I'm a restorative yoga teacher and this is where I share my self-care tips, spiritual tools, breathwork and guided meditations to reduce stress and raise your vibration. If you haven't already, be sure to hit subscribe, so you never miss an episode.
1:15
So welcome back to the show. It's been a while since I recorded a new episode. I think it was before the holidays. And I'm really happy to be back. I really want to say a big thank you especially to Katherine and Chloe and Lily who really encouraged me to bring back the show.
1:41
In this episode, I want to talk about something that is really important, especially at this time of year as we think about creating new habits and practices. And I want to bring the idea of creating consistent spiritual practice into your consciousness, now, as we step into the first month of the year. I know that at the time I'm recording this and releasing this, that we're coming towards the end of January now. But if you had a bit of a slow start, then I really hope that this episode will help you create the space for positive change in your life. Because I think that's one of the biggest commitments we can make. It's in these simple shifts and when we make that commitment to taking small actions that help us to feel better, we start to elevate our lives even if we can't exactly see the results yet. So, when we have this consistent spiritual practice, we make feeling good and finding peace, our highest priority, and then everything else can begin to flow. So in this episode, I wanted to share my tips for embracing these daily practices that will help you find that peace and live your dream life now. And it's really my goal to help you a lot more with that this year, because I know how life changing this was for me. And just this idea of staying consistent on a daily basis and dedicating time every single day to consciously focus on doing more things that make you feel happy, peaceful and free, so in time it becomes your default state. And if this is something you want to focus on this year, whether it's all about taking better care of yourself or strengthening your spiritual connection, but you're worried that you might fall back into old patterns, then I really hope this episode will help you more than anyone.
4:20
My first tip in starting and staying consistent with your spiritual practice is to schedule it into your calendar. One of my business mentors, Marie Forleo, says "if it's not scheduled, it's not real". And even though she was talking about business practices and habits, I think we can also apply that to our spiritual practice as well. So, for example, every morning at 8am, I'll sit for 10 minutes in meditation, and then at 4pm, I'll schedule some sort of of movement practice. Just simply putting that in your calendar is a commitment to yourself and sends a message to the Universe that you're taking it seriously, and you're ready to do something good for yourself. And then you can welcome in more support. And if you know you need more structure to help you stay consistent, then this is really helpful. And eventually, it becomes a habit so you don't even need to schedule it or look at it anymore, it just becomes something that you do every single day. And it really is a whole new way of being when you make rest and taking care of yourself your highest priority, so that everything else can start to flow. And for me, it's through this rest and stillness, that I cultivate the spiritual connection with the Universe, my Highest Self, my intuition (and those are just some phrases that resonate with me). And once I have that, I know I'll be guided through any challenges that arise with ease and grace. Knowing that I have that wisdom within me allows me to feel safe, even in uncertainty. And honestly, these practices have saved me over the last couple of years.
6:38
Now, I want to share some daily rituals that have helped me stay consistent in my spiritual practice, in feeling lighter and happier, and in creating sustainable access to my inner guidance system, and a sense of safety and peace.
7:02
So let's start with my morning routine. When I wake up, one of the first things I do is listen to a guided meditation in bed. I don't even need to get up before I dive right into my spiritual practice. My morning meditation can be mantra-based, it could be breathing or visualisation, just depending on how I feel or what I need in the moment. And sometimes I listen to an inspiring audio, which really gets me feeling connected and lit up ready for the day. This podcast is a great thing to listen to in the morning, if you're looking for a way to start your day in a more mindful way! You can do the meditations and set your intentions with me as you listen to the episodes. Or, if you want more, there are over two years' worth of meditations and practices over in my LIGHTER Membership. So, if you're looking for more support and inspiration for your practice, then I'll put the link to that in the show notes and you can check it out. I also like to say a prayer just to invite that guidance and support into my day. Sometimes, I'll do some light stretching and I don't like moving in a particularly hardcore way first thing, I like to just ease my way into the day and really honour my energy and my nervous system. So maybe just some gentle yoga. That's not every day - just whenever I feel like my body is asking me to move. And then I'll take a shower just to rinse off any sleep and freshen up, and I always like to write an affirmation or a mantra in the shower steam. It's a really nice way to feel connected. And just by starting my day in this consistent way... I actually thrive on having a little bit more routine and structure. And that doesn't mean I do the same thing every day but it creates this container for me to start the day from that more mindful place, and there's lots of space and room there for me to shift things around and go with the flow... Just listen to whatever I need on one particular morning, but I do have that container, that routine, that I stick to. And one of the biggest benefits of this is that I actually have more time for my spiritual practices and it helps me commit more to my self-care. And it's short, it's 15 minutes or less. And it really helps me to start my day from that place of grace and ease.
10:26
And then throughout the day, I'll find these little mindful moments. And it's really not about how long I spend them. It's just about finding alignment whenever I fall out. At lunchtime, or in the afternoon, sometimes I'll meditate again, or, if I'm tired and my brain is feeling a little bit toasty, then I'll do some yoga nidra or relax for 10 minutes in a restorative yoga pose, which really re-energises me. I recharge and ground myself there. I'll repeat affirmations when I'm waiting for the kettle to boil, or I'm folding laundry, or just doing something that's really boring and monotonous. And I like to listen to inspiring audios or watch videos, just to take a moment to feel really connected. Maybe I'll go for a walk. I especially like walking at lunchtime just to clear my energy and clear out all the cobwebs in my head. Being out in nature and fresh air for me really is a spiritual practice. It gets my creativity flowing and really helps me feel more connected. And then around 4pm, I'll take about 30 minutes or so to do a physical movement practice. And sometimes it's a Peloton spin class and it's at this time of day, I usually have more energy for that. I do some barre or Pilates on the mat, maybe some light weights or slow flow yoga. And of course, I love restorative, but this is the time for movement. So this is the time that really helps me to take care of my body and stay healthy and feel good. But I also find that it helps me shake off the day as I can feel my energy moving. And it helps me to transition into evening mode because I really find it difficult to switch off my brain at the end of the day.
12:51
And if you're wondering when I work, my focus time is in the morning, pretty early, because that's when my brain works best. And I try to keep it to my core four focus hours, which is the maximum our human brains can really, truly focus for. And then in the afternoon, I'll keep things light, maybe I'm studying because I love to learn and grow and it makes me a better teacher, or I'll spend some time with friends or I'll go for a walk. But I can actually get more done in less time because I've created this space through my daily practice to protect my energy. And whenever I used to work, work, work, work and force myself, I felt burnt out and exhausted and the work wasn't as fun. To be honest, I probably got less done. It's like I say on the yoga mat, pushing and forcing and struggling just never works.
14:07
Then in the evening, I focus on calming my nervous system because I've never been a great sleeper. And this just helps me have the best night's sleep possible. I try to be intentional about this and turn off my devices around 30 minutes to an hour before I go to bed. And my phone is automatically set to go to sleep mode at 9pm. So I can just forget about it. I usually put it in a different room so I'm not interrupted by any notifications and I'm not tempted to just pick it up and mindlessly scroll through. I take a bath with Epsom salts, because they're particularly great for clearing your energy at the end of the day, and If you're highly emotional and sensitive like me, this is a really great thing to add to your routine. The magnesium in the bath salts, helps to relieve body aches and supports you with stress. And it's also great for that energetic clearing as well. So, if you've picked up emotions and energy throughout the day, then this really helps you to let all of that go wash it down the drain. And I like to add some extra essential oils like lavender to relax before bed. I also have some magnesium body butter too, which works in a similar way, that I like to massage into my shoulders and neck. And I'll read a few pages from a spiritual book, drink some chamomile tea, sometimes I'll journal and oftentimes I'll do another meditation before I switch out the lights. And this whole evening routine just helps me to let go of the day, it's my time to wind down and I need a lot of sleep - at least eight hours - but preferably 10 to 12! So you can tell I like a lot of rest! But this just helps me show up as my best. And the more you can honour your own unique quirks and your energy then the better you'll feel as well.
16:43
So if you can, maybe you grab your journal or a notebook right now or after you've listened to the episode, and write a list of all the ways you're going to, or you want to show up for yourself and your daily practice from today forwards. Because when you make that commitment to yourself and visualise and set the intention, then it will become your daily reality. Now our to-do lists are full, so I really don't want this to feel like something else to add to your to-do list. Like I said, most of my rituals happen from moment to moment. I'm certainly not spending an hour and a half on the yoga mat. It's nice when I get to, maybe I'll do that on Sundays when I have more time, but it can be really as simple as repeating a daily affirmation or taking three deep breaths. In fact, let's do a short visualisation together now. I have some more thoughts to share with you. So make sure you stick around after the meditation.
18:12
Wherever you are, if it's safe for you to do so (and if you're out driving or walking, you can just listen and imagine), just feel yourself retreating from the outer world. Take a deep inhale through your nose and a cleansing exhale out through your mouth. And then just continue to breathe here - in and out - through your nose, feeling each inhale and exhale as it comes and goes.
19:27
Begin to visualise yourself moving through your day. From the moment you wake up in the morning, see yourself moving through your daily rituals and habits. Perhaps it's your morning meditation or journalling. Maybe you're writing those affirmations in the shower steam, or looking at a mantra written on a post-it note that you've stuck on your bathroom mirror as you're brushing your teeth. Whatever that is, continue to move through your day seeing yourself carrying out these rituals, enjoying your daily practices. Maybe you're just pausing to breathe in your car. Maybe you're being extra mindful as you sit down with a cup of tea. See yourself moving your body in any way that feels good to you. Getting through your work and unwinding at the end of the day. Maybe you're cooking a nice meal, taking an Epsom salt bath with essential oils.
22:04
Most importantly, as you visualise yourself moving through your day and these rituals, these practices, observe how you feel and call in that feeling now. Breathing in a sense of calm, ease, happiness, connection, spaciousness. So whatever that feeling is that you're cultivating through your daily practices, connect with that now. Let's take one more inhale, breathing into that feeling. Exhale, take a cleansing sigh out, releasing those images in your mind, grounding yourself in those feelings. When you're ready, you can open your eyes to the room.
23:39
The first step to creating those daily practices and staying consistent with them is to visualise them, and connect with the feelings that those practices create in your body, your heart and your mind. And then you can begin to take action on them. You can schedule them, like I said earlier, until they become a daily habit. And especially when times are difficult, which I think so many of us are finding right now, the most powerful way to get through - and this is certainly true for me - is to schedule your spiritual practice to make it a priority. Put it in your calendar or take these tools into your life.
24:45
When you have a daily devotional practice and stick to it, you'll feel more energised and you won't melt down as easily because you have these tools to bring you back to peace. A lot of people think "I'm too stressed to do this... it's too much... I've already got so much going on". And I get it, I really do get it. But without a daily practice, you'll probably feel even more overwhelmed, you'll get less done because your energy is scattered. And I always think our intuition, which we really connect to when we're in that still, calm and connected place, often saves us time in the end.
25:44
And if that resistance is coming up for you, (and I invite you to witness that without any judgement)... Just know that it's coming up, because it needs healing. You can always ask the Universe to help you see things differently. So, for example, if you hold the limiting belief that you just don't have time for self-care or your spiritual practice, then perhaps you switch that around. That doesn't have to be anything complicated. But one way I like to interrupt that negative pattern is to use a mantra, and one that I come back to you again and again, is "I choose peace instead of this". Or I'll turn to my breathing to shift my energy. And these are just examples of practices that you can do anytime, anywhere. And they don't have to take up a lot of your time. In some cases, they take just seconds. See if you can think about making that daily commitment with a new behaviour or affirmation that you can combat that story or limiting belief with. It could be something as simple as "baby steps are all I need" or "one mindful moment". And that's all it takes - a moment. And then just choose one practice that you really want to commit to for the next 30 days. Or if that feels like too much, maybe it's just the next seven days, whatever it is. And it always helps to have community to support you. So you can lean into our podcast community or if you're a member of LIGHTER, then you can use our community group to cheer you on. Or you can DM me on Instagram, (I'm @pranapatchouli) and I'll hold space for you.
28:08
But one last tip I want to share with you is to keep it simple... simplify to amplify. And that's what will create the biggest change and momentum. Because if you overcomplicate it, then you're just not going to do it. When I was going through a really hard time with chronic stress and anxiety, this is what I did. Just through simple breathing practices, mantras, a few minutes in a restorative pose... And if you want to feel safety and security, then just find these moments where you can bring your spiritual practice into your life and it can be such a simple part of your life, yet some of the most profound energetic shifts occur as a result of them. And simplicity is a really beautiful way to create consistency.
29:13
So ground yourself in your practices, make them a habit, and really make that commitment to feeling good. I'm here to support you throughout 2022 with this podcast, and over in the LIGHTER Membership. So, if you want that extra encouragement, support and inspiration in your practice, then I'd love you to come over and join the community. I'll pop that link below in the show notes.
29:48
As I get ready to close out this episode... and I think this is probably one of the longest podcasts I've ever recorded but I did have a lot to share with you and this will really help you to stay consistent with your practice throughout the New Year! And just to make things really clear, those tips once again are: 1. Schedule your practice until it becomes a habit. 2. Keep it simple so you stay consistent. 3. Find the support, guidance and inspiration you need to stay on your path. So I really hope that these tips serve you, as you move throughout 2022 and I’ll be back next week with a brand new episode. Make sure you subscribe, if you haven’t already, and I’ll be back here next Tuesday. See you then!
32:03
Outro: Thanks so much for listening. If you’re ready to go deeper, I have a free mini yoga retreat waiting for you over at pranapatchouli.com/retreat. It’ll help you find emotional ease, fill up your cup and follow the whispers of your soul. *Deep exhale*. All you have to do is head over there now and enter your name and email for instant access. I’ll be back next week with a brand new episode, so until then, from my heart to yours, Namaste.
