Eclipse Aftercare: How to Build A Spiritual Toolkit

Astrology can tell us what’s happening in the stars. Here’s what you can do on the ground to process, reset, and move forward.

July and August have been astrologically intense months. July contained a very emotional Mercury retrograde in Cancer; August was host to the first solar eclipse in Leo and the final lunar eclipse in Pisces. We have been collectively tasked with so much: to unravel deep emotions that may have been buried for so long, to be prepared for bigger roles and responsibilities in life, to release beliefs and comforts so familiar yet so stagnant. There were a lot of energies coming in and flowing out. Perhaps you’ve been feeling all these too; perhaps you are feeling tired. 

As an astrologer, I can say I am much more prepared for these kinds of transits than I was before, yet I want to highlight that I am not immune to all this. No one is. All of this, everything we are feeling right now, is all part of the beautiful, complicated human experience. But as we exhale the energies of the previous months, I want to talk about the importance of having a spiritual toolkit. 

A spiritual toolkit is a series of practices and resources that one can turn to in case of excessive emotional, mental, and spiritual intensities. I think of it as a cosmic first-aid kit, tucked away in a safe space and ready for quick fixes. Interestingly, they aren’t Band-Aid solutions, but gateway practices to a more sustainable way of living. Not all spiritual toolkits are the same; they contain multitudes, and address specific concerns and interests. It sounds complicated, but it can be very simple: what helps you feel grounded and safe, yet empowered and expansive at the same time? 

Below, find a few practices that have been in my spiritual toolkit for years. 

Quick breathing exercises

These are best used during moments of heightened anxiety. One of my favorites is called box breathing. You inhale slowly through your nose for four counts, imagining a straight line going across as you breathe. Then, imagine that line going down; now we have half of a box: hold your breath for four counts. Exhale for four counts as you envision the line going horizontally again. Pause with empty lungs for four counts while envisioning this line going up, finishing the box. Now you have a complete imaginary box. Repeat this breathing method four or five times.

There are more kinds of quick breathing exercises out there. Choose one that is easy for you to remember to make this practice more sustainable. After a couple of cycles of this exercise, you will find that you have exhaled a lot of the heaviness in you. 

Journaling

This is a very popular practice, and I’m sure you’ll find a version that resonates with you. Some prefer guided prompts so the writing practice is curated and specific; this is very good when you are trying to find answers or find your way. For those with too many thoughts, journaling methods like Morning Pages (from the amazing The Artist’s Way Book) can help. This is a stream-of-consciousness method where you can fill three pages worth of anything that comes to mind first thing in the morning.

This is a method I do a lot, although, to be honest, sometimes I don’t have the time for three pages. The practice calls for spontaneity and unplanned thoughts, even unbothered handwriting. The practice calls for scribbling furiously, exhaling all thoughts onto paper, careless of the many tangents they take. This is very therapeutic for me. I feel lighter every time I do this, and when I do read back what I can from these furiously written pages, I am always amazed at the wisdom that emerges, even when I didn’t even try to be logical or legible. 

Quick morning and nighttime affirmations and meditations

My favorite part about living in the age we are in is access to all this goodness on the internet. There is countless meditation content for free; there are numerous apps we can access too. My current favorites are affirmations and meditations by a YouTube creator named LifeByLucie, and I always listen to recordings of Neville Goddard. When I wake up each morning, I put on my headphones and listen while I cook breakfast and get my son ready for school. It sets the tone of the day beautifully. At night before I sleep, I try to listen to similar audio tracks too.

With these practices, I am training my brain’s learning system (called the Reticular Activating System) to set clear goals by feeding it a stream of positive affirmations and visualizations of success. When the brain focuses on a goal, it actively scans your environment for matching opportunities.

Case in point, when you focus on something like a red car, for example, you tend to see more red cars in your life. Or have you ever thought of someone only to bump into them immediately after? These patterns I am setting with affirmations help my brain look out for supportive evidence in my life. When one is focused on what could go wrong, then the evidence will point to what indeed will go wrong. If you focus on all that you are grateful for, then more evidence to support that claim will arise. I guess the main point of this practice is: if you must overthink, why not overthink all the things that could go well? 

Meditative action

This is something that will look different for everyone. It is the act of expelling unnecessary energies and focusing on something that feels grounding or calming. For some it is yoga, for some it is running, dancing, or swimming. For others, it is painting or getting tattooed. The act of syncing the body to the breath is the very act of harmonizing the doing and the receiving. Do not underestimate the calm that arrives when the breath and the body align their movements. 

Finding and being with your people

I have come to realize, as I age, that some of the biggest stressors in our lives are sharing energies with people who do not align with our frequencies. I know this is hard to avoid, but the big shift arrives when we are able to truly pinpoint only those people who feel like a calm home for us. People whom we love wholeheartedly and who bring us joy. Reserve your energy only for these kinds of people. Talk to them, listen to them, be present for them. 

Being informed

The reason astrology helps me navigate life’s twists and turns is that it is loaded with information. I am aware when a Mercury retrograde is coming up, and therefore I can extend more patience and compassion when delays and misunderstandings arrive. When there is an eclipse, I know to just let go of the illusion of control and trust the wisdom behind what is unfolding. (Hopefully these monthly letters I write for you are helpful!) The beauty in knowing is in the awareness that everything just flows in and out like the tides: nothing stays the same forever, not the good nor the bad. So we learn to let go a little, to just take things one day at a time. 

Going back to the favorites

Somewhere along life we will encounter something that opens our eyes to the bigger picture, or something that makes us feel understood, or something that just makes us feel that everything will be ok. These things often disguise themselves as books, or a song, or a movie, or a piece of art. Go back to that. Hold on to these talismans and befriend them constantly. These are also good things to share with your favorite people, so you can double the goodness. 

A daily ritual of sky worship

We all have access to the great expanse above us, the sky. Every sunrise reveals different colors; every sunset is a masterpiece. The massive rain clouds are gigantic, poetic sculptures. Let’s look at the sky more! It gives us a sense of perspective. Of the magnitude of our problems and our egos compared to the scale of the world. Of how much beauty exists constantly despite all the problems too. Of beauty that makes us forget about our little human problems for just a little bit. 

Finding a bigger purpose

Finding a purpose bigger than your daily routines is the best way to shake out stagnant energies. Volunteer work for a cause you resonate with will be very helpful to the soul. The best part is that you can volunteer the gifts already entrusted to you, nothing else. You can also begin a project that ripples kindness onto others. This is a massive open book; you get to figure out how you can best help out. Instead of letting all the energies circulate within you, extend the energies you have outward, setting them free. 

I hope some of these resonate, but they are only just a few in a world of endless possibilities. Having a spiritual toolkit is an act of stewardship to this life you have; it is a declaration of your intention to take care of yourself. I hope you have a great month and an even greater year, and I hope you know that we are all in this together. 

In this story: Photograph by Renzo Navarro. Styling by Andrea Ang. Makeup by Karmela Jabla and Patricia Remoquillo of MAC Cosmetics PH. Hair by Noel Muncada of Toni&Guy PH. Model: Christina Montelibano.