It’s the start of a new year and a time to embrace transition and change.
You might find yourself thinking about what energy you want to bring into 2023 and what you want to leave in 2022. Some people make new years’ resolutions, aiming to break habits and learn new skills. But, increasingly, people are seeking ways to support themselves with nurturing and spiritual care, rather than focusing on “self-improvement”.
Tapping into your spiritual side is a great way to centre yourself at the start of the new year and to start a practice that you can rely on as the year passes.
The most popular spiritual wellbeing trends in the coming year will focus on resting, restoring, and protecting our energies. The first few years of this decade have been tumultuous. We are all finding our way with the challenges we’ve overcome and the changes we have faced. The spectrum of experience is wide. We have all, on some level, felt loss, and grief, shifts in our careers and priorities, and the pain of endings. Alongside these difficulties has been joy. There have been new beginnings, fresh starts, refocussing on goals, and adapting to new circumstances.
With all of this in mind, Laura, the founder of Rock + Realm, predicts that the most important trend in 2023 spiritual wellness is: RITUAL.
As people crave consistency and reliability we turn to ritual. Doing things daily (or regularly) which balance us and restore us has the overall benefit of helping us to feel supported and grounded.
Read on to find out exactly what these rituals will entail and how you can find peace in 2023.
- Crystals for protection: powerful crystal jewellery you can wear every day
- Cleansing and clearing negative energy: smudging with selenite
- Nurturing and gentle yoga to support you in 2023
- Mindfulness for mental and emotional wellbeing
Crystals for protection: powerful crystal jewellery you can wear every day
This is a “getting ready for your day” ritual which carries your intentions through the day. It’ll soon be your favourite practise for helping you to feel protected, in control, and calm no matter what issues come up at work or home.
Begin this ritual by thinking about what your tasks are and what you hope to achieve that day. Try to keep this part of the ritual the same every day. Perhaps you’ll be in the shower as the water washes over you, or planning while still warm and cosy in bed, or pondering it over your first cup of tea in the kitchen. Think carefully about the challenges up ahead and how you want feel as you go about your day.
Next, choose a piece of jewellery which will support you.
If you know you have a day of full-on meetings dealing with people, you’ll need something to keep you feeling balanced and secure. Wearing the Botswana Agate bead bracelet will help. It’s a soothing and calming crystal which also aids concentration and acuity.
Perhaps you’re going for a job interview, or you’ll be in a situation where you’ll have to push for what you want. The Fluorite crystal is a powerful stone for focus and creativity, which connects to the throat and third eye chakras. This strongly supports your ability to communicate your thoughts and ideas with clarity and charisma. There are two versions of this bracelet, one with chipped Fluorite stones and one with polished Fluorite beads.
If you’ll be spending time with people who deplete your energy, or if there are strained family relationships then wearing a Chysoprase bead bracelet brings harmony and healing to your inner child, while also inspiring good fortune.
On days where you need an extra boost, pairing your jewellery with clear quartz, such as this bead bracelet, will amplify the power of the other crystals you’re wearing. Not only does it go with everything, but it’ll also promote a sense of enlightenment and clarity throughout your day. It’s also a helpful option on days when you’ll be learning or studying.
Take this ritual, of setting your intentions and choosing a crystal to support you, onto a bigger scale. When thinking about the year ahead, consider what you want to achieve, move on from, or bring into your life. Cement this intention with a piece of jewellery you can wear every day to keep you focused on your goal.
Fluorite moon necklaces promotes peace of mind and transforms negative energy into positive energy. As it’s made from silver, it can be worn daily, and the crystal will support you throughout the year.
If you’re intending to be more creative this year and to be more intuitive, this beautiful pink amethyst necklace will uplift and balance your energy as you embark on new creative challenges throughout the year. As you put your piece of jewellery on every day you can reflect on how far you’ve come with your goals.
Cleansing and clearing negative energy: smudging and selenite
Smudging is a ritual used in many cultures around the world. In essence, it is the burning of special herbs or wood to produce smoke. This smoke purifies and cleans the energy of your space, your home, or even yourself.
While there are different specific practices, there are numerous examples of smudging in many cultures:
- The aboriginal communities of Australia have “smoking ceremonies”
- Indigenous communities of North America traditionally use white sage to welcome new energy, with some variances between Canadian and American groups
- The Chinese practice of Feng Shui has “cleansing burn ceremonies” to harness good energy
- Peruvians, and other South American indigenous communities, burn Palo Santo wood to cleanse and purify
Smudging is an ideal ritual for the new year as it clarifies and cleanses the old energies of the past and makes way for the new energies. The practice removes stagnant energy and welcomes in light and love. After smudging you may feel a sense of control, calm, and sanctuary.
The RENEW: Energetic Cleanse Ritual Kit featuring Californian White Sage, Selenite and Palo Santo is a powerful combination to energetically cleanse your home.
Once you have completed smudging your space, amplify the energy you want in your home with crystals, plants, candles, and natural fibres. Selenite is a powerful cleansing stone. It encourages positive energy into your life, and not only restores good energy to you and your home but also the other crystals in your collection.
Arranging your belongings in your home can be part of your wellbeing ritual. Selenite is best placed at the entry and exit to your home or bedroom. So, moving things around and altering your space can be a weekly or monthly routine to bring peace to your home.
At Rock + Realm we honour and respect the cultures around the world who practise smudging in various forms. Adopting and adapting aspects of indigenous cultures can be incredibly damaging, from promoting misconceptions to reducing availability of sacred items and driving up their prices. All the natural elements in our smudging bundle have been sustainably, ethically, and mindfully sourced.
Nurturing and gentle yoga to support you in 2023
Moving your body gently, kindly, and with love is a huge step away from “going hard” or “punishing” your body in the gym.
Starting a yoga practise, or altering one you already have, is not tied to aesthetic goals or burning calories or building muscle. It’s about being with your body. It’s about being in your skin, in that moment. It’s about connection.
Remember, what is right for your body is not necessarily right for someone else’s. Comparison of bodies is a sure-fire way to bring in negativity, which does not support success.
So, bringing a ritual of daily, bi-weekly, or weekly yoga sessions to your life is a wonderful way to support your spiritual wellbeing in 2023. If you already practise yoga, there are many ways to bring in more energetic support while you’re on the mat.
Crystals
Bringing crystals with you into the space where you practice yoga will add an extra layer of positivity for your wellbeing.
Thinking about your intention at the start of your yoga session is a good way to begin and having a crystal which will support that intention gives you a boost.
You might already have crystals in your home décor, or perhaps you have specific jewellery, but this set of Seven Chakra Crystals is a perfect accompaniment for yoga practise. You can read more about crystals and your chakras here.
Scent
Introducing different scents into the room where you practice yoga is a great way to support your yogic intentions, and to heighten the impact of the crystals.
At Rock + Realm we love the Herb & Earth incense sticks. The scents are deep and powerful, but the sticks themselves are also ethically produced, contain pure essential oils, and are vegan.
Before you come to the mat, think about which energy you want to promote or connect with in your practice. If you want to have inner strength and focus, Sandalwood is the fragrance for you. It’s masculine, earthy, and relaxing.
Alternatively, if you’re seeking to connect with feminine energy, Jasmine is a sensual and uplifting scent.
Cards
If you’re a relatively experienced yogi, this Yoga Deck is a creative yet relaxed way to mix up your practice. The 52 illustrated cards feature a different pose on each, with the name of the pose in English and in Sanskrit, and tips on how to best achieve the pose.
You can use the cards however best suits you. There are options to draw one card and focus on that pose in your session that day, or to revisit it regularly that week. Or, you could draw a series of cards and allow them to shape your practice by doing them all. Alternatively, you can browse the cards one by one and use them for inspiration. It’s up to you.
Mindfulness for mental and emotional wellbeing
Mindfulness is a word you will have heard many times and in many different contexts. But, what exactly is mindfulness? It’s defined as the:
“The quality, or state of, being conscious or aware of something. A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”
When struggling with anxiety, negativity, or worry, our thoughts can spiral. By being mindful, we bring our thoughts to focus right on that minute, and we get a break from the overwhelming thoughts.
Mindfulness can be achieved with meditation, but there are lots of other actions you can take to embrace mindfulness in 2023.
Closely studying a crystal is a powerful mindfulness technique. You simply hold the crystal in your hand and notice how it feels. Is it warm to the touch, or is it cold? How does it change as you hold it? Does it make your hand feel cold, or does the crystal start to warm? As you look at it you can notice the colours, the flashes, and the inclusion of the stone. Note where the lights catch and how it refracts.
As you study, breathe deeply and allow your mind to quiet. Before you know it, you’ll be focusing just on the crystal itself and your worries will have drifted away. Three crystals which work particularly well for this are:
- Moonstone, especially unpolished moonstone, is an excellent crystal to practise mindfulness as it’s so full of natural inclusions and bright flashes. This crystal supports intuition, balance, and insight which are useful for sessions of mindfulness.
- Lodalite Quartz is also known as Garden Quartz. There seems to be whole landscapes and oceans within the crystal which you can allow your mind to explore as you gaze at it. The crystal supports manifestation, purpose, and enlightenment which perfectly supports mindfulness.
- Moss Agate, either as a tumble stone or as a polished shape. The tiny flecks of green contrast with the swirls of white, resembling clouds and mountains. Moss agate helps you to focus on your purpose, giving you connection and clarity.
Letting go of stress and releasing your worries with The Little Book of Meditation is a great way to start or end your day. With exercises lasting 5 to 10 minutes, you can easily incorporate them into your daily ritual to support your general wellbeing.
Wellbeing Rituals and Spiritual Trends to support your transition into the new year
As we step into 2023, incorporating balancing and restorative rituals is a wonderful way to come back to yourself each day. From wearing powerful crystal jewellery, to regularly clearing negative energy with smudging, you’ve got a range of tools right at your fingertips to support your spirituality.
Adding layers of scent, mixing up your routine, or bringing in crystals to your new or established yoga practice, means you can move your body gently and with intention. Allowing yourself to pause and reflect with mindfulness each day is a simple ritual, which can transform your mental health and outlook.
We hope you now have everything you could need for a balanced, restful, and fulfilling 2023. Wishing you a wonderful new year from us all at Rock + Realm!
And if you're ready to start developing healthy mindful habits today, then check out our New Year Spiritual Wellness Products to ease your way into 2023!
More about us
Rock + Realm is an ethical spiritual retailer, specialising in crystals, incense, jewellery, candles and more. As an independent, female-owned UK business we care deeply about supporting women to be their best selves.
This SEO-friendly blog was written by Bonnie Harrington, a Bristol- based copywriter and content writer for creative, sustainable, and independent small businesses. If you’d like a blog just like this for your business, get in touch here.
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