What Do You Take With You?

Our journeys to healing, wholeness, spirituality, and our magickal practices are never ending. Once you think you are safely on the “right” path– WHAM –Life smacks you in the face with the branch of Murphy’s Law. What do you take with you on that journey? A journey that is impossible to plan for, a path that has so many twists, pitfalls, and tangles there is no map, and that you can only see a few feet in front of you at a time…and even that is a bit iffy at times. I ask you again, what do you take with you?

We were recently asked on our Instagram what are our favorite tools are for our journey, which sparked this blog post. I responded rather quickly with my go to answers, but as the day went on I pondered the idea more, and more. The more I let the question sink in, the more answers I had, and even a few extra questions surfaced for me that made me look deeper into the subject.

Here are what we feel are the most important tools to keep in your satchel while traveling on the path of life:

• Belief. This can be faith in the Universe, Source, a higher power, Gods, Goddesses, Science, Magick, or even Aliens. For Brandi and I, it is our faith in the old ways that helps guide us through this twisting journey of life. We live by the 9 noble virtues, hold fast to our magickal practices, and work with the divine universal energy that surrounds us.
• Knowledge. I don’t know about Brandi, but my home is strewn with books on every topic you could possibly imagine. My favorite are books on spirituality, personal growth, and all types of fiction. My library includes everything from physics to homesteading to coin collecting to the Qu’ran to every Dr. Seuss book ever written. It is our belief that you can never be armed with too much knowledge. While it is impossible to avoid every branch that is destined to knock you into the tangled forest that lines the path, it is possible to have the knowledge of what you will need to get back on track, or to forge your own path.
• Our Tribe. Our go to Swiss Army knife of tools is our tribe, both chosen and occasionally blood.  We gain knowledge, support, and community from those we surround ourselves with. People who understand and love you no matter how off the wall your current idea may be. They are the ones who help pick you up when you feel like you can’t go on anymore. If you are lucky, like me, they will also give you swift kick in the ass when you need it–albeit with love, but sometimes love hurts.

There are other tools that are quite handy to have on hand with you; if you can fit them in your pack and have the strength to carry them these can also come in handy:

• A Journal…or 5. We are very big on journaling, if you haven’t noticed. We love our Gratitude journals- which if I am correct there is an article or blog post on this topic. Mindfulness journals- where you practice just letting words and thoughts just flow through you. A regular journal where you can track your experiences and look back on the lessons that you have learned over the past months, years, or decades. Dream journals are nice if you can remember to write in them. I, however, suck at that. If you practice divination, it’s nice to keep a journal of your readings/experiences. Sometimes it’s helpful to do a reading and then look back on the reading at a later time. Sometimes you see things that you may have missed.
• Divination tools, such as tarot, oracle, or affirmation cards, scrying mirrors/bowls/pendulums, runes, oghams, and/or bones. These items can help you on your journey if you feel you’ve lost your way, are at a crossroads, or would just like some extra guidance.
• Crystals! This one is a big one for us. We carry/wear crystals with us on a daily basis. They can assist you with your healing, help balance your moods, and help keep you connected to the energy around us. When you purchase your crystals, make sure you chose them from a reputable source and keep a look out for counterfeits. Unfortunately, yes, people counterfeit crystals. On our Instagram we have some posts regarding crystals. We tag crystal shops that we have purchased from and highly recommend.
• An Altar (or your own sacred space). This may seem counter intuitive for a journey, but your altar space is your “home”. It is the space you go to ground into your spirituality and recenter yourself. Your altar does not have to be an actual altar. It can be a special spot in your yard where you unwind and come back to your center. It can be your church, your room, or your yoga mat. It is a space of connection to your spirituality and your higher consciousness. I have a main altar, 6 small altars throughout my home, and a travel altar that goes with me. These help remind me through the day that I am always connected to my journey.

Mind you, these are all just suggestions – our personal tools, and preferences. Your journey is unique to you and the tools you will need may be different. That is the beauty of these journeys! What worked for you at the beginning of your journey does not necessarily mean that they will work for the entire thing either. It’s an evolution. What are some of your favorite tools that you have packed for your journey?