You did it! Now, the real challenge: practice.
+ a recap for the latecomers!
Like I've said before: self-care, just like a daily practice, is a cultivated thing. Don't give up on it, especially if it feels vulnerable or uncomfortable! You deserve to be in your Desire and Pleasure every day, and that's going to take lots of practice (I know, I've been working at it for a long time- and still not even close to perfect!). So here are some follow-up exercises for you. Take what works, leave the rest, but try to create
your own (simple and approachable) daily practice.
A plan for success exercise:
Journal prompt:
What is your specific goal (ie. have a daily practice, self-care daily, cultivate pleasure, etc.)
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What are the challenge/s you might face?
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Specific strategies to overcome those challenges?
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Desired outcome:
What are you hoping to gain from your goal? How does it fit into your self-care needs and desires?
Keep a journal of your self-care practice. Write out something you are going to do every morning (meditate, pull a tarot card and journal about it, build an Altar, spell your morning coffee, self-massage...) for 5 days, 7 days, 30 days, etc. Try an excursive for a short amount of time to feel it out, then assess- did you like it? Did it feel challenging? Rewarding? Journal about your experience then try a new practice until you settle on something that feels
approachable, juicy, and beneficial!
Once you're settled into a routine you'll naturally find more time and energy to invite in pleasure, self-care and magic.
Thanks for going on this journey with me and keep me posted about it, babe!
xoxo
Maria
Now, lets get your tools for the year!
We are so grateful for your participation in our 5 Day Challenge! We wanted to help you start the New Year off right by giving you some simple but powerful tools to turn your self care into a full blown love affair!
As a Seagrape VIP community member (and in appreciation of your commitment to yourself!) we want to help you continue the practices you learned in the Challenge and add onto them all year with first dibs on our our CSW toolkit before we release it to rest of the world
and the very first look at our new website!!
Our CSW (community supported witch) toolkit is a Magical box you will receive monthly which will include ritual tools and self-care prompts specifically curated by the Seagrape babes to help you cultivate and nurture the most important relationship....the one you have with yourself.
We are so smitten by the sexy, and dare I say juicy, handcrafted goodness we are including in each box for you! The kits are also centered around our monthly themes so you can continue to have Seagrape babes supporting and guiding you through themed blog posts, prompts, and classes here in Portland. We are cheering you on as you continue your juicy love affair!
We only have 10 Six Month Subscription Kits available so if you want to snag one before we release the subscription to the greater Seagrape community get it here. Also, as a special gift
for signing up and completing the Challenge you will receive a free limited edition Ritual Soap (see below!) when you subscribe for the CSW! 6 month subscriptions get a new monthly soap AND free shipping!
This offer is only available for a limited time (once the 10 kits are gone, they’re gone) so if you are ready to step up your self-care journey for the year babe, sign up here.
We had so much creating and living this challenge with you. Again, we can’t wait to keep cultivating this Magical community with you and we have so much more in store this year. Let’s keep the SELF-DEVOTION flowing all year!
Day 1: We can't self-care if we don't know what we need. Magic is everywhere, taking a few moments to slow down and connect with your physical body (after all, you live here 24/7) will allow you to tap back into your pleasure and desire.
15 minute journal prompts: 1. write out what your self-care looks like now 2. make a pleasure list with 25 items on it 3. list of 5 things that make you feel balanced
Magical Morning Practice:
Hop in the shower like you normally do (this can happen in the evening too) and as you’re soaping your body just notice your skin. Pay attention to the texture, tension, pleasure, soreness, and anything else your body is feeling. Rinse off and thank your body for holding and supporting you. Think of it as a poem, a song, a prayer. Let your gratitude settle on your skin. If you have the time rub your hardworking feet with oil before getting dressed
Day 2: Support systems can consist of a number of things from a simple strand of Christmas lights hung over a bed to calling a friend every morning. Noticing what feels sticky about self-caring and asking for help will allow you to communicate this (and eventually advocate for your needs) with loved ones. Starting with environmental things that bring you comfort and support (cup of tea, a
clean apartment, a bath after a long day) creates an approachable and easy way to create and tend to your self care. Are your senses engaged? Are you surrounded by colors and textures you love? Small changes can sometimes be the biggest lifelines.
15 minute journal prompts: 1. What is the hardest thing about self-care for you? 2. What support systems do you have in place now? 3. How can they be better? 4. If you were stranded on a desert island what would be the top 3 things you bring for self-care?
Magical Morning Practice: Environment Meditation
Sit quietly on the floor, a chair, or your bed. Breathe slowly, noticing your body against the surface you are on. Take 3 slow breaths and picture your ideal, pleasure-filled, perfect place. Are you laying in a sunny field? Floating in the ocean? What do you smell, feel, see? What texture do you notice against your fingertips? Do you taste your favorite dessert? Are you alone or with a group of people?
Spend a few minutes on the meditation (or listen to the recording below), jotting down anything that comes to you. This is information about the kind of support you can create in your environment. Was it very sunny where you were? You might think about getting more candles and warm lights for your apartment. Were you surrounded by water? When was the last time you spruced up your bathroom to create a watery sanctuary? Were you surrounded by your family? Maybe
it's time to get photos of your Ancestors out to build an Ancestral Altar.
- What 3 elements were in your visualization that are not present in your home?
- Write down 2 ways you can create this supportive environment based on this information.
Day 3: When we say YES to ourselves we inevitably say no to other things. Although we are taught not to put ourselves first, to be "selfless", and show others generosity, this just ends up being an nvitation to be walked all over. You deserve to take up space, embody your full self first and foremost.
15 minute journal prompts: 1. what are 3 draining things you are saying no to this week? 2. what, in turn are you saying YES to?
Magical Morning Practice:
Get naked, look in the mirror and say: I am a powerhouse and I use my energy as I see fit. You do not have time for judgments here. You are a POWERHOUSE! Repeat this throughout the day (no need to get naked) anytime you’re in front of a mirror.
Leave yourself a post-it note with this message on whatever mirror you're in front of most and say it to yourself any time you see it.
Day 4: Self-love is a practice in resilience, a powerful action that reminds you that you deserve to be here, to be loved, supported, and flourish in your life. This is a cultivated practice we have lost touch with, but call on it (be it a whisper, a prayer, or a letter to an Ancestor), and it will come. Magic can be woven into every aspect of your life if you let it.
15 minute journal prompts: 1. How do I value beauty and pleasure? 2. How do I invite beauty into my life? 3. What is 1 thing that’s beautiful about my life now, and why?
Magical Morning Practice: Building a self-love Altar
- Find 3 items that reflect you and what you love most about yourself/ your life. If you’re not sure, pick up some rose quartz, pink candles, and a photo of yourself.
- Clear a space in a room you’re in often (a shelf, dresser, windowsill, side of bathtub) and set the items on it.
- Find a tealight or pink candle and light it on this small self-love altar.
- Sit with it a moment and write or say this intention: “I am surrounded by Magic, I welcome it to settle here and in my life.”
Day 5: Inviting Magic in is a daily practice, and anything can be infused with Magic if there is attention and intention behind it. The tasks you perform daily can be turned into intentional acts, full of beauty and wonder. Remembering to slow down enough, or making your daily mundane tasks (like brushing your teeth or putting on lipstick) full of magic creates an invitation for a daily practice.
15 minute journal prompts: 1. write about 5 tasks you do daily (shower, clean, eat, etc.), and what their Magical qualities might be. 2. what are some other practical ways to infuse your day with magic?
Magical Morning Practice: Spell your food!
Pull a tarot card you like from your deck. Don’t have one? Grab your favorite household item (book, nicknack, artwork). Set it on the table as you prepare breakfast (if you have the time, arrange a little Altar just like you did for day 4). Make sure to plate your food beautifully when you are done preparing your meal. Decorate the plate with dry herbs, fresh fruit, make whimsical faces. Invite the energy of the card/ item you chose to settle in
and infuse your breakfast. Perhaps the item makes you feel joy, you are then inviting JOY into your meal. This, my friends is magic.
Have you read our blog yet?!
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