Cosmic Shuffle / Let The Universe Be Your DJ

What Is Cosmic Shuffle?

“Cosmic Shuffle” is what happens when you press “shuffle” on any library of music with an intention / invitation / faith that the exact right songs are going to play, and then committing to sticking with whatever music (and feelings) do come up.

Cosmic Shuffle is perfect for bodywork sessions, road trips, long walks, and crystal playtime.

Cosmic Shuffle let’s the universe be your DJ.

The phrase “Cosmic Shuffle” starts to sound funny when you repeat it this many times in quick succession.

Here’s one of my favorite humans, Sophia Wise One, teaching about Cosmic Shuffle in a short video.

Why Cosmic Shuffle is A Useful Tool For Healing (An Abstract Explanation)

Sensory healing. Memory. Divinity. Time travel. Collecting lost, buried, parts of self. Worlds built and shattered and resurrected. Heart swells, tears, compassion. Joy in nostalgia. Pain in nostalgia. Past lovers and friends. Graduation, initiation, soundtracks for cycles and seasons. The mix tape. The mix cd. The handcrafted playlist on 8tracks or Spotify or mp3s hosted on Google Drive or Dropbox. Love letters. iTunes. iPods. Forgotten digital music libraries. Favorite songs. Songs listened to on repeat ad infinitum in love, on a trip, as a lifeline. The last song played at junior prom. The song playing during a first kiss, a first joyride, a first dance at a wedding. Music on the radio on a six hour drive. Top 40 songs filled with lies and truths and algorithms and comfort. Background sounds, center of attention, sensory overload, sense memory. Memorizing lyrics, harmonies, heartbeats. History, origin stories, devotion, curated identity, alchemy. Medicine. Elemental. Intangible. Insultingly personal, delusionaly personal, deliciously personal. Communal — generational, geographical, social movement.

How To Practice Cosmic Shuffle:

1. Choose your time frame. 5 minutes, 5 hours, your morning beach walk, floating, a 90-minute massage with a practitioner you trust, the duration of an arts and crafts night, made up playtime, a 20-minute period of meditation or self-Reiki or any kind of internal contemplation practice.

2. Chose your music. I love being with my entire iTunes or Spotify library or using a forgotten but once well loved mp3 player. If you don’t have a tomb of emotional music of your own at easy access, you can experiment with my various collections of music online.

3. Set the scene. Say please. The difference between regular shuffle and Cosmic Shuffle is intention. Make your invocation — to God, your Guides, the Divine Wow, make believe, your inner guidance system, The Universe, fill in the blank — “Thank you for playing the songs that will contribute to my healing in this moment” or “Cosmic Shuffle, do your thing.” Or, a play on one of my favorite prayers from Gabrielle Bernstein, “Cosmic Shuffle, I know you have my back, show me what you’ve got.”

4. Press play and commit to not skipping any song that comes up. That’s what makes this situation so magical.

5. Be with your feelings. Time travel like the pro you are. Practice being your own friend as feelings arise — annoyance, grief, tears, laughter, confusion, wisdom, bitter medicine, soothing balm, hilarity, irreverence, embarrassment, gratitude, pleasure.