It’s really important to me to use my spiritual practice to be better able to engage with the world, rather than hide from it. If you are reading this, I’m sure you agree. Staying grounded while remaining receptive is the goal.

Start With the Body

During uncertain times, the mind starts to race: “What’s going on?” “Why is this happening?” “This seems crazy!” “Why won’t anyone do anything?” Thinking is a critically important way to process information, but it isn’t the only tool we have available. It is important to take a break from thinking and feel into your present situation. Close your eyes and breathe. What sensations do you feel in your body? Take a second to appreciate that you are safe in that moment. Feel gratitude for that peace. Remember that this feeling is available to you whenever you need it.

Identify and Feel Your Emotions

What are some of the feelings that are coming up for you right now? For me, I feel:

• Deep sadness for the people of Ukraine who are fighting for their homes and their lives.
• Fear for how a conflict like this could spill into consequences for my own life.
• Guilt for worrying about myself at a moment when I am safe and have my basic needs met.
• Disappointment, sadness and anger for the way Europeans have been treating non-Ukrainian refugees.
• Anger at corrupt leaders for throwing the world into chaos for their own selfish ends.
• Gratitude for the peace I am experiencing in my own life and a newfound appreciation for the simple things I’d taken for granted.
• Admiration for the Ukrainian people and how brave and courageous they’ve been.
• Mixed emotions about supporting violence. I don’t like it but I also understand that in times of self defense, it is necessary.
• Uneasiness and suspicion about the origins of violent conflicts like this.

Notice how some of these are “negative” emotions. All emotions deserve to be felt, the “good” and the “bad.” I reject the notion that we have to be all positive all the time. Furthermore, if we limit our capacity to feel by deciding which feelings are worthy of being felt, this cuts us off from greater empathy and emotional growth.

It can feel overwhelming to conjure up intense feelings in your mind/in your body. Especially when there are a lot of varying emotions. Journaling is a great way to organize your feelings and redirect some of the energy behind them, so they don’t feel so overwhelming in your mind/body.

Put Yourself in Your Inner Child’s Shoes

Remember that you probably can’t handle as much stress as you think you can, and that’s ok. You may think you are fine doomscrolling on TikTok and IG. Or that its important to keep checking the news each hour to “stay abreast of current events.” But chances are, you are burning yourself out.

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A post shared by Jenna Zoë (@jennazoe)

Human Design expert Jenna Zoe made a really insightful remark on IG Stories that resonated with me: adult you can handle more than inner child you. You have to work with your most sensitive parts. Think about how you would feel as a child if someone told you about current events without the context you have now as an adult. Probably pretty scared. And a part of you might be pretty scared right now. Coddle that part of you by avoiding overexposure to anything that is too stressful.

Inner child you probably also likes to have fun! So, as serious as things may feel right now, don’t forget to do the things that make you happy. Joy is an important component of both physical and mental health.

Back to Basics

When things get stressful, I tend to slip up with my routines. All the sudden I’m dehydrated, irritable, and tired. You know what you need to feel good, so make sure you are keeping up with those things. Having a good morning routine has helped me so much. That way, I get the things I need for myself out of the way before attending to everything else.

Check out this post for a refresher on how to show yourself some love.

Emotional Resilience

Unfortunately, there are industries and entities (like *cough* the President of Russia *cough*) that benefit from stirring up fear and uncertainty. Don’t let these emotional terrorists win. Feel your feelings instead of letting your emotions calcify into indifference. Process things as they come up to allow space for compassion.

I hope this helps! Love you all.

In the spirit of cultivating community here at La Vie de Zee, I want to provide insight into my healing journey. First off: what is a “healing journey?” [Side note: I feel like the wellness/spirituality space can be a bit jargon-y, so I’ll be as clear as possible!] At some point, most people realize that they have subconscious patterns that are affecting them in a less-than-desirable way. From there, they begin their “healing journey.” Not unlike the archetypal Hero’s Journey, this inquiry ultimately leads the searcher back to themselves.

My Journey

My healing journey began in a fairly standard way. I started seeing a therapist to help with work stress and dating anxiety. I was looking for a quick fix to help me live more efficiently along the lines that I had already laid out for myself. Only to realize that my entire approach to life did not reflect my core values. This realization led to a total upheaval of my personal and professional life.

Once I was finally able to face all the icky stuff that had caused me to contort my personality into a people-pleasing pretzel, I set about the somewhat arduous task of reprogramming my subconscious beliefs. The tricky thing about subconscious patterns is that they can be difficult to identify and even harder to modify. Couple with the fact that the average person in today’s Western society receives little to no training in how to do this, and you’ve set the stage for somewhat of an uphill battle.

One of the most difficult things about recovering from childhood emotional abuse and neglect was the feeling of isolation. I didn’t fully acknowledge or even understand what had happened to me until my mid-to-late twenties. Because I wasn’t physically hit and did not grow up lacking food, shelter, etc., I didn’t understand that I nonetheless was suffering from severe complex PTSD (CPTSD). Even once I had accepted what happened, I still felt that what I’d gone through was “not that bad,” or certainly not bad enough to have had such a serious impact on my life.

Healing Modalities

Therapy was the beginning of my healing journey, but it certainly wasn’t the end. I ended up parting ways with my talk therapist after realizing that she wasn’t supportive of my career shift. Now, I work with a therapist that specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In addition to therapy, I’ve been learning about how the body stores and processes stuck energy. For someone who spends a fair amount of time in their head, getting back into my body and feeling safe there has been a huge part of my recovery.

I wouldn’t say that I am fully “healed” (what does that even mean??). However, I am at a place where I can reflect on what I’ve been through with a sense of admiration. I am a friggin’ bad ass.

To the many who have gone through something similar or worse: you are not alone. The impact those experiences had on your life is real. Blaming myself for the challenges I faced (and wanting to protect the people that perpetuated the cycle of abuse) kept me from getting the help I needed sooner.

All in all, the reward for all this has been re-acquainting myself with my “true” self. I can’t tell you how good it feels to embrace who I am at this point in my life. I wish this and more for everyone reading this post.

I underwent my first “spiritual awakening” in March 2020. It happened during one of the lowest points of my life. Coronavirus was barreling down on the city. What was once my prized Tribeca studio apartment suddenly felt like a prison. Normally not much of a drinker, I found myself guzzling wine and binge watching Love is Blind to keep from losing my mind from stress. In a last ditch effort to preserve my sanity, I decided to ride out what was supposed to be a few weeks of quarantine in British Columbia with family. My stress reached a fevered pitch as I was packing: there were reports that Canada was planning on closing its borders to non-residents at any moment.

Stranger Things

In the midst of all this, weird things started happened. When I unplugged my juicer before I left NYC, a whitish-blue ball of electricity briefly appeared in front of the electrical socket. I started having vivid dreams. Safely at my cousin’s house but still incredibly stressed, I started to see what appeared to be shadowy figures walking across my peripheral vision at night. This last phenomenon was familiar. I remembered having a similar feeling when I was a small child.

It’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment that I knew I was undergoing a spiritual awakening. Like many people, I downloaded TikTok during the pandemic. I was immediately inundated with a flood of uncannily accurate videos, many of which told me that I was a “starseed” sent to Earth to help make the world a better place and clue humanity into their own inner divinity. The true “ah-ha” moment was when I joined a Zoom meditation during the pandemic. I could actually feel the energetic presence of the people on the call. I may not have been totally on board with the idea that I was a real-life Sailor Moon sent to heal the Earth with good vibes. But I definitely knew that something important had happened.

What Is A Spiritual Awakening?

The first definition that pops up on Google is:

A spiritual awakening is a personal, subjective experience. It’s going to look and feel different for everyone. It is more so a shift in perspective than a radical re-alignment. I still deal with the same issues I did pre-awakening. But I have a better sense of who I am (an energetic being in a cool, high-tech flesh suit) and what I’d like to experience during this lifetime.

Even as I write this, I can’t help but wonder if what I experienced was just a series of weird coincidences. Or maybe the stress of the pandemic really did cause me to lose a few marbles lol. While some of the more paranormal things like the bursts of electricity have stopped, I am left with a deeper understanding of “superpowers” I’ve always had but didn’t fully understand, like the power of my intuition.

What to Expect

If you are going through a shift like this for the first time, it is undoubtedly going to feel weird. Especially if you hadn’t really spent a lot of time pondering existential questions before (like I hadn’t). You may feel disconnected from things and people that you had placed a great deal of importance on. My advice would be to try to ride it out as gracefully as possible. Spending time in nature helps. Your life may end up looking quite different than it did before. Ultimately, this is a positive growth process. Enjoy the ride!

Have you undergone a spiritual awakening? Let me know in the comments!

For more spirituality content, click here.

Meditation and journaling are two of my favorite introspection tools. Meditation encourages you to observe your thoughts, while journaling invites you to actively engage with them, memorializing what you are thinking or feeling at that point in time. I’ve journaled on and off since I was about 10 years old (I still have my original, faux-fur leopard print diary) but many of my early entries read as a summary of events rather than giving me insight into my emotional state. Going to therapy made me realize that I sometimes avoid delving into how I feel about an event, instead giving a factual play-by-play. Journal prompts have really been helpful because they help set the stage for reflecting on my emotions.

The benefits that comes with journaling have been scientifically established, with an article posted on Positive Psychology citing to 83 Benefits of Journaling for Anxiety, Depression and Stress. These journaling ideas are designed to help you delve deeply into your psyche to reap these benefits, even if emotional deep-dives don’t come naturally (like they didn’t for me).

Self love means something different to each one of us. By completing these prompts, you will have a better sense of what self love means to you.

Journal Prompts

1. What does self love look like to me? How can I embody it more?
2. What are the ways in which I abandon myself?
3. How can I keep the promises I make to myself?
4. Am I comfortable spending time alone? If not, why?
5. Is my self-worth conditional?
6. What beliefs do I have about love based on past relationships? Do I want to hold on to these beliefs?
7. What are the tangible ways in which I show myself love?
8. What are the intangible ways in which I show myself love?
9. Do I truly believe that I deserve love from myself?
10. How good am I at listening to my internal cues?
11. Do I trust my intuition?
12. How can I learn more about love, beyond what was modeled for me by my parents and past relationships?
13. Do I respect my feelings, or do I second-guess them? Do I suppress them?
14. How do I prioritize my own needs?
15. What is my inner self-talk like? Do I judge myself too harshly?
16. Am I relying on other people to meet my emotional needs, or am I meeting them myself?
17. What inner qualities am I most proud of?
18. What are some of the ways that I have grown as a person?
19. How am I honoring my dreams and life ambitions?
20. Do I honor the boundaries I put in place for myself and others?
21. Do I feel comfortable expressing “ugly” emotions?
22. What positive things would a close friend say about me? Do I agree? Why?
23. How would I describe myself to someone that has never met me? Is this a kind description?
24. Do I accept compliments as readily as I accept criticism?
25. Am I equally comfortable giving and receiving love?

Download or Pin for Later

I hope these are helpful! Is there anything you would add to this list of prompts? Let me know in the comments!

TikTok users have posted videos recounting their experiences astral traveling to other planets, parallel dimensions, or popular earthbound locations like the Giza pyramids. There has never been a better time to investigate AP for yourself. The line between the normal and paranormal seems very much blurred. Check out some of their experiences below:

@sanela.estrella

@sanela.estrella

thank u guys so much for the love & support ##astralprojection ##spiritualitytiktok ##spirituality ##woketok ##witchtok ##starseed ##ComfortFood ##aliens

♬ original sound – Sanela Estrella

First on our list is Sanela Estrella. Sanela describes her first astral projection experience in detail by drawing a picture of her surroundings. She found herself in a space that looked like a glowing torus field in front of two glowing beings. Sanela ended her trip by being led out of “the Matrix” by two spirit creatures.

@hollow.hollis

@hollow_hollis

##greenscreen @selkigirl ##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##astralprojection ##luciddreams ##luciddreaming ##witchtok ##spirituality ##5d

♬ original sound – Hollow Hollis

In Part 1 of his account, Jerrell Hollis described his first astral trip. He used a Spotify playlist of binaural beat music to aid the process. Apparently, someone (or something) was awaiting his arrival…

@hichaweon

@hichaweon

Reply to @pnwjackie #astralprojection #astralproject

♬ original sound – Chaweon

Chaewon describes accidentally astral projecting out of her body as a teenager, having what is commonly referred to as an “OBE” or out-of-body experience. Her experience was less eventful than some of the other accounts, but hers is one of a few stories in which the traveler did not intend to astral travel at the time.

@iamsaige

@iamsaige

heres another one im still wondering about #spirituality #spirits #astralprojection #3rdeye #fyp #spiritualrealm #creators #realityripple

♬ huh – zup

Saige has posted a series of TikToks describing encounters with energy beings while astral projecting. In most of them, it seems like the joke is that humans still have quite a lot to learn about how the universe works.

@piscesdoll

@piscesdoll

##greenscreen ##astralprojection ##dreams ##manifestation also watch my first video too you have to scroll

♬ Take Me to Pluto – idonthateyou

TikToker Pisces Doll (Aya Elaine) takes astral travel to a whole new level by giving us instructions for visiting friends in our dreams. Who needs FaceTime or Zoom when you can meet up in the astral realm?

@brookeshappening

Brooke used the astral realm to have a heart-to-heart with an ex-love that lived far away. Showing that travel can be used for exploration, or to connect with people already in your life.

@imwhoreablysorry

@imwhoreablysorry

How to astral project in 60 seconds #astralprojection#outofbodyexperience#spiritualawakening#spiritualtok#ImJealous#witchtok

♬ original sound – desi

Last but not least, TikToker Desi provides step-by-step instructions for achieving astral travel. Interestingly, the process of leaving your body involves imagining climbing out of the body using a “rope.” Who knew that the soul makes a popping noise?

***

Check out astral projection Tiktok (try searching the hashtags #astralprojection and #astraltravel) for even more amazing stories. If you are interested in trying astral projection yourself, there are some amazing guided meditation resources on YouTube. Let me know in the comments if you are interested. I will post about some of my favorite astral projection guided meditation videos!

For more posts on spirituality, click here:

Have you tried astral projection? Do you have any interesting stories to tell? Let me know in the comments!

If you didn’t heard about popular social media app TikTok in 2020 . . . yes you did. Between the catchy dance crazes, information security drama and infamous feud with the Trump Administration, TikTok dominated the headlines for pretty much all of 2020. Most people use TikTok to consume and create viral videos, but I’m here to let you in on a hypnosis hack to reprogram your subconscious mind for success!

TikTok’s sophisticated algorithm learns about its users and delivers curated content to their For You pages. After only a few uses of the app, many report that the videos that pop up on their FYP are eerily similar to their personal lives. It is this customized content and easy “swipe up” navigation that can quickly lead users to find themselves on an hours-long TikTok bender.

Beyond the hyper-viral content, the TikTok app is actually an incredibly powerful video recording and editing tool. Features like VR (virtual reality) and green screen are accessible at the tap of a finger. For our purposes, it is the looping feature that is going to be a powerful ally in reprograming our subconscious mind.

The Subconscious Mind and How to Alter It

The subconscious mind is the part of our consciousness that exists “under” the parts of ourselves that we actively construct and identify with. Depending on how your mind works, you may experience conscious thoughts as a sort of inner dialogue and subconsciousness as thoughts and ideas that reveal themselves without having actively been summoned.

Even when we are not engaging with it, the subconscious has a huge impact on the quality of our life as a whole. Therefore, it is important that examine how our subconscious mind may need to be tweaked to help us achieve our goals.

Our minds are constantly being programmed by stimuli around us whether we are aware of it or not. That’s why being selective with our environment, friend group, entertainment, etc. is so crucial. However, accessing and reprogramming the subconscious mind requires a slightly different tact. Much of the beliefs operating in our subconscious were formed during our childhood, specifically our so-called “formative years.” Beliefs formed during that time are often an attempt to ensure basic survival without taking nuance or context into account.

As we grow and develop the capacity for analytical thought, we use the data we have collected during the course of our lives to form new beliefs and ideas. However, unless directly challenged, these new ideas will not overwrite the existing “code” from our past, but merely layer on top, causing conflicts.

Step 1: Identify Thought Patterns You Would Like to Change

This step can be relatively easy at first, but can get more challenging as you delve deeper into your subconscious. Most of us are aware of at least some negative beliefs about ourselves stemming from our past. Maybe thoughts like “I am not attractive enough” or “I am not smart enough.” These types ideas often come directly from childhood messaging we received either explicitly or implicitly.

Next, identify areas of your life that have not changed, despite your best efforts. Do they match up with the negative beliefs you already identified? If not, there may be additional negative beliefs that are acting as blocks. Journaling and/or working with a licensed professional can help with uncovering these types of belief systems. Sometimes, even asking an honest friend can provide clues to internal beliefs that are holding you back.

Step 2: Prepare Your Script

This is the fun part. Examine your negative beliefs and write yourself a love letter of sorts praising yourself for being the amazing being that you are. In detail, write sentences counteracting those negative beliefs and phrase them in the present tense.

For example:

For more tips on how to phrase your hypnosis statements, check out this video by Marisa Peer:

Step 3: Record Your Hypnosis Video

Are you ready for your close-up? Time to record!

1: Download the TikTok app from the app store.

2: Set up an account. Don’t get too hung up on usernames and such, you can change them later.

3: Press the “+” button in the middle of the screen to record.

4: On the recording screen, change the timer at the bottom of the screen to “60s” to give yourself a full minute. Read your script into the camera with love and care.

5: When you are satisfied, hit the check button and then click the “Next” button.

6: *IMPORTANT* Change the settings on the video to Private, so only you will be able to see the video.

7: Press “Post.” Then, navigate to your locked videos from your profile page (click on the padlock symbol) to be able to see your self-hypnosis video.

Step 4: Watch Your Video!

The final step is to just leave the video playing in the background as you go about your life. You can even leave it on while taking a nap, allowing your conscious mind to take a backseat. Thanks to TikTok’s auto loop, you’ll hear your affirmations on repeat. Because the message is coming from you in your voice, it will have a much stronger impact upon your subconscious. By listening to your recording, you are providing your subconscious with different programming to undo and replace those old subconscious beliefs. It is a more efficient version of the popular practice of saying your affirmations to yourself in a mirror each day.

I did this for ONE DAY and I’ve already noticed that I feel markedly more positive about myself. If you try this self-hypnosis technique out yourself, I would love to hear from you in the comments. Happy recording!

For some of my favorite spirituality TikTokers: click here.

Things that were once considered “fringe,” “New Age” or inaccessible beyond a small segment of the bohemian elite are becoming mainstream thanks to technology and social media. TikTok content creators are on the leading edge of the New Earth movement, conveying important important truths and complex ideas with a healthy dose of humor and dancing.

Below, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite spirituality content creators. Make sure you follow them on their other channels as well, as the fate of TikTok is still up in the air!

Argus Kaine serves up his readings with sass, sumptuous curls and startling accuracy. From his gorgeous altar, the moon priest himself offers cosmic guidance on everything from your love life to your star sign.

2. @morganalene

Mogan Haynie’s calm demeanor and powerful gaze alone make for compelling content. The Sirian starseed offers messages of love and light to all of us living through this moment of change.

3. @oliviarae.love

Cosmic Mother Olivia Rae reminds us that everything we need to know is already within us. Follow along for great tips on breathwork, making your own moon water, and more.

4. @eliastripp

For the more left-brained, Elias Tripp provides tons of quick and easy tips for deepening your spiritual practice. Don’t believe me? Try his amazing 4-second meditation technique below:

4. @hollow_hollis

Vogue darling and one of the most popular #witchtokers, Jerrell Hollis provides excellent overviews on important spiritual concepts such as the distinction between guardian angels and spirit guides, clairaudience, and telepathy.

5. @auravibin

Fiona Maynard really do be vibin’ tho. She masters covering sensitive topics like shadow work to fun tips for raising your vibrations with equal aplomb.

6. @astroemmaa

Along with other celestially-relevant content, Astro Emma encourages us to tap into our own intuitive powers by posting weekly intuition tests. Try out the test below to see how you do! If you don’t guess correctly, don’t worry. Like any other skill, intuition can improve with practice.

7. @asinaabe

Everett LaFramboise offers spiritual guidance rooted in the traditions of Native American culture. A preview of some of his wisdom? North American fairies are much milder and friendlier than their celtic counterparts.

8. @sahdsimone

Spiritual teacher Sah D’Simone challenges us to grow in the most loving way possible. Often filmed while rollerblading through sun-soaked LA, D’Simon’s posts encourage us to shine our own light by alchemizing the “dark” parts of ourselves we have rejected.

9. @nishthef1sh

Tune in to Nish’s weekly TikTok live lectures on spirituality to have your mind blown. The music aficionado and yoga expert conveys complex topics regarding the spirit and Hindu traditions with ease and good humor.

10. @artisthelly

In addition to lovely ethereal #lewks, Helen Ifeagwu serves up some of the best manifestation content on the ‘Tok. Follow her tips to close the gap between you and your goals.

Did I miss anyone? Drop your favorite spirituality content creators in the comments!