Throw Out The Rulebook

What I really mean to say is there is no rulebook – there is no right or wrong way, just your way and what works for you. For example, there is no way to set up an Altar, just make it look nice in a way that suits you, adding items that feel relevant to you. It also does not matter what crystals you keep or wear together, that is also just opinion and has no basis in fact.

Your beliefs are your own and you do not need to do what anyone else says you should. There are no right or wrong ways to connect with spirit and your guides, we all have the ability, we just need to find a way that works for us. Think about it, there are literally hundreds, probably thousands, of books on the market all telling you how to connect with spirit and they are all different, because they are just what works for each author. Sure, it’s great to read what you can, to seek guidance, but let it guide you onto your own path.

There can be an arrogance among some members of the spiritual community, with people trying to push fancy terminology or their own beliefs and practices onto other, judging people who do not see things the same way – that is not spiritual, that is ego. Nobody is superior to anyone else; we are all just different.

I have written a lot in these blogs about what I believe and feel to be true, but I do not expect everyone to agree with me, because my beliefs simply come from my own experiences and what feels right for me. If others have different views, then that’s ok – it doesn’t take away from my own beliefs or path.

With tools like cards or crystals for example, it is very much the same. There is an absolute ton of advice out there about what crystals have what properties and what crystals cancel out others – I cannot get on board with a lot of it. Who decided what crystals have what properties? There is no science behind it, it is simply opinion – yes it may well be based on experience or even channelled information, but again that is just what works for one person and doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone. I wear the crystals I am drawn to on any given day, what feels good to me, and do not worry about combining different types. I don’t sit down and consult a book, making sure I’m not wearing a crystal that banishes negativity with one that attracts positivity because they might cancel each other out. I trust my own intuition and do not give it a second thought. Have a think about how crystals are formed – many will grow beside another of a different type, especially with the different types of quartz, so why on earth would there be a problem having them next to each other on your wrist, in your storage etc? Go ahead and wear the crystals you feel like wearing and feel good about it. The photo below is how I keep my tumbled stones, they are in a nice wooden bowl, and I think they look nice sat on my sideboard – I have yet to experience any problems with them and none have fallen out with each other yet!

I see the same thing with Tarot cards and feel that throwing out the rulebook is especially valuable here. I come across a lot of people who want to “learn” tarot and will embark on a course or get one of the thousands of books on reading Tarot cards accurately. Yes, a good course or the right guidance can be helpful, but be careful where you are spending your money and what you’re actually going to get out of it. Anything psychic involves intuition and not necessarily thinking, so if you want a deck of cards then choose one that you like the look of and feel drawn to – look at some of the cards and see how you can interpret the pictures and how they make you feel. For example, I love dogs, but am not overly fond of cats, therefore a cat themed deck wouldn’t suit me well. Again, it’s an individual thing, so don’t allow anyone to tell you what deck you should choose. My advice, for what it’s worth, with that shiny new deck of cards you’ve got is to put the guidebook away for a little while and simply allow yourself to get acquainted with the cards. Look at each one and see what jumps out at you, different symbols, images, colours, anything and think about what they mean to you individually. Play with your new cards, shuffle them, don’t be afraid of them – they won’t break unless you are especially rough. You can move on to doing some trial readings for yourself and start to really understand the deck, then bring out the guidebook to read the author’s vision for each card – use it to help add a deeper layer to your readings. “Learning” the cards, like learning something at school using a text book, will not make you a good reader and this is a trap that I fell into early on, learning that one card is considered the “Victory” card and another the “Wish” card etc – all it did was switch off my intuition and I wish that I had had better guidance back then.

Spirituality and any spiritual practice is a very individual thing, it is a belief system and way of life. It is not a religion with a bible to follow. Yes, there are people who have been on their path for a long time and like to guide others, but that does not mean you should only listen to them and follow their guidance religiously. Beware of “facts” being presented to you – there are no facts, just opinions. Do allow yourself to be guided, but ultimately, we all need to find our own paths and what suits us, regardless of what anyone else, or indeed the books, say.