122: How to balance spiritual practice with modern life

Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of Canny Crystals, the podcast. I hope that you're all well. My name is Mart, I'm your host, and this week I feel like a walking corpse, ladies and gentlemen. I do, I do, I do. As I record, it's 5 AM. I should probably be a bit more quiet, to be honest. I'm sat at the table in my living room. My child is asleep behind me on the couch after screaming for his 4:30 AM feed and then rejecting the bottle and just going back to sleep. So I was wide awake and I thought, why not? Got me mic out, opened me laptop, and I started working. I've practically been forced into the 5 AM club, and to be honest, I'm here for it. I'm getting loads done. I am, however, absolutely wiped out this last week. I'm drained, knackered, frazzled. However you want to put it, I'm still not getting any sleep. I mean, pray for me, please do, because it is so, so hard. Hats off to anyone else who runs a business. Honestly, I honestly don't know how single mothers do it. There are two of us, there's me and Johnny, and neither of our bodies have, you know, taken a hit from the pregnancy or hormones, but we've tried everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. I know most people say that all of this calms down about 3 to 6 months in, so I'm just kind of hoping that it does soon because Daddy is dying here. Anyway, this week I'm just going to get straight on with the episode because we've got so much to cover. I thought it would be quite fitting to discuss balance and spiritual practice with modern everyday life because it's something that we all will struggle with at some point. And Lord only knows how many messages I've had of you lot over the last couple of years asking, you know, how to incorporate crystals, visualization, meditation, EFT and all the rest into your hectic schedules. So I really need to take a leaf out of my own book here, if I'm totally honest, which is why I thought, let's do a podcast episode all about it, and maybe it'll finally sink in and I'll have a dose of my own medicine. Because for the last 4 weeks now, my spiritual practices have gone from, I'd say, 100 miles an hour to about 10 miles an hour. We are curb crawling here. I'm practically going the speed of a mobility scooter. Balancing spiritual practices of any sort with the demands of our busy modern lives can be quite a nuanced journey, if I'm honest, and it's one that requires attention and understanding, a bit of creativity chucked in, if we're going to succeed at all. Because in our world, time is often seen as, as like this scarce commodity. So integrating practices, you know, such as meditation, yoga, subliminals, visualization, EFT, crystal healing, mindfulness into our daily routines that can provide a grounding and quite an enriching counterbalance to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. So let's start with meditation and mindfulness. I often get people messaging me saying that they want to get started on their spiritual journeys, but they just don't physically have any time to start with the basics such as mindfulness and meditation. I mean, the amount of me friends, for example, that are like, oh yeah, I really could do with a bit of manifestation in my life, but you know, I'm busy, I have a job, I have a dog. I'm like, bitch, so do I. I still manage it. I'm absolutely fine. I'm— well, not at the minute, but you know what I mean. I usually am. So I'm here to tell you today that you don't need much extra time at all. We can incorporate all of these practices into our day-to-day lives. So mindfulness and meditation will ground you and center you in the present moment. And personally, I think that this is essential for trying to manifest anything in your life. Like, how can we manifest something in our future if all we do is live in the past thinking about what we should have done, or worry about what could happen in the future? So for example, if I said to you, you're going to manifest £1,000 additional income this month, if you're not being mindful in the present moment, your mind might immediately kind of slip into, you know, The last time I tried to manifest £1,000, nothing happened. And if I do get £1,000 in the future, I'll only end up getting another bill in the post to soak it up, and I'll end up back at square one. That's a pretty normal thought to have, and it's probably one that we all have from time to time. But if you practice mindfulness, you're kind of looking at those thoughts from a fly on the wall's perspective, and instead of letting them take over your main trail of thought, you're just viewing them as thoughts. You're acknowledging them, you're allowing them to pass like clouds in the sky. So incorporating mindfulness into your day without allocating any additional time, it just involves integrating mindful practices into activities that you're already doing. And this is such a time saver for all you busy moms, or even just someone who works full-time and has other commitments like, like I say, pets, animals, family to tend to. This approach will ensure that mindfulness becomes quite a seamless part of your routine, and it's going to enhance your awareness and presence without the need for that extra time. And that's the sweet spot. That's what we're aiming to get to. So I've made a list here. Let me just grab my notepad. There we go. I've made a list here of some practical ways to weave mindfulness into your daily activities. So the first I've wrote down is mindful breathing during transitions. And by this, I mean using the moment of transitioning between activities, like switching from one task to another, or before you start a meeting. Or as you go and make a cup of tea, use those as opportunities for a few deep mindful breaths because that's going to help center your attention. It's going to ground you in the present moment. And when I say mindful breaths, I mean, you know, if you're getting up to go to the toilet, or even whilst you're on the toilet, or you're making a cup of tea, or you're cooking food, whatever it is, just breathe. Take a few deep breaths, and with everyone that you take, just try and notice You know, the breath coming in through your nose, traveling down your throat, into your chest, inflating your lungs, and then back out your mouth again. It's been proven that even just doing this for 40 seconds at a time can really help bring you back to the present moment. So what do you do when you switch the kettle on? I don't know about you, but I take longer than 40 seconds on the toilet. So instead of just getting your phone out and scrolling Facebook, Just try following your breath. Take a few deep cleansing breaths. Number 2 on my list is mindful eating. So we all eat several times throughout the day. Turn your meals or snack times into mindful exercises. So all I want you to do is when you next eat or when you next take a drink, just pay attention to the taste, the texture, the aroma of your food in your mouth. Eat slowly, savor each bite, and just notice those sensations in your body. I've even stopped watching TV whilst I eat because I can't fully focus on what I'm eating because I'm so easily distracted. There is a study that if you eat whilst watching TV, you actually overeat up to 8% more. And you might be thinking, you know, 8% isn't much, Mart, but if you overeat by this amount every single meal, you're gonna put on weight without even trying to. And that's because it takes your body a few moments to play catch-up and to say, you know, that it's full and to send those signals to your brain. If you're distracted and you're watching TV, you're gonna miss those signals. You're gonna miss those cues because your thoughts are elsewhere. So this practice not only enhances mindfulness, but it can also improve your relationship with food. Now, I don't know if anyone has read— I don't know if this is in The Secret or The Magic. It's in one of them anyway, but it's talking about giving gratitude for a glass of water. It might be The Magic actually, because it's in the gratitude process. So it's talking about giving gratitude for a glass of water, and that's exactly what this is. It's just being mindful, you know, recognizing that you're thirsty, swallowing this water. It might not look appetizing because it's just see-through, you can barely see it, but obviously it's quenching your thirst. Number 3 on here I've put is mindful walking. So whether you're walking to your car, your office, walking your dog, taking your kids to the park, or even just walking around your house, focus on the sensation of your feet touching the ground. Focus on the rhythm of your steps. Focus on your breath because observing these sensations is gonna bring you back to the present moment. Number 4 on me list is listening with full intention. So during conversations throughout the day, because 9 times out of 10, we will speak to someone throughout the day, unless of course you live at home alone, But if you practice fully focusing on the other person whilst they're talking, this is mindfulness, okay? Notice the expressions on their face, notice the tone in their voice, notice your reactions without judgment, because this not only improves your relationships but it also trains you to be present in the present moment. Number 5 is mindful work. So engage in your work tasks with full attention. For every task, take a moment to focus on the purpose and dedicate your efforts to completing it with mindfulness. This can reduce feelings of being overwhelmed, and it can also increase your productivity and satisfaction as well. There's something called the Pomodoro method, which I find really interesting, and I use this all the time, um, just when I need to concentrate. All you do is you pick up your phone, you set yourself a timer for 25 minutes, and you dedicate those 25 minutes solely to getting a specific task done. And I want you to do that without looking at your phone. I want you to do that without getting distracted or doing any other task because that's gonna help you be mindful to whatever it is that you're doing. Number 6 on my list is mindfulness in routine tasks. So, you know, tasks like washing the dishes, cleaning, or even showering on a morning. They can all become mindful practices. All you need to do is pay attention to the physical sensations, you know, the sounds, the warmth, the movements. Viewing these activities as opportunities for mindfulness turns those mundane tasks into moments of meditation. Number 7, I've put waiting mindfully. So use any waiting time, like I said before, like boiling the kettle, standing in the queue at the till in shops, or waiting for a website to load. Use those times as an opportunity to practice mindfulness. Observe where you are, look around you, observe your surroundings, notice your breathing, tune into how your body feels. Just use these moments as brief meditative pauses. And number 8, speaking of mindful pauses, number 8 is to incorporate brief mindful pauses into your day. So maybe before starting a new activity, just take a few seconds to stop. Just breathe deeply 3 times and observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment in that present moment. That's going to create a mindful break between those activities. Number 9 on my list is mindful technology use. So be intentional with your technology use. Before picking up your phone or before logging on to social media, take a deep breath. Ask yourself why you're doing it. Do you really need to check your phone? There's something on iPhones where if you go into your settings, go to something called Screen Time, then click on See All Activity, you can see how many times a day you've picked your phone up. Go and do that right now if you have an iPhone. Settings, Screen Time, See All Activity. Go and do that right now. I bet you'll be shocked. On average, I pick up my phone over 450 times a day. 450 times a day. That is wild. I find that absolutely disgusting because Most of the time I don't even do anything. I'll pick up my phone, you know, give a quick swipe or a quick scroll. I'm just in a habit of pressing the screen to see if I have any notifications. I want you to try to be fully present and mindful on the content you consume and how that content affects you. And then the last one for mindfulness and meditation is end of the day reflection. So instead of adding time for reflection, integrate it into something that you already do in the evening. Like brushing your teeth or getting dressed for bed. I just want you to reflect on your day, acknowledge those moments of mindfulness, and acknowledge those areas for improvement. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily activities doesn't require any extra time. So that is one of the first things that I wanted to go through, mindfulness meditation, because it's one of the easiest because it doesn't require any extra time. It's just a shift in both attention and intention. By turning everyday actions into mindful practices, you can then enhance your awareness. You can reduce your stress. You can bring a greater sense of calm and presence into your life. This is a form of meditation. It's not all about sitting on a cushion with your legs folded, your thumb and your index finger touching on each hand, chanting om whilst Tibetan bells ring in the background. Mindfulness is a form of meditation because it clears your thoughts. It brings you to the present moment, and if I'm totally honest, it's the easiest way to incorporate meditation into your daily life. So something else that I get messaged about all the time is yoga and how to incorporate that into your hectic life. So yoga is basically the unity of body and mind. It's another powerful tool for maintaining spiritual equilibrium. It doesn't require lengthy sessions every day. Even short daily practices can quite profoundly impact our physical health, our emotional well-being, and our spiritual connectedness. So yoga can be integrated into modern-day life by practicing specific poses or sequences that align with your current needs. So whether it's a series of energizing morning stretches or even just a few restorative poses to unwind in the evening. Like, sometimes I'll be chatting away to Johnny in the kitchen whilst one of us cooks tea, and I'll stand in a yoga pose and I'll bring one of me legs up to the crotch and I'll put me arms high above me head standing in a tree pose. You don't need to spare a whole 60 minutes at a gym to dedicate to something like yoga. Even small incremental shifts like that can sharp mount up. Now the next thing that I had on me list to talk to you all today was incorporating subliminals and visualizations in terms of shaping your reality. So subliminals and visualization techniques, they offer a way to harness the subconscious mind's power it's going to align it with our deepest beliefs, with our conscious goals. Okay, so listening to subliminal messages whilst working, studying, or even during sleep can subtly influence the thought patterns and the behaviors going on in our head, and that's going to make it easier to manifest our desired outcome. Now, if you have a job where you can pop one headphone in, amazing. Okay, I used to do it when I was working in the NHS. I would have one headphone in playing subliminals on loop I would listen to them on dog walks, I would be cleaning the house, I would be cooking, I would have them playing whilst I was in the bath, and sometimes even overnight as well. Subliminals are probably one of the easiest ways to incorporate spiritual practices into your life because there is very little effort needed here. And you know what's weird? My baby totally settles down when I play them. Me dog sleeps right through the night when I play them aloud. Maybe he can hear me voice as well, I don't know. You can get them from the website cannycrystals.co.uk. They're just a affirming, positive reinforcement without you even needing to focus on them. So you're just playing them. You don't need any extra time for that. And then similarly, visualization, or, you know, the practice of mentally picturing specific goals or desires, that can be incorporated into anything as well. Again, just like with mindfulness, if you're on the toilet or you're waiting for the kettle to boil or you're waiting for a bus or even sat on a bus, just close your eyes for 60 seconds if it's safe to do so and visualize what it is that you want. Get very specific and almost see yourself living that life that you desire. 60 seconds is all it takes. I tell me one-to-one clients, you know, when your head hits that pillow, when you get into bed to sleep, visualize. I can be in a deep sleep within a couple of minutes, but if I don't visualize, I'm one of those that then starts scrolling on me phone, and then I end up falling asleep with me phone in me hand. The phone falls out of me hand, I wake myself up. Just see this as your trigger. So when your head hits the pillow, visualize who you want to be, where you want to be, what you want to be doing, what you want to see around you, and feel those associated emotions. Another practice that you can easily incorporate into your daily life is EFT, which is all about emotional release and healing. So I've done a few episodes on this in the past, but EFT basically involves happen on specific meridian points around the body to release emotional blockages and foster that healing. There is even a free video on my YouTube channel— just type "Kanni Crystals" into YouTube— about how to use EFT for releasing anxiety and stress. So this practice can be particularly beneficial for those of us leading busy lives because it can be quickly learned and applied in those moments of stress. It's going to offer us that immediate relief, and it's going to foster long-term emotional resilience. Now the best part with EFT is you can make up your own statements and script as well on the spot. So when I go in the shower in the morning, there are often times when I'll stand there for a minute or two under the running water before I even start to get washed. It's just what I do. I just, you know, do it to center myself and feel that warmth rushing over us. So when I get in the shower now, I do 60 seconds of tapping. It's short, it's fun, and it can quickly incorporate it into my routine without any disruption at all. I've since learned as well that when you tap on your face, it encourages lymph drainage, which helps to eliminate the damage from free radicals. I hope I've got that right. It enhances our skin's ability to breathe by improving the flow of oxygen. It plumps the face, it smooths wrinkles, it stimulates collagen, and it also normalizes the activity of oil and sweat glands. Now that's not bad for 60 seconds a day. Yeah, the thing that I get most messages about, however, is how can I incorporate crystal healing into my busy life, you know, for that vibrational support. So incorporating crystal healing into your daily life, that can provide support and amplification for other spiritual practices as well. So crystals can be chosen for specific intentions such as clarity, protection, love, wealth, whatever it is. They can be placed in living spaces, they can be carried in pockets, They can be worn as jewelry, all the ways that I discussed in last week's episode. If you haven't listened to it already, go back and listen to last week's episode. The subtle energies of crystals can complement all these different practices like meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and they can serve as physical reminders of our spiritual intentions and goals. Now, the easiest way to do this, I'd say, is with jewelry, because a simple crystal bracelet or crystal necklace worn daily means that you're going to be around that crystal's energy all day long. You're not going to need to give it any focus or attention. That energy is like coming out of that crystal all day straight onto your skin. It's one of the simplest ways. Now, I'm not asking you to form a salt circle around you. I'm not asking you to put specific crystals at the north, east, south, and west points. I'm not asking you to put all crystals facing a specific angle degree. All I'm saying is get yourself a crystal bracelet or a crystal necklace. Just pop one, like, on your body. Pop a tumblestone in your pocket or your bra or in your car or put it on your desk. Don't overcomplicate this. Some simple crystals for incorporating spiritual practices into your day-to-day life, I'd say, would be citrine because it's known as the sunshine crystal. It brings joy and happiness into our lives. Maybe amethyst for peace and calm to make sure we don't feel that overwhelm. And maybe some tourmaline even for protection against anyone else's negative energies. And the last spiritual practice that I'm going to talk to you about today is incorporating gratitude, because this is what I get the most messages about. You've probably all read the magic, you've probably all at one point fallen off the bandwagon round about day 10. Like, I see it myself, I see it in my 31 Days of Gratitude private podcast over on the academy. When I look at the analytics, people will do it for around 10 days absolutely militantly, and then the number of listens to the episodes after that will start to dwindle. So incorporating gratitude into your daily routine without allocating any additional time, that involves integrating just even very small acts of appreciation into activities that you're already doing and activities that you're already being engaged in. And it's that approach that's going to allow the gratitude to enrich your day seamlessly. So again, I've got 10 top tips for this because I find this to be super, super important, because gratitude and mindfulness and meditation are two of the staples that you need if you want to manifest anything in your life. So my top tip number one for gratitude is morning gratitude moments. So upon waking up on a morning, while still laying in bed, or even during your morning routine such as brushing your teeth or showering, just think of 3 things to be grateful for. Just 3. I'm not asking you to make a list of 10, 20, 30 things. Just 3. These can be as simple as being thankful for the warmth of your bed, being thankful for the sound of birds outside, or even the fact that you have a house and you're waking up clean, warm, and safe. Okay, number 2 is grateful meals. So before eating, I just want you to take a brief moment to express gratitude for your food. Acknowledge the effort that went into preparing it and the source of the ingredients. This practice can be a silent acknowledgement, or it could even be a short verbal expression. You could say thank you out loud. In the US— shout out to all my American listeners, by the way— in the US, families will say grace before eating. This is a form of gratitude. They all get in a circle, they all have their food in front of them, they all close their eyes, they all pray and say thank you for the food that they're about to eat. The third thing on my list is gratitude during your commute to work. So if you commute, I just want you to use that time to think of some things that you're grateful for. This can really transform potentially stressful commute time into positive reflection time. And obviously, the more you do that, the more that you're going to grow that into a habit. So whether you're driving, walking, or on public transport, just think of things to be grateful for. Be thankful that, you know, your train was on time or that there wasn't much traffic this morning or that you got to your destination safely. Number 4 on my list is workday appreciation. So most of us listening to the pod right now will work full-time. At the start or the end of your workday, just identify one aspect of your job that you're grateful for. So it could be a supportive colleague. It could be, you know, that you're doing a new project that really excites you. It could be the fact that you even have a job, because some people don't, or simply the opportunity to learn and grow professionally. The fifth thing on my list is gratitude in communication. So in your emails, in your texts, in your conversations throughout the day with anyone it might be, include expressions of gratitude where appropriate. This not only cultivates your sense of appreciation, but it also strengthens your relationships that you have with people. So you might thank a friend for their support in something, or you might thank a family member if they have helped you recently. Being grateful in passing conversation can be such a quick way to express gratitude and even just to raise your own vibration as well. Number 6 is thankful pauses. So again, use moments of waiting as opportunities to think of something that you're grateful for. This practice turns potentially frustrating moments into opportunities for positive reflection. Number 7 is gratitude before you sleep. So as you prepare for bed and you're taking your makeup off or you're getting your onesie on, if you live in the UK, you know how cold it is right now, just reflect on your day. Think of at least one thing that you were grateful for as you're getting into bed. That practice will help you to end your day on a positive note, and it can improve the quality of your sleep as well. Similarly to what I said earlier about visualization being the last thing you do, You could even do this with gratitude. Number 8 on my list is gratitude journaling, but condense it. So if you already keep a planner or a to-do list, I just want you to incorporate a small section for daily gratitude without needing any extra time for separate journaling. You can condense this down. You can jot down brief notes of gratitude alongside your daily tasks. So you might write out your to-do list, what you need to do, the food shopping, Instantly, you can give thanks and gratitude next to that, that you're even able to do food shopping and provide for your family. Just using that as a little example there. Number 9 is grateful listening. So when conversing with others, practice that active and appreciative listening. Recognize the value of people's words and the time that they're sharing with you, because that's going to foster a sense of gratitude for the interaction as a whole. And the last one for gratitude is number 10, Appreciation for challenges. So when faced with a challenge or a difficult moment, I just want you to try to identify a silver lining or a lesson to be grateful for, because that shift in perspective, that's going to be able to transform obstacles into opportunities for growth. So incorporating gratitude into your day without taking that additional time, it just requires a mindful shift to recognize and appreciate the value in everyday moments and interactions.. And by seamlessly integrating these practices, you're going to then cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude. You're going to enhance your overall well-being and perspective as well. The key to balancing spiritual practice with modern-day life, I would say personally, lies in integration rather than segregation. So I want you to consider your daily routines and how, you know, elements of meditation, yoga, subliminals, visualization EFT, crystal healing, mindfulness, whatever it might be, I want you to consider that these can all be woven into the fabric of your day. It might mean performing, you know, a few yoga poses after waking up, or practicing mindfulness during your commute on the bus, listening to subliminals whilst you work, keeping a crystal on your desk as a tactile focus with visualization. Start small. Maybe try just incorporating one new spiritual practice for a week. And from there add something else on for week 2. Then once you've got a grips with those, add something on for week 3. Because we know that when we start small, habits are more likely to form, and before we know it, we'll be living our best spiritual goddess lives without even thinking about it. Embracing these practices doesn't require drastic changes to your lifestyle. I'm not saying give up your friendship circles, I'm not saying, you know, don't take your dog for a walk today because you need to meditate. I'm not saying don't go to the gym because, you know, you should be listening to subliminals. You can do it all. None of the practices that I've talked about in today's episode require drastic change to your life. Rather, I'd say it's more about making small intentional shifts that are going to align with your spiritual values, because the cumulative effect of these practices that's what's going to significantly enhance your quality of life, and that is what's going to provide you with a sense of balance, peace, and connection amidst all the chaos in the modern world today. So I hope that this landed exactly where it needed to today for you all. I'm inundated with messages, like I say, from people saying that they do not have time. Let me tell you, honestly, if I have time right now, you have time for it as well. And I'm going to practice what I preach, and I'm just going to start with one spiritual practice next week. And then once I've got the grips with that and that is built into my little habit routine on a morning, again, as I'm kind of tending to baby, tending to Johnny, tending to my business, tending to my dog, tending to my house, all of the above— I'm sure that we all have a million plates to spin, but just do something for yourself, okay? Do something for your spiritual well-being. Start small, one thing at a time, two things next week, three the week after, and it will all cumulatively build up for you. Just before I go, just a reminder that I'm uploading a new video every Sunday to YouTube, which you can subscribe to for free. So last Sunday I uploaded a 10-minute meditation for attracting miracles, and the feedback that I've had from it has been beautiful. So thank you if you've already watched and done this meditation.. And if you haven't, head over to YouTube, type "Canni Crystals," subscribe for free content every single Sunday. If you've enjoyed this episode, please, please, please help me out. Leave a rating or a review wherever you're listening to this. It really does help me out in ways that you wouldn't believe. And if you'd like any crystals, any spiritual items, or even online courses based all around gratitude and manifestation, head to either cannicrystals.co.uk or cannycrystalsacademy.co.uk and enter the discount code, which is the word podcast. And I will see you all next Friday for another episode. Have a beautiful weekend, guys. Bye!