Valerie Oula Archives - the Numinous

MY MYSTICAL LIFE: WHY WE ALL NEED AN INNER WORK BREAK

Posted on June 17, 2016November 3, 2018 by Ruby Warrington

Taking an inner work break is fun—and also give you space to BE the transformations you’re experiencing in your life…

:: MONDAY + TUESDAY ::
A month or so ago I noticed that my friend Valerie Oula had tagged a couple of her IG posts #innerworkbreak. There was one about a night in with Pretty Woman and some fro-yo, another simply titled: “Jenga + beer.” Valerie is the brains behind these beautiful intention candles and mists and works as a kundalini yoga teacher, meaning she’s usually up at 4.30am for sadhana (her daily spiritual practice), meditates with the best of them, and generally lives about as “clean” an NYC existence as you can get.

But, a fashion industry veteran like me, her posts showed that embracing a more mystical path has not meant totally forsaking her inner “material girl.”

And I can totally relate this week, having just come off a similar “inner work break” myself (also a break from this column, you might have noticed). Two weeks visiting friends and family in Europe found me setting aside my usual Numinous tools (besides my morning TM session) and dipping a toe back into my old life—which essentially became an exercise in honoring myself as a unified, material-mystical woman.

And fuck it’s been FUN! Not just the eating a bunch of pizza, drinking a bunch of beer, dancing until 7am at an outdoor rave in Poland, or investing in a new pair of summer kicks from Alexander McQueen (see below). But also the giving my numinous soul an opportunity to just be, for the inner work I’m so invested in to settle into my physical body, and to witness how my internal transformations are impacting my outer experience of the world.

Yes, they're from Alexander McQueen — *Yes, they’re from Alexander McQueen*

A lot of what we cover on this site—and therefore what I’m invested in personally—is about excavating the depths. It’s about investigating who “I” am, with the aim of bringing this “true” self to the world. BUT please please not to the extent that we forget we’re still human-freaking-beings!

Human beings who are here to forge meaningful relationships, to do meaningful work, and to hopefully be of service in some way—easy to forget if we spend so much time looking “in,” diligently monitoring our progress on our personal journey, we’re never “out” there, shining our light in the world. Which might look a lot like eating pizza, drinking beer, and simply being a loving daughter, sister, auntie and friend to people who don’t necessarily give a fuck what planets are conjunct your moon this week, since they’re got more pressing “real world” concerns they need to talk to you about.

Because: all this against the backdrop of the devastating news of the Orlando shooting, and frankly medieval talk of Britain’s potential exit from the EU. If ever there was a moment to simply embody the changes your inner work has brought about, then NOW could be a good time to step away from the crystals—and be out there living the changes our world needs to see.

My beautiful brother and his beautiful family...let's make a more beautiful world for baby Henry! — *My beautiful brother and his beautiful family…let’s make a more beautiful world for baby Henry!*

:: WEDNESDAY ::
In love with Alexandra Derby’s new four-part gem + flower essence system, which is designed to support your system holistically during every stage of your moon (yes menstrual) cycle. The idea is you take one of four tinctures depending where you’re at—Visionary for week one, Manifestation for week two (ovulation), Serenity for week three (a.k.a. PMS), and Womb Wisdom when you’re actually bleeding.

My cycle is generally pretty irregular (something I’ve been working on with Aly for a while now), so I just made a note in my diary what days I should perhaps switch up this past month. And wouldn’t you know. Coinciding with my touch-down back in NYC, today I began to bleed as the “Womb Wisdom” notification popped up. I might have felt like I was on an inner work break in Europe—but something inside is working. The Cosmic Cycle Elixirs go on sale Monday June 20 at Alexandraderby.com. A percentage of proceeds will go to Femme International—supplying girls in east Africa with reusable menstrual cups.

Cosmic Cycle elixirs by Prophetessa, available June 20 2016 — *Cosmic Cycle Elixirs by Prophetessa, available June 20 2016*

:: THURSDAY ::
Planning details of a FREE virtual Full Moon + Summer Solstice ritual I’ll be hosting with Numi contributors Alexandra Roxo and Elyssa Jakim next Monday, June 20. You can join anywhere in the world, and the idea is to celebrate and give thanks for the manifestations we are brining into the world, and set a solstice intention for the summer. Think: an overview of the current cosmic climate, self-inquiry for the Solstice, and a guided meditation connected to like-minded spirits around the world. Spaces are limited—click here to sign up!

:: FRIDAY ::
And looking forward to our Club SÖDA NYC Solstice Picnic in McCarren park in Williamsburg this Sunday too! As mentioned above, there’s been some (very high-vibe) beer-drinking going on these past couple of months, but I’m now almost two weeks into my latest EPS—my dad’s term for the “extended periods of sobriety” I launched Club SÖDA NYC to help people navigate—and FEELING IT. The feeling of being high on life, that is, that I get when I get booze out of my system for a while. The picnic is gonna be a super low-key “friends of the Numinous” type thing, but if you’re in the hood, swing by and say hi!

A FLORAL TAPPING RITUAL FOR GROUNDING

Posted on March 6, 2016March 11, 2019 by Valerie Oula

Just in time for Eclipse Season, Valerie Oula brings the healing power of flowers to a tapping ritual for grounding… Artwork: Karolina Daria Flora

There’s a new kid on the holistic healing scene: floral tapping.

During sadhana a few months back, I received the “download” to work with flower essences topically. It’s not often that I get such clear cut, specific instructions from The Universe. And so when this happens, despite any resistance, it feels like I’d better follow through at some point.

And so I’ve been using the flowers in both my private sessions and workshops, and while people aren’t quite sure what’s happening, what they do know is that they feel different. A shift is happening.

Flower essences are the energetic imprint of the flower/tree captured in water. Subtle energy medicine. They do not have a scent and are mixed with grain alcohol or brandy as a preservative. The essences are vibrational remedies that work on the emotional energy body. When we use flower essences, we get attuned to the healing frequency of the flowers – which is essentially about raising our own vibration.

Since this is subtle energy work, it can take some time to recognize the shift that is taking place. It’s not like popping a pill for instant relief – although in this Aquarian age, as more and more of us are waking up and tuning in through energy work and practices like Kundalini Yoga, we may feel the effects faster.

As for floral tapping? It’s a technique that combines these vibrational essences with various tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique) modalities. In fact, think of it as EFT – super-charged. By delivering the vibrational essences along several acupuncture points around the ear as we tap, we are loading up on energetic goodness.

And with the swirling energy of Eclipse Season on the way, here’s a grounding floral tapping ritual for extra vibrational support.

What You’ll Need

A grounding flower essence such as Walnut – which is excellent for grounding and protection, to help with change and transition. Also to be used as a shield during an epic sample sale, or the subway at rush hour. Bach flower essences are available in most health food stores as well as at Whole Foods.
A small cup/bowl of spring water or filtered tap water. To prepare, hold the bottle and tap the bottom into the palm of your opposite hand eight times to activate, holding your intention for your ritual in your mind. Add two drops of the essence to water.

Floral Tapping :: The Flower Power Tap – Right Side Only

Prepare a short, simple grounding affirmation expressed in the positive. Some examples you might use: “I am grounded and calm” / “I am grounded and sovereign of my energy / “I embody my truth” / “Sat Nam” (which means “truth is my identity”)
Now bring the fingertips of the right hand together, bunched loosely. Dip your fingers in the activated flower essence water.
Begin solidly tapping with the fingers, starting at the right temple by the opening of the ear. Continue to tap, circling the right ear, while saying the affirmation. Take a deep breath in and out. Tune into the rooted, grounding energy.
Do this three-five rounds at least five times a day, and at least 30 minutes apart.

In the midst of our busy lives in our glorious urban jungles, tap into the essence of the flowers to ground you back to earth. Vibrational medicine works to support us, to allow us to live our life in the full technicolor sensory system of our very human being.

MY MYSTICAL LIFE: FLORAL TAPPING, PAN THE MOVIE

Posted on September 25, 2015November 4, 2018 by Ruby Warrington

On mainlining my flower essences, and why you have to see Pan the movie…

I experienced Floral Tapping. I’ve made no secret of how much I like to work with flower remedies. I’ve found them to deliver exactly the kind of gentle support and subtle shifts my system really seems to vibe with – especially during weeks like this! Seriously, the number of texts I’ve had from my Numi crew like; “WFT is going on, I feel very very strange right now, a combo of crazy excitement and totally can’t be a**ed.” Also, everyone is late for their period.

Well 1) Mercury Retro and 2) the freaking Aries Super Full Moon Ascention Wave! So let’s just hang on in there.

But back to the flowers, and thanks to my lovely friend Valerie Oula who taught me a new way to use them this week. Flower essences play a central role in her Luminous Shift series, a five-part workshop in which she creates a custom blend for each participant based on their intention for the month, combined with kundalini meditations and EFT to amplify their effects.

Cut to my favorite part. You usually take flower essences using a dropper directly into your mouth, but half way through Tuesday night’s class Valerie had us soak a tiny piece of tissue in our essences, ball it up, and then stuff it into our belly button! We then did a modified Body Talk tapping practice (by the way, the girl in this video is also AWESOME) to help activate them, followed by an 11-minute kundalini meditation to Expand the Physical Body.

Woah. 1) During the meditation, my mind played me two little movies of a certain situation I’d been feeling kinda paranoid about – one showing things as I was seeing them, the other just how easily I could see the same situation from a completely empowered and loving perspective. Pure gold! And 2) Totally. Blissed. Out. All the way home.

Yes, I will be mainlining the flowers this way again. Valerie’s next Luminous Shift series will take place over five consecutive Mondays 11/02. For more details email: [email protected]

I’m making Peter Pan my new power animal. Sometimes Hollywood gets it so right, Joe Wright’s new Peter Pan movie being a total case in point. I’d pretty much forgotten (or never really connected in the first place with) the downright Numinosity of the Peter Pan story – orphan child gets kidnapped by pirates to mine for magical fairy dust; escapes and discovers he can fly, but only once he “believes” he is part-fairy himself; in doing so, rediscovers his superpowers, overthrows the pirates, safeguards the magical Fairy Realm, and connects to his long-lost family / tribe.

If the underlying message to believe in your superpowers and the notion of a “fairy uprising” alone aren’t enough to convince you to go check out Pan the movie this weekend, here are five more cosmic reasons to see it:

The set-up. The story begins with Peter finding a letter from his long-lost mother in his “file” in the “records office” of his orphanage. Cue brilliant visual reference to the Akashic Records, in case you were struggling.

The psychedelic rainforest scenes. Seriously, the cinematographer has got to have been dabbling with some Amazonian plant meds…

The costumes. The wardrobe crew were most definitely checking out the Instagram account for the Spirit Weavers gathering when designing outfits for the tribe guarding the Fairy Realm.

The mermaids. Played by Cara Delevigne.

The crystal cave / fairy hive. Since the film is also in 3D, the final scenes are as close as you’re likely to get to fulfilling your fantasy of hanging out in an actual crystal cave, built by actual fairies, without having to take any Amazonian plant meds.

@NUMINOUS_BOOKS