Samantha Brick, Daily Mail
23:22 08 November 2023, 23:34 08 November 2023 Updated
Crystal healing? check. Breathing method? I can’t sleep without it. Manifestation? So I earned a six-figure salary. In my 20s and 30s, I would spend entire weekends and all my spare money on facials, fancy mani-pedis, and massages.
Today, at 52 years old, all the work is done within myself. In fact, I spend £4,000 a year on an army of spiritual experts.
A lot of people would think I’m crazy for getting into the wellness world. However, recent figures show that the global wellness sector, which includes so-called spiritual self-care, is worth an astonishing £3tn. In the UK alone, it is over £19.5 billion a year.
So perhaps it’s no surprise that Victoria Beckham recently revealed her love for crystals, aligning her emotional energy with a post-full moon crystal cleansing session last month.
Experts say this ritual is the emotional equivalent of “factory resetting” your computer.
Posh is never alone. Model Kate Moss is a fan of moonlight bathing (to naturally absorb the energy of the moon), while actress Emma Watson admitted last month that she carries a set of tarot cards with her everywhere she goes.
In fact, the number of spiritual trainers is exploding, including flower healers, personal astrologers, lunar scholars, crystal advisors, breathwork teachers, and card readers.
But why has this practice suddenly become popular with so little scientific backing? Dr. Marianne Trent, a clinical psychologist, says the pandemic has increased anxiety levels and left her with a lot of time on her hands. We are analyzing that this is the cause.
“Women in their 50s may be able to truly focus on themselves and their needs for the first time since their 20s,” she says. “This can feel liberating.”
As for me, I was ahead of my time. In my 30s, I was living in Los Angeles and working as a television producer, when I began searching for a deeper meaning in life.
In Hollywood, there are crystal healers and “energy intuitives” on every street corner. Before long, I was practicing yoga at dawn, ringing Tibetan bells, and learning how to meditate.
Naysayers will say it’s just gullible women wasting their hard-earned money. But we can honestly say that these rituals are the secret to staying positive and confident in a difficult world.
Even my hunting, shooting husband is a convert. Yes, he laughed when he saw me chanting during yoga. But these days, he can’t sleep without sprinkling lavender oil on his pillow, and if he’s irritated, he knows a full moon is coming.
In my opinion, if you do your homework, remember that much of this industry is unregulated. I strongly believe that all women can find a new kind of peace too. Here are some (admittedly expensive) techniques I use with confidence. . .
Crystal Advisor £45 every 2 months
It’s easy to underestimate the power of crystals, but crystals have been used since 4 BC and have even been used in Chinese medicine. Transparent quartz is still used in watches and measuring instruments because it vibrates at a very precise frequency.
In crystal healing, clear quartz is known as the “master healer” and that’s why I have it in every room rather than a candle or room fragrance. It can absorb, store, enhance, and amplify the energy in its surroundings.
I first became interested in crystals when I was in my mid-30s and had a job crisis. I was in the middle of leaving my television career when I was introduced to a spiritual channeler with extensive knowledge of crystals.
After listening to my concerns, she sent me the most beautiful “tiger eye” stone, which is said to promote confidence and inner strength. I still have it.
I always wear rose quartz when having difficult conversations with my husband. Because Rose Quartz represents pure unconditional love and promotes harmony in relationships.
At the entrance to my front door is a discreet black tourmaline stone that prevents negative energies from entering.
Crystal advisors abound on social media, offering classes on how to use hundreds of different stones to improve, change, or fight off current life situations.
If someone needs advice on purchasing the right crystal, I will consult an expert. Crystal prices can range from £5 to over six figures.
Breathwork Teacher £45 every 2 months
Cynics may wonder why we need to teach breathing exercises. But if you’ve ever had a panic attack or struggled with anxiety, you know that being able to focus and control your breathing is key.
A few years ago, during a stressful period of insomnia, I was taught how to control my breathing in bed, which stopped me from panicking and eventually cured my insomnia itself.
I use the 4-7-8 breathing technique (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds).
I take lessons every other month because it’s very calming. You can also learn new techniques.
When I’m out for a walk, I tend to fall into what’s called the “monkey mind,” where I overanalyze things that are unlikely to happen.
Counting your breaths, inhaling into your stomach, lungs, back, and shoulders, then exhaling again for a count of four, helps you stay in the present moment and banish unhelpful thoughts.
Astrologer £60 per month
Every month I talk to my astrologer about my birth chart and what’s coming up in the coming weeks.
I liken it to an aerial view of how my life will unfold. Don’t you think it might be useful?
I recently looked back at my past charts since April 2012. At this time, the planets aligned in a way that marked a new trajectory for my career.
When I wrote the infamous feature about women hating me because I’m beautiful, it went viral and led to a lot of lucrative work.
Thanks to my chart, I’ll know when something like this will happen again. This practice has given me a fundamentally new understanding of who I am.
I used to roll my eyes at girlfriends who insisted on charting potential boyfriends and work partners before starting a new relationship. But now I think this is a great and wise precaution.
Manifestation Coach £45 per month
The premise of manifestation is that if you think about it, believe it with all your heart, and arrange your life as if you have already achieved it, it will come true.
It’s a technique used by celebrities like actors Jim Carrey and Oprah Winfrey, and I’ve been using it for decades.
I tried the suggestions from Noel Edmonds’s bible of manifestation, The Cosmic Ordering Service. This means writing down what you want to happen. I truly believe that Manifesto allowed him to earn a six-figure salary as a television executive at the age of 29.
We also used a vision board to represent our current home in France. Even before we met the real estate agent, we knew we were going to live there because we had already imagined, seen, inhaled, imagined, and touched the inside of the house.
I work with another manifestation teacher because I want to live by the ocean. I am visiting the area I want to live in, I talk about it all the time with my loved ones, I can smell the sea air and I can even imagine an orange tree growing in my garden.
My coach helps me keep my goals in sight and take practical steps to achieve them.
Our laser focus on everything from how to pay for your property to when to move will help you navigate the entire process. What makes her different from life coaches is that we also practice visualization techniques.
Oracle Card £50 every 6 months
Move over the tarot cards. I love using oracle cards. It’s less scary than Tarot (most of the cards don’t include the gruesome Death card), and when you ask a question, oracle cards provide answers. There are a variety of decks from Angel to Moon Science to Nature.
A specialized card reader senses the best card to use at that moment. For example, each Angel His card refers to one of his Archangels, including Michael and Metatron (both mentioned in religious texts).
Angel cards appear when you need a strong sense of purpose or when you find yourself at a crossroads.
Flower, nature and moon cards are great for highlighting feelings and emotions. One reader said: “A card is like opening a door.”
Recently, a “Gecko” card appeared at the beginning of a reading. The sight of a reptile shedding its skin is a poignant depiction of psychological change, and is probably why I felt bold enough to “out” myself and write this article.
Sound Healing £40 per month
While scrolling through social media or binge-watching TV in the evening, I listen to Soundbath recordings. Just as sound can be harmful (remember how prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were tortured with non-stop heavy metal music), it can also heal.
What’s special about many of the women who offer homemade one-hour sessions using gongs, wind chimes and singing bowls is that they donate what they can. Then healing will be open to everyone.
Most recordings are live recordings, but I usually download them and listen to them at my convenience.
Flower Reading £45 every 3 months
You may have heard about Rescue Remedy Droplets, which contain extracts of flower essences to help you sleep, but did you know there are 38 different flower remedies? I regularly consult professionals for advice to help me balance my emotions.
The wood I use most often is oak, which helps with stress. Just add a few drops to a glass of water. Olives are also great for recovering from fatigue.
I have a kit with all the treatments and it costs over £200. It’s not cheap, but instead of drinking wine, I’m sipping infused water instead.
I consult a medical practitioner because she is often more “in tune” to my needs than I am.
Ascension Teacher £50 per month
Every morning at 6 a.m., I stand outside, stretch my arms toward the sky, plant my bare feet on Mother Earth, and give thanks for the sunrise.
I send healing to those in the universe who need it, and sometimes it also guides healing to me (I am human after all).
In recent years, I have started following “ascension teachers” who explain how the seasons, planets, and the universe itself work.
Just as some people can read the energy in a room, they can do the same with planets. I have followed various teachers and they emphasize that there is more to the world than meets the eye.
Their wisdom has helped me become kinder, more compassionate, and more in tune with my spirituality.
Menopause Coach £45 per month
Wellness queen Gwyneth Paltrow previously announced that she plans to hire someone to help guide her through menopause.
Well, I found my menopause coach two years ago. I don’t have any physical symptoms, but she is helping me with her mental effects.
Those of us who have tried and failed to become mothers talk about the feelings brought on by approaching the end of our reproductive potential.
Initially, there were also some visualization techniques, such as looking at a photo of the uterus and imagining filling it with beautiful flowers.
My body may not be producing warm bundles to nourish me, but I’m still happy and healthy.
Total spend per month: £308.33
Total annual expenditure: £3,700
