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Do you have any daily rituals that are non-negotiable? Ones that are simple, yet life-changing?
We have many rituals at LOTUSWEI, but these are the practices that have most dramatically changed our lives (with the least effort). We’re sharing them with you; we hope you’ll put them into practice and discover for yourself how powerful they can be.
One of our favorite colors is magenta + we wear it often.
Why? First, because the color is so luscious! Think: Burmese rubies, sun-ripened raspberries, dragonfruit, fresh beets, prickly pear fruits and Thai karma orchids. Also: bougainvilleas, dianthus and some varieties of peony, rose and dahlia flowers.
Secondly, wearing magenta keeps away mal-intentioned spirits. Those beings in the non-human realms (that we can’t see) that are not only stuck, but also naughty - they don’t like the color magenta.
What better way to steer clear of trouble makers than to throw on a magenta scarf or pair of earrings? Easy peasy. And -- the color makes you feel luscious.
Some masters also say that this combination of red/blue also stimulates production of red blood cells. So if you’re feeling low energy, your period drained you like a vampire this month or your feet are dragging, notice how you feel after sitting in a magenta meditation shawl or after throwing on a magenta dress.
We wake up at 4:15am every morning to meditate. Many of us on the lotuswei team have committed to a good solid year of a daily morning practice of at least five minutes of meditation at 4:15am. We don’t always stay awake afterwards; sometimes we go back to sleep, but at 4:15am you’ll find us sitting upright in bed or on the floor, doing breathing practices and resting in mindful awareness.
It’s fun knowing that your colleagues/friends/family are also awake during that time, committed to clarity of mind and awakening. This summer it was especially fun because I was traveling with Taylor - so every morning we’d wake up at 4:15am and sit together.
We’re committed, so no matter what time we go to bed -- even if it’s 2am, we’ll still wake up at 4:15am, do our meditation, then go back to sleep if necessary.
Why 4:15am? It’s a special time of morning. Spirits in the unseen realms have all finally gone to sleep (the trouble makers we talked about earlier). It’s still dark out -- and very quiet.
If this sounds crazy, we challenge you. Set your alarm for 4:15am every morning and sit in meditation for five minutes, starting first with the breathing practice outlined below in number 4. After several months, notice what’s changing in you or your life.
I do this at the beginning of every meditation class that I lead:
Breathe in naturally, then breathe out slowly through the mouth until alllll the air in your body is expelled from your belly. Do this three times.
You might cough -- that’s ok. Your belly might tighten up a lot -- that’s normal. The idea is to get all the air out. During this process you can either relax your body or you can tighten up your ‘mula banda’ or anus, by squeezing the muscles up, as you exhale your breathing.
Originally I worked with tightening up while I did my exhale breathing, and then I tried it the other way and decided I preferred to relax my whole body as I exhale. See what works best for you.
Do this type of exhalation before your meditation, before you go to sleep or when you are nervous. Do this after being around lots of people, or when you feel energetically oversaturated with other people’s energy. Do this after eating foods that set your body into a bloated state. Try to do this type of breathing as often as you remember during the day.
Some side effects you may notice: If there is other air stuck in your body, it will sometimes be expelled in the form of a burp or passing gas. This is a good thing. Many diseases and imbalances are caused by toxic air and gasses getting stuck in different parts of the body. Ask any Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor and whether it’s guasha, cupping or herbs, they are likely trying to rid your body of excess or wild ‘wind’ energy.
Over time if you employ this daily practice, as many times as you remember during the day, you may also discover other pleasant side effects such as a flatter tummy, less gluten intolerance and in general less issues with weird food allergies or bloating. Try it and see what other benefits you experience in your body and mind.
Inside the back door where each team member walks in to the SAN Center where we’re based, there’s a table with a variety of flower essence mists and a bowl of special message cards. Upon entering and exiting, we mist ourselves with as many blends desired, and choose a special message card.
You can do this at home, at your office, in your bedroom, in your creative studio or anywhere you want to be intentional. This practice not only helps you slow you down and be more mindfully aware, but it is also allows you to luxuriate in the present moment, breathe in essential oils, shift your energy with flower essences, and reflect on whatever message you get.
Essentially, at every entry and exit it’s a reminder of why we’re here and what’s truly important.
Every morning right outside the front door, we put out a fresh bowl of water with flower petals. The reasoning is two-fold.
First, it’s an offering for any thirsty spirits (the unseen beings in the non-human realm). They can stop and have a drink and be cheered up by the flower petal water.
Second, it’s a purification for anyone walking into the building before they enter the space. You can do this at the front door of your home or business. Anyone who walks inside will pass by the energetic cleansing nature of the fresh petals floating on water.
Some of these practices may seem strange, but all of them are practices that we engage in daily. It’s not something we read in some random book that sounded fancy; they’re based on daily experience and observation. In that way, you can have confidence that they are based on personal practice -- and that they are shared with a sincere wish to benefit you.
So whaddya think?
Are any of the rituals something you’d try or are they too weird?
Do you have any daily rituals that clear your mind + support your awakening?
Love + flower petals,
Katie
