Spirituality Defined

“Spirituality is the manifestation of your specific divine. It is about your internal relationship with your higher self. If you believe in a creator, it is about your personal relationship with the Most High or whom you identify as your higher power. Your spirituality relates to the core of your being and is the essence of your authentic self.” (Spirituality Defined by YaYa Ndiza Kulalah)

Spirituality vs. Religion

Oxford Dictionary defines Spirituality as the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things and Religion as a specific set of organized beliefs and practices, usually shared by a community or group.  In simple terms, spirituality is a personal experience and religion is a controlled group experience.

Spirituality allows you to access and connect with your higher self

Here is an exercise to help you identify, access, and connect with your higher self:

1. Close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths.
2. Recall when you felt proud of an accomplishment or how you felt when you helped someone out without the promise of something in return.
3. Let that feeling cover you and let that warm fuzzy flow through you. Sit with that feeling for a moment. Embrace it and memorize it. Open your eyes.
4. Write a description of how that feels.

This exercise helped me begin to recognize what my higher self looks like and how it feels to be in the presence of the best me. 

5 Acts of Spiritual Self-Care:

1. Get inside your head

Your Ori, your head, is considered your twin in heaven and the universe. It is second only to the Most High or the Creator. Even if you don’t believe in God, know that a higher power exists within you. The quality of your life is connected to how you see yourself, how you talk to yourself, and who you believe you are. Knowing that, commit to actively loving your Ori and nurturing your spirit. Commit to giving yourself daily affirmations celebrating your greatness, and loving up on your divine self! Speak a blessing of success and positivity over yourself every morning before starting your day. Authentically Me is an affirmation poem that I wrote as a day starter. I also have a copy of it attached to a mirror in my purse for those times I need a little pick me up.

Authentically Me

Look at You wit yo fine self

So beautiful and divine

So fierce and fabulous

With a strong spirit and a strong mind.

There is no one in this world

Better at being you than you

I love You! You got this girl!

Now go out and do you boo boo!

Copyright (c) Terri L. Bailey 2019

2. Take a spiritual bath on the new or full moon.

It is important to set your intentions in any spiritual ritual before you begin to gather the items for your bath. Meditate on your intent.

1. If you don’t have a tub, put the ingredients in a clean pot or bucket with clean water.
2. You want to start as clean as possible. Be sure that your bathroom is clean. Bath and thoroughly clean yourself before doing your spiritual bath.
3. Say Ase, Amen, or so it is to seal the deal when you finish. Let yourself air dry.

Attraction Bath: Add a little white milk, honey, and white flowers to some lukewarm water. Be sure to rub the flowers between your hands to release the flower’s essence and infuse the bath with your Ase (your essence). As you splash the water over your body, speak your intentions for the bath: I wish to attract that new job (the specific job), I wish to attract abundance, I wish to attract joy and peace in my life.

Feeling out of sorts or negative? Try an herb bath using basil or sage (either fresh or dried). Add a splash of Florida Water and/or Witch Hazel for a powerful clearing away/cleansing negativity boost. Remember to speak your intentions for the bath as you splash. I am washing away all that is negative. I am washing away this bad attitude. I am washing away my depression. I am washing away all bad luck.

For optimal results, no sex, smoking, or drinking for 24 hours after your spiritual bath!

3. Spiritually clean your house

1. Go through your house and clean the dust out of the corners. Some spiritual systems (and my granny) recommend doing so clockwise.
2. Next, mop your floors to clean them.
3. Next, get fresh water and add a little Florida Water, open the road powder, lavender, frankincense, myrrh oil, or witch hazel to your bucket and mop your floor from the back door to the front door. As you are mopping, ask for a blessing of peace, wellness, joy, happiness, and abundance to occupy your home. When you toss the water out, state with confidence that you are tossing out negativity, bad luck, arguments, and any other harmful things trying to occupy your home.
4. Another method is to open your windows and doors and use a brick of charcoal with frankincense and myrrh or white sage incense and smoke your house from front to back

Remember to set your intentions before you get started!

4. Spend time getting to know yourself and your guides

•Learn to recognize your spiritual voice, also known as your intuition

•Be still and listen to your ancestors and spirit guides. Sit with a glass of water and a candle. The first few times, just sit and stare into the candle or the water connecting with your heartbeat and breath.

•Once you get comfortable, begin to write down what you hear as thoughts pop into your mind.

•Consider keeping a dream log. Often our ancestors and spirit guides talk to us in dreams.

5. Consider getting a spiritual reading and using spiritual tools.

A spiritual consultation or reading is time spent with someone who can offer life advice based on a spiritual system or through the use of divination tools such as tarot cards, shells, runes, or stones. Some spiritual consultants don’t use a tool and give advice based on intuition and psychic abilities. As a YaYa, I offer spiritual readings for myself and others. I’m not a psychic, but I have a divination system. This system of stones and numbers was created specifically for me. I also do readings with Animal Medicine Cards. I use these divination tools to guide myself and others through various situations or just to check in on what’s happening spiritually. More in-depth readings can help determine your life’s purpose or act as a life road map. Feel free to reach out to Yayandiza7@gmail.com for more information or to schedule a reading. In some cases, a prescription such as a bath, house cleaning, or Ori/head-clearing work is offered to help with resolution. Check out the resource room for others who offer readings. In every profession, there are those who are less ethical and make false promises, while charging high fees and taking advantage of people seeking advice in vulnerable situations. It is important to choose your diviner carefully and ask lots of questions. Readings should be reasonably priced (keep in mind the more in-depth the reading, the more expensive it will be). Remember, readings are not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical care.

•Spiritual tools and rituals help guide you as you grow into a more loving, healthy relationship with your spiritual self. I have baths, soaps, oils, floor washes, etc., for different situations that you can purchase (email Yayandiza7@gmail.com for details). Another resource is the Spa Goddess at the Goddess Project (contact info in the Resource Room), which sells Florida Water, crystals, incense, and other spiritual tools.

Bonus Tip:

•At all times, carry Florida Water and a square of red or white cotton cloth. When you feel anxious, angry, sad, etc., sprinkle a little Florida Water on the cloth and sweep from the top of your head down to your toes in a clockwise motion. Do this on each side of your body and then shake it off. If possible, clean yourself outside.

•Florida Water also works when you encounter (especially hug) someone who is sick, sad, or ratchet. Use Florida Water to help cleanse their energy off of you.

•A good substitute for Florida Water is Witch Hazel. In a tight, I’ve even used hand sanitizer. More than the material you use to clean with, it is about the act of cleansing. It is about the deliberate moving away from or removing of the negative things that may dirty your spirit, space, and environment.