A behind-the-braids behind-the-scenes...
“Life isn’t happening to you. Life is happening for you and by you.” -- Ellen Nguyen
The founder/owner of LA-based UnitedOther, a company dedicated to “honoring the primary and natural technologies of our ancestors,” Ellen sought out self-healing after suffering through a high-pressure, high-anxiety job. By embodying the aforementioned “life for you and by you” philosophy, she drifted away from both self-induced and external pressure and began to observe interesting “coincidences” regarding her deep-seated love of scent -- and centering -- that would later inform an inexplicable shift toward bringing these healing modalities to others in need.
The result? A way to “transform the ordinary.”
We took a few minutes to speak with Ellen about her wondrous journey into UnitedOther, as well as discuss the components and offerings of each of her handcrafted Ritual Kits.
First time centering/grounding as self-care. What did it look like?
In my previous work life, I felt a lot of stress and pressure. I would reply to emails first thing in the morning, and then rush out the door already full of anxiety. This way of living is never sustainable and eventually your body will let you know that. Something had to change. I started the simple practice of waking up 30 minutes earlier, not looking at my phone, making tea, doing light stretches, and listening to a short guided mindfulness meditation. Not only did this calm my mind chatter and nervous system, but it allowed me to connect more deeply to who I truly am – not what I felt was expected of me. It’s all about finding ways to be present. Having your daily personal rituals of centering/grounding helps you to remember what’s most meaningful but, more importantly, what to let go of that isn’t aligned to your well-being. It’s very empowering to know you can self-master your own energy.
How did UnitedOther come to be?
I began a personal tradition several years ago that, on my birthday, I would gift myself a bottle of perfume. Perfumes and scents have been a quiet passion of mine for a long time, something I didn’t quite openly share as it was a very personal and intimate love affair.
I visited a shop in Atwater that was burning a Breu resin incense. The scent and smoke moved me. It was a heightened but familiar connectedness -- for that brief moment I felt whole. I immediately bought a box. The following day, at another shop in Venice, a Copal incense from Mexico was burning. These two synchronous moments were magical, and it was then I knew that a seed had been tenderly planted in my Soul.
I began buying incense books and sacred elements, setting off the smoke detectors in my apartment, practicing Tibetan-style incense braiding techniques, and hand-dying Nepalese paper. I still had my full-time job, but on nights and weekends I would continue to dive deeper.
I learned that most incense is soaked in synthetic fragrances, which means that, essentially, you’re burning chemicals -- hence the overpowering scents and notorious headaches. I learned about the sacred properties of natural elements cherished by indigenous people. I learned that when intentions are set with burning incense, that is a sacred alchemy -- acts of prayers and honoring to the Cosmos.
The founder/owner of LA-based UnitedOther, a company dedicated to “honoring the primary and natural technologies of our ancestors,” Ellen sought out self-healing after suffering through a high-pressure, high-anxiety job. By embodying the aforementioned “life for you and by you” philosophy, she drifted away from both self-induced and external pressure and began to observe interesting “coincidences” regarding her deep-seated love of scent -- and centering -- that would later inform an inexplicable shift toward bringing these healing modalities to others in need.
The result? A way to “transform the ordinary.”
We took a few minutes to speak with Ellen about her wondrous journey into UnitedOther, as well as discuss the components and offerings of each of her handcrafted Ritual Kits.
First time centering/grounding as self-care. What did it look like?
In my previous work life, I felt a lot of stress and pressure. I would reply to emails first thing in the morning, and then rush out the door already full of anxiety. This way of living is never sustainable and eventually your body will let you know that. Something had to change. I started the simple practice of waking up 30 minutes earlier, not looking at my phone, making tea, doing light stretches, and listening to a short guided mindfulness meditation. Not only did this calm my mind chatter and nervous system, but it allowed me to connect more deeply to who I truly am – not what I felt was expected of me. It’s all about finding ways to be present. Having your daily personal rituals of centering/grounding helps you to remember what’s most meaningful but, more importantly, what to let go of that isn’t aligned to your well-being. It’s very empowering to know you can self-master your own energy.
How did UnitedOther come to be?
I began a personal tradition several years ago that, on my birthday, I would gift myself a bottle of perfume. Perfumes and scents have been a quiet passion of mine for a long time, something I didn’t quite openly share as it was a very personal and intimate love affair.
I visited a shop in Atwater that was burning a Breu resin incense. The scent and smoke moved me. It was a heightened but familiar connectedness -- for that brief moment I felt whole. I immediately bought a box. The following day, at another shop in Venice, a Copal incense from Mexico was burning. These two synchronous moments were magical, and it was then I knew that a seed had been tenderly planted in my Soul.
I began buying incense books and sacred elements, setting off the smoke detectors in my apartment, practicing Tibetan-style incense braiding techniques, and hand-dying Nepalese paper. I still had my full-time job, but on nights and weekends I would continue to dive deeper.
I learned that most incense is soaked in synthetic fragrances, which means that, essentially, you’re burning chemicals -- hence the overpowering scents and notorious headaches. I learned about the sacred properties of natural elements cherished by indigenous people. I learned that when intentions are set with burning incense, that is a sacred alchemy -- acts of prayers and honoring to the Cosmos.
"
My own intentions soon became clear as to what kind of incense to create: natural and sacred, intention-based with a purpose, and handcrafted in the form of ropes.”
For over a year, I continued to trust and listen to the inner whisper. The whisper grew into a more confident, encouraging voice. When I held the finalized custom box for the incense ropes, the inner voice became an ecstatic “YES!” I quit my job a few months after, completed a 5-week live/work residency, came back to LA fully recharged to launch UnitedOther in the fall of 2017. UnitedOther is not an overnight story. UnitedOther is a story of patience, dedication and complete trust.
Advice for 1st time users of the Intention Ritual Kits?
Trust Your Intuition • There’s a powerful reason you purchased this ritual kit. While each ritual kit comes with a guided ritual card, there is no right or wrong to use it. You can burn whichever assortment of incense calls you. You can write and burn one intention paper and one incense per ritual, or write and burn all the intentions paper per ritual. Tune in and trust your intuition always.
Get Clear • Know clearly what your intentions are. Focus expands and vision transforms. The clearer your intentions are, the clearer the energetic signals you’re sending to the Universe. You have to be able to precisely declare what you want to experience in your intentions.
Be Sincere • If it truly comes from your heart, the Universe will not deny it. The Universe only hears what you mean, not what you say. Your sincerity will amplify the clarity of your intentions.
Trust the Universe • Don’t doubt your intentions once you’ve released them. The self-doubts will send mixed signals to the Universe that you don’t deserve all that you asked for. Surrender and allow. Be in receptive mode. What is yours will never be denied.
You utilize crystals when setting up your altar. What is the purpose of this altar?
A sacred altar is your personal sanctuary and sacred space. It’s a sacred space where you can connect to your true and higher self. It’s a sacred space where you can listen deeply to your soul and the Universe. It’s a sacred space where you honor your ancestors and loving guides/angels who are guiding and protecting you. I love to decorate my sacred altar with beautiful and powerful objects, with crystals being the key element. I call them Earth Art! Each has their own energetic power that enhances the overall sacredness of my altar. Once you start a sacred altar it EXPANDS, too! You’ve been warned. Lol.
What other materials might one want to surround themselves with when centering/meditating?
There are many spiritual tools for centering/meditating. Incense and my homegrown sage are my go-to’s for clearing the air and initiating my meditation practice. The sacred smoke activates the ritual. Half of my personal daily practice is focused on releasing negativity. I have my selenite wand, black tourmaline, sage, Obsidian arrowhead, Tibetan singing bowl and other tools to help me to release any negative energy. The other half of my personal practice is on listening and intention-setting. Listening to my intuition to get guidance on whatever I’m currently going through. I use the Sacra Intentions Deck to pull a daily intention. I then use the Intentions Incense Paper to write my intentions and burn it to release it to the Universe. Having this daily practice has shifted the way I perceive and experience life and my journey. There’s less fear and more loving awareness.
Should we expect to feel something (or NOT feel something) when using these kits?
I hope the ritual kits provide clarity, empowerment and a deeper connection to yourself/your intentions, but also to your loved ones/community, as well as the Universe. I hope that by using the ritual kits that you remember why you’re here on this human journey, the gifts you are discovering about yourself, and that your gifts are meant to be shared.
Advice for 1st time users of the Intention Ritual Kits?
Trust Your Intuition • There’s a powerful reason you purchased this ritual kit. While each ritual kit comes with a guided ritual card, there is no right or wrong to use it. You can burn whichever assortment of incense calls you. You can write and burn one intention paper and one incense per ritual, or write and burn all the intentions paper per ritual. Tune in and trust your intuition always.
Get Clear • Know clearly what your intentions are. Focus expands and vision transforms. The clearer your intentions are, the clearer the energetic signals you’re sending to the Universe. You have to be able to precisely declare what you want to experience in your intentions.
Be Sincere • If it truly comes from your heart, the Universe will not deny it. The Universe only hears what you mean, not what you say. Your sincerity will amplify the clarity of your intentions.
Trust the Universe • Don’t doubt your intentions once you’ve released them. The self-doubts will send mixed signals to the Universe that you don’t deserve all that you asked for. Surrender and allow. Be in receptive mode. What is yours will never be denied.
You utilize crystals when setting up your altar. What is the purpose of this altar?
A sacred altar is your personal sanctuary and sacred space. It’s a sacred space where you can connect to your true and higher self. It’s a sacred space where you can listen deeply to your soul and the Universe. It’s a sacred space where you honor your ancestors and loving guides/angels who are guiding and protecting you. I love to decorate my sacred altar with beautiful and powerful objects, with crystals being the key element. I call them Earth Art! Each has their own energetic power that enhances the overall sacredness of my altar. Once you start a sacred altar it EXPANDS, too! You’ve been warned. Lol.
What other materials might one want to surround themselves with when centering/meditating?
There are many spiritual tools for centering/meditating. Incense and my homegrown sage are my go-to’s for clearing the air and initiating my meditation practice. The sacred smoke activates the ritual. Half of my personal daily practice is focused on releasing negativity. I have my selenite wand, black tourmaline, sage, Obsidian arrowhead, Tibetan singing bowl and other tools to help me to release any negative energy. The other half of my personal practice is on listening and intention-setting. Listening to my intuition to get guidance on whatever I’m currently going through. I use the Sacra Intentions Deck to pull a daily intention. I then use the Intentions Incense Paper to write my intentions and burn it to release it to the Universe. Having this daily practice has shifted the way I perceive and experience life and my journey. There’s less fear and more loving awareness.
Should we expect to feel something (or NOT feel something) when using these kits?
I hope the ritual kits provide clarity, empowerment and a deeper connection to yourself/your intentions, but also to your loved ones/community, as well as the Universe. I hope that by using the ritual kits that you remember why you’re here on this human journey, the gifts you are discovering about yourself, and that your gifts are meant to be shared.
Every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month, every year begins with a single breath. Every experience, every tear, every heartache, every laugh, every lesson, every wisdom, is an opportunity to be present and to connect. Celebrate your unique journey around the Sun. Life is a cherished gift!
Empowered by the Angel Aura Quartz gemstone for power, resonates with feelings of deep inner joy, creates a connection with universal love, and supports amplification of energies. Burn Closely, Freely, Truly, and Cosmically to fill the air with celebration. Intend, write, release and call in with the Intention Incense Papers. This Solar Return (Bbday) Intention Ritual Kit creates the sacred space for joyful self-alchemy.
SOLAR RETURN (BDAY) RITUAL KIT How-To:
CLOSELY, FREELY, TRULY & COSMICALLY RITUAL INCENSE
Fill the air with celebratory joy. Light the tip of the incense rope. Fan out after a few seconds. Place the incense rope on a heat-safe holder/burner.
INTENTION INCENSE PAPER
Write your intentions on the Intention Incense Papers and burn them to surrender to the Universe.
Honor
What wisdom, insight, lesson and connection from this past year will you honor with gratitude?
Release
What limiting beliefs will you release from this past year?
Abundance
What kind of abundance would you like to manifest? What would you like to flow more easily to you?
Begin
How will you begin your new Solar journey?
Empowered by the Angel Aura Quartz gemstone for power, resonates with feelings of deep inner joy, creates a connection with universal love, and supports amplification of energies. Burn Closely, Freely, Truly, and Cosmically to fill the air with celebration. Intend, write, release and call in with the Intention Incense Papers. This Solar Return (Bbday) Intention Ritual Kit creates the sacred space for joyful self-alchemy.
SOLAR RETURN (BDAY) RITUAL KIT How-To:
CLOSELY, FREELY, TRULY & COSMICALLY RITUAL INCENSE
Fill the air with celebratory joy. Light the tip of the incense rope. Fan out after a few seconds. Place the incense rope on a heat-safe holder/burner.
INTENTION INCENSE PAPER
Write your intentions on the Intention Incense Papers and burn them to surrender to the Universe.
Honor
What wisdom, insight, lesson and connection from this past year will you honor with gratitude?
Release
What limiting beliefs will you release from this past year?
Abundance
What kind of abundance would you like to manifest? What would you like to flow more easily to you?
Begin
How will you begin your new Solar journey?
A time to imagine. A time to dream. A time to welcome in. The New Moon ushers new beginnings. A fresh page to be written. Every new beginning has its ending. A closing of a door. An opening of a window. The Full Moon is a time of reflective illumination. Release the lessons to begin anew.
Empowered by the Rainbow Moonstone – the gemstone for Divine Feminine Goddess energies. Burn Cosmically to fill the air with the Light of the Moon. Intend, write, release and call in with the Intention Incense Papers. The New and Full Moon Intention Ritual Kit creates the sacred space to harness and amply with the lunar energies.
NEW & FULL MOON RITUAL KIT How-To:
COSMICALLY RITUAL INCENSE
Fill the air with the Light of the Moon. Light the tip of the incense rope. Fan out after a few seconds. Place the incense rope on a heat-safe holder/burner.
INTENTION INCENSE PAPER
Write your intentions on the Intention Incense Papers and burn them to surrender to the Universe.
New Moon
What would you like to amplify and call in with the New Moon? What are you grateful for?
Full Moon
What lessons would you like to release with the Full Moon? What are you grateful for?
Empowered by the Rainbow Moonstone – the gemstone for Divine Feminine Goddess energies. Burn Cosmically to fill the air with the Light of the Moon. Intend, write, release and call in with the Intention Incense Papers. The New and Full Moon Intention Ritual Kit creates the sacred space to harness and amply with the lunar energies.
NEW & FULL MOON RITUAL KIT How-To:
COSMICALLY RITUAL INCENSE
Fill the air with the Light of the Moon. Light the tip of the incense rope. Fan out after a few seconds. Place the incense rope on a heat-safe holder/burner.
INTENTION INCENSE PAPER
Write your intentions on the Intention Incense Papers and burn them to surrender to the Universe.
New Moon
What would you like to amplify and call in with the New Moon? What are you grateful for?
Full Moon
What lessons would you like to release with the Full Moon? What are you grateful for?
Abundance is ease, flow and joy. Nature is abundant. There is no limit to abundance. It is natural and free flowing. Don’t push the river. Let go of the oars. Gain the invisible – we are always guided and protected. Expand your vision and let abundance flow to, through, and from you. Empowered by the Chalcopyrite gemstone. Burn Freely, Truly, Cosmically & Nightly to fill the air with expansive abundance. Intend, write, release and call in with the Intention Incense Papers. The Abundance Intention Ritual Kit creates the sacred space for free flowing expansion.
ABUNDANCE RITUAL KIT How-To:
FREELY, TRULY, COSMICALLY & NIGHTLY RITUAL INCENSE
Fill the air with expansive abundance. Light the tip of the incense rope. Fan out after a few seconds. Place the incense rope on a heat-safe holder/burner.
INTENTION INCENSE PAPER
Write your intentions on the Intention Incense Papers and burn them to surrender to the Universe.
Intentions
Why do you want abundance in your life?
Release
What limiting beliefs or blocks are you releasing that prevents you from receiving abundance?
Abundance
What kind of abundance would you like to manifest? What would you like to flow more easily to you?
Learn more about United Other’s Abundance Kit in the video below:
ABUNDANCE RITUAL KIT How-To:
FREELY, TRULY, COSMICALLY & NIGHTLY RITUAL INCENSE
Fill the air with expansive abundance. Light the tip of the incense rope. Fan out after a few seconds. Place the incense rope on a heat-safe holder/burner.
INTENTION INCENSE PAPER
Write your intentions on the Intention Incense Papers and burn them to surrender to the Universe.
Intentions
Why do you want abundance in your life?
Release
What limiting beliefs or blocks are you releasing that prevents you from receiving abundance?
Abundance
What kind of abundance would you like to manifest? What would you like to flow more easily to you?
Learn more about United Other’s Abundance Kit in the video below:
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