SuZen's Corner

Transformation...holistically

Coaching

How to “Sage” or “Smudge” an area

Coaching

How to “Sage” or “Smudge” an area

~ Written by SuZen

Sage has been used for thousands of years in many cultures. From healing properties to culinary delights to clearing energies, sage is a very versatile herb. 

If you’ve never used sage to clear out energies in a space this will explain it very easily so you can do this anytime. 

The first thing to keep in mind is fire/smoke safety. Be sure you have something like a fire proof plate or abalone shell to collect any ashes that may fall while smudging your area. Collect this, a means for lighting (lighter or matches) and the sage itself is all you need. You may wish to also have water or a fire extinguisher nearby. (If you are somewhere where smoke is not safe or allowed you can also use a sage spray). You can also have a small fan or feather to spread the smoke as well.

To begin, open up a window or door in your house. This is necessary for an exit for the smoke and any negative energies to leave. 

Take a few deep breaths before you begin to clear your own energy and set your intentions. You may intend to clear energies, you may have a reason for this clearing or it could be general in nature. 

Start by lighting the end of the sage bundle. Allow the fire to burn for a minute or so then it should either go out on its own or you can carefully blow the flame out yourself. You should now be holding a smoking bundle. Begin at one end of the room and slowly wave the wand around as you walk around. Invite any negative energies to leave and invite positive energies to enter or stay. You may also wish to release any stagnant energies as well. Thank all of the energies for moving. Let anything negative know it is not welcomed in this space. Today or in the future. Continue moving about the space until all areas, especially in corners, have been covered with smoke. Use your hand or your fan or feather to wave the smoke about. End at the open window or door as it exits your space. Allow the smoke to exit before you close back up the door or window.

You can now thank all of the energies for leaving this space. Be sure the sage smoke/fire is completely out and then you can put your items away for future use. 

Your space is now cleared. You have now been cleansed as well. You and your space should feel lighter and clearer. 

The Full Blood Flower Moon – with an eclipse 🌝

Coaching

Ah, another full moon my friend! 🌝

Today’s BLOOD FULL FLOWER MOON (With an Eclipse!) energies can be used to your great advantage. Full moons are always a great time to re-evaluate your life and where you want to go/be. 

I created this guide to share with others some of the prompts I used to release & refocus today.

First of all, always show yourself grace and follow your intuition. If you feel like going out and being active and having fun – do it! If you feel like crawling back into bed and taking a nap – do it! 

Photo I snapped this morning on my cell phone

A few things I have been guided to sit with today are below.

  • Who are you? And answer it honestly and don’t hold back and DO NOT allow yourself to get trapped in your past story. Write out who you ARE and who you WANT to BE!  
  • What’s currently holding you back from realizing the life you are meant to live? Really think about it. You can list people, places, circumstances, self limiting beliefs, real challenges, whatever. Write them all out. We will be releasing these later 😀
  • Take some sort of action. Whether it is cleaning out a drawer or clearing a space or throwing away something that no longer serves you, do it. You don’t have to spend 4 hours purging your house but at least spend a few minutes getting rid of something that no longer serves you. It could even be canceling a subscription to something you no longer use/need. Thank yourself for clearing more energy around yourself. Mean it. 
  • Now normally we don’t discuss a lot about manifestation during the full and waning moon cycles however if you are reading this on the full moon or even up to 3 days after you can still work with this powerful moon energy this way. Think about a soul urge or dream you have that comes up frequently. What is it? How would you feel to be living that truth NOW? Write it out, and feel it. Smile and relish in the feelings that come with having/doing all of it. 
  • This evening, and you can do it anytime really but I prefer the evening/night for some reason….take your list of what you want to let go of and burn it under the full moon. I usually use a large shell or bowl to safely contain my paper. You could even do it over water to be extra safe. If you really cannot burn it you can take your paper and rip it up and soak it in water or just throw it away. 
  • This evening you can also charge any of your crystals. Place them on a plate or tray and set them out somewhere safe outside under the full moon. Bring them back inside before the sun fully rises. There are some people who say not to charge your crystals during an eclipse but my personal opinion is that it is fine and that the old rules were probably from long ago where we humans didn’t understand what was happening during an eclipse and thought it was something negative.
  • You can also make full moon water. It’s such a treat to sip on moon water. I find it so soft and like a luxury somehow. All you need to do for this is pour filtered or spring water into a mason jar. I also put on the lid to keep any contaminates out. Let the jar sit out over night. In the morning, before the sun fully rises bring the jar back inside. You can drink it all that day if you would like but I tend to keep mine around for much longer sipping a small amount here or there.  (Don’t use plastic or paper cups, find something glass to use)
  • Relax and allow for some self-care. You can curl up with a book or your journal under the moon or run yourself a warm Epsom salt bath and soak for as long as feels good. Light some candles and play some lovely spa music. Being in a place of peace and surrender to nature’s gifts allows more alignment and flow into your life.

Remember, this is your life and you are the designer of it. You get to do and be whomever you’d like. Really honor yourself and allow yourself to feel and believe it all.

I hope these tips help you soak up the energy of today’s Full Moon. Comment and let me know what you are planning, or if you are reading this after, what you did to enjoy this wonderfully powerful full moon. (This post was originally written on 5-26-2021 however these tips are good for ANY full moon)

Some Healthy Immune Boosters

Coaching

We all worry about catching an illness from time to time. In times like now, March 2020 many in the world are worried about Coronavirus (COVID-19). While we do not intend to create any hysteria, if you have a compromised immune system you should be taking even more precautions than the general public. This article is NOT intended to be medical advice and you should always research on your own and/or with your Doctor about your specific needs or concerns.

That being said, there are a ton of natural, easy to acquire and use known immune boosters.

Essential oils are great. Some are anti-bacterial, others are anti-viral & so on. For today’s article, we are going to focus on the ones that have potential anti-viral properties.

Some of the TOP Anti-Viral Essential Oils*

Basil

Bergamot

Cajuput

Cedarwood

Cinnamon

Clove Bud

Eucalyptus

Juniper Berry

Lavender Spike

Laurel leaf

Lemon

Manuka

Niaouli

Peppermint

Ravensara

Ravintsara

Rosemary

Sage

Tea Tree

Thyme

Also known to boost your immune system/prevent illness:* 

Colloidal Silver     Echinacea     Elderberry Syrup    

Grapefruit Seed Extract Oil of Oregano     

Vitamin B6     Vitamin C       Vitamin D3   

Vitamin E     Magnesium Oscillococcinum    Zinc

Onion, garlic, sage, cumin, cinnamon, ginger

And, some of the most common-sense approaches to avoiding catching an illness still includes properly washing your hands, avoiding ill people and eating healthy foods, drinking a lot of water, getting good rest & exercise.

Be Well!!

Feel free to share this image in its entirety 

anti-viral essential oils

Please friends, remember I am just a regular person like you and only sharing what has worked for me or what you may wish to consider. You have to do your own due diligence. This article is not to be construed as medical advice. * Some links may lead to affiliate payments.

How to Create a Vision Board

Coaching

How to Create a Vision Board

First of all, let me start off this post by wishing you a Very Happy New Year! If you are reading this in the future this was originally written on January 1, 2020. But the information is always going to be applicable to creating a vision board!

That being said, let’s get started with learning more about Vision Boards & the process.

What is a Vision Board?

A vision board is a visual piece that showcases dreams, goals, hopes & plans for your future. Today I’m going to be discussing creating a physical vision board on a foamboard as it is my favorite. You can choose to use a different medium, even a digital one if that fancies you. The science & psychology behind creating dreams and goals is real. Statistics show a written goal is more achievable and a visual one even more likely to manifest. This article is not about the technical jargon but you can either search for this information if that is your jam 😀

What will I need?

So for this vision board experience, we are going to need the following items:

Lots of magazines

(you might start asking around and collecting them in advance so you have a variety of which to look through. Ask doctor’s offices, friends, families, etc if they would mind holding a few old ones aside for you. Alternatively, if you are going to have a group vision board  “party” you can ask everyone to bring a few and then share then around)

A foam board

(I get mine at dollar tree, for yes, $1, it’s sturdy/stands up by itself and is large – 24 x 36 inches so I have plenty of space) Don’t have a foam board? No problem. You can use a poster board, cardboard or even a regular sheet (or sheets) of paper!

Tape, glue or glue stick 

Scissors

A positive attitude

I am told so often that someone is not “crafty” or “creative” so they avoid these things. Trust me when I say I thought the same thing at first too but now I can easily create one that I find appealing when completed. You CAN do it!

Is there an ideal time to create a Vision Board?

The short answer is it doesn’t matter when you do it but the longer answer is as follows. For me, I find it to be more effective during, or very close to, a new moon because that is a powerful time for manifesting. It is also ok to do one at the beginning of a new year or a big change (like losing your job or having to move). Full moons can also be powerful energies to do one. If you have a pull to create one and it doesn’t fall into something I’ve mentioned don’t fret, do it anyway! Trust your own instincts!

Where should I create?

Wherever feels good. I’ve had vision “parties” at my office. I’ve created them at my table. I’ve sat on the floor most of the time where I can spread out ideas. 

vision board party

Should I create it on my own or with a spouse, friends or family?

Totally up to you! I have the idea to create a class in the future for couples to work on them together but all of mine thus far have been created solo. It’s fun to have other people there working on theirs as well to chat with & get ideas from but it is also empowering to sit alone and maybe even meditate or otherwise channel some ideas all on your own.

What should my board look like when it’s completed?

Again, this is totally up to you! I have seen some that are completely random, I’ve seen others make them color coordinated. I’ve seen some that have ideas all mixed on the board while others have segmented areas on the board separately. I’ve done them with mostly pictures and also some with mostly words & everything in between. Go with your intuition and FLOW with the process. Remember that there is no right or wrong way to create your board. Now, if you have a plan and want to focus on a certain topic or area of like go for it! But do not stress overthinking it should be a certain way. 

Vision Board

The process should be fun! If it’s not fun consider a change to make it more fun!

The Process

First of all you grab your scissors and go through the magazines to find items that resonate with you. Cut out photos of things you find appealing, want to have, a place you want to go, a car you want to drive, an experience you would like to have, etc. And even words that feel good to you. You can cut out more than you might end up using – no worries here. But definitely cut out a ton of options.

After you have all of your cutting completed I like to arrange the parts onto the board before I glue or tape anything down. This will help you with the overall look & feel of the board. Do you want to mix things up or create sections or color coordinate it? It’s yours so get as creative as you’d like. Do you prefer things lined up or placed at angles? Overlapping? Whatever you like – go for it!

Once you are happy with your layout you can start the gluing/taping part. Take your time and don’t get in any hurry. You want to feel happy with your final piece.

I hope this has helped you understand the vision board process a bit more. 

Please, leave your comments/ideas/questions below. Even better, show me your vision boards!

I love hearing from my readers! 😀

And Happy Vision Boarding my friends!!

Boundaries

Coaching

Taking the negativity out of “Boundaries”

If you are like me, you are constantly looking to improve your life. Most likely, if you are reading this article, you are interested in constant self-improvement. Therefore, I’m sure you have heard about setting boundaries. Boundaries sound tough though, right? That’s because we naturally have a desire to help and compromise for others. So when we hear the term “set boundaries” we immediately take a step back & think it sounds harsh. Recently I’ve begun to look at this differently. I thought perhaps this idea may help you as well.

Instead of saying you are going to set boundaries what if we just focus on having clarity. Do you have clarity in what you want out of life? Who you are? Or who you wish to be? Do you have clarity about the life you want to live? The relationships you wish to have? The work you feel great about doing? If not, let’s dive into that. Clarity is so important. Without clarity, you have no idea what your day, week, month, or years may bring. Sure, it’s great to flow with life as well but without any clarity, you are missing out on so much more. Life is meant to be lived; not just endured. If you are not living the life you want then you need to find your clarity.

The way I work with finding clarity has several steps. You can take all of these steps or some of them or even add your own but a process is very important. 

Here’s a daily schedule to add to your normal routine to help you.

  • Daily meditation
  • Daily Grateful Journalling
  • Daily Exercise
  • Daily Healthy Eating & Drinking Habits

Be You

Authenticity, Coaching

On Being Yourself

As you continue to work on growth & designing a life that continues to provide for the things and experiences that you want out of life for yourself and your family, remind yourself to stay grounded. Grounded in the fact that you should be true to yourself and not try to make yourself fit into other’s molds. As a business owner you are in contact with many different people on any given day. From staff to colleagues, to customers and vendors you see that everyone thinks differently. Everyone wants & needs different things out of life. You cannot be all things to all people. Your must stay true to who your are and to your own goals, dreams and desires.

One constant for me has always been to do the right thing. So that typically keeps the right people in (and out) of my life. But sometimes the wrong ones slip through and you can can literally feel the change in multiple ways. Having individuals around me that are not on the same page is very draining on my energy level which in turn affects my business, life and well being. At those moments I have to reel back in and re-evaluate the current circumstance to see if a change is needed at that moment or if it is something that I can ignore or that will resolve upon itself. Relying on my inner guidance system and intuition is critical. It is easy to look at things incorrectly but when you assess someone based upon feeling bad for them or even hoping for a future change or value to come from that person or situation is not only unhealthy but very impractical. Something that I have heard over and over again is to hire slowly and fire quickly. This is easier said than done but it is very important to keep top of mind to keep your environment clean and suitable for your own wellbeing and happiness.

Remember, this is YOUR life and you get to choose how to live said life! Continue to adjust in order to maintain the life, business and relations that make you the happiest!!! You cannot be all things to everyone!

My coaching style first takes into account your place on the road toward your goal. My typical coaching client has had pretty good success to grand success so far in life but find that they are still missing something. That something is what I help you find. My goal is help you become the best version of yourself you can be. Through exercises and homework to taking time to relax & refresh, you will soon be on your way to your very best life! I look forward to meeting you in a consult soon to see if we are the right fit!

My years of experience in working with successful professionals from across many different walks of life helps me to connect with each person and design a program best suited for your growth & achievement.

Getting Clear

Clarity, Coaching

Everyone is unique. Understanding & embracing your uniqueness is the key to success. Stop trying to be someone or something you are not and finally allow yourself to be yourself. Yes, we want to continue to improve but we do not want to take that as a changing ourselves role. The world needs more unique people in this world to bring about lasting change. Investing in yourself is the key to having the life you dream of!

Not sure what you should be doing or who you are? I have a little visualization exercise that can help.

This will require you to find a quiet place where you will have no interruptions. You’ll need at least 30 minutes to complete this activity.

Once you are comfortable, go ahead and close your eyes. Go to someplace you feel at peace. It could be the beach, the forest, a mountain, on a plane, wherever you feel calm & at peace.

Once you are visualizing this place start to think about your ideal life. Think about where you are living, what is the location like? Are you at the same house or a new house? Are the surroundings the same or different? Who is with you? What are you doing? Think about your work. Where do you go each day? Do you work from home? Who do you see in your professional life? What are you doing?

Keep asking yourself questions and really get into feeling it all. What’s the temperature like? Who is around you? What makes you smile?

Sit with that for awhile and just experience it all. Take in your surroundings and smile knowing that you are where you are supposed to be doing what you are meant to do.

Thank yourself for taking you on this journey into your future. Now open your eyes and take a few minutes to write down what you saw. What was it like? How did you feel? Who were you with? What were you doing for work? For fun? Where did you live? And on and on. Write as many details as you can and really add in your feelings as well. This will help you get clear on what you really want to be doing.

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