self-care rituals – Well of Joy

Ahh, the bubble bath. The quintessential poster child of self-care. And with good reason. The art of the self-care bath can bring renewal, relaxation, and healing. Using crystals, calming music, aromatherapy, and other healing tools, you can create a ritual that will nourish your body, mind, and soul. How to Prepare for Your Self-Care Bath Ritual Clean Your Bathroom It doesn't need to be spotless, but try to tidy up any clutter that will distract from the relaxing atmosphere you're trying to create. Clear the Space Use sage or any other smudging herb to clear the energy and create a sacred space for your bathtime ritual to take place. Holding your intention to clear any low, stale, or negative energy from the space, light your smudge stick and walk in a circle through your bathroom, letting the smoke fill every corner of the room. Smudge yourself as well, starting at the feet and moving to the top of the head. When you finish, open the windows and allow the smoke to carry any stagnant or negative energy away. If you don't have any smudging herbs or prefer not to use them, simply opening a window and airing out the room can be an effective way to clear the energy. Set an Intention Take a few moments and feel into your purpose for taking this time for yourself. Bring your intention into your heart space and allow it to fill you. You can also put this intention into any crystals you’re using during your self-care bathing ritual. Pre-Bath Massage If you have time, start your self-care bath with a soothing self-massage. In Ayurveda, this practice is known as abhyanga. Start at your feet, and using long strokes, massage the oil into your legs. Always stroke towards the heart, as this helps with lymphatic drainage. Next, Massage oil into your hands, wrists, and arms. After massaging oil into the chest and back, massage the stomach in a clockwise position. This motion helps aid healthy digestion. Banyanbotanicals.com has an article and video on how to do abhyanga if you want to learn more before trying it yourself. Try Calming Breathing Techniques To calm your mind and body, try to exhaling longer than you're inhaling. This action tells your parasympathetic nervous system that you are safe and that it's okay to go into healing mode. From Mindbodygreen.com, “When the parasympathetic system is dominant, your breathing slows, your heart rate drops, your blood pressure lowers, and your body is guided back into a state of calm and healing.” You can learn more about this simple breathing exercise to calm your mind and body from Mindbodygreen.com here. *I don't recommend doing breathwork while taking your bath for safety reasons. Self-Care Bath Essentials for Healing Your Body, Mind, and Soul Flowers, Herbs, and Essential Oils Essential Oils, flowers, herbs add aromatherapy to your self-care bath session. Each flower and herb has unique healing properties and can be purchased fresh, dried, or as an essential oil. Use one herb or flower, or try picking a few and combining them to make a personalized healing herbal soak. If you have sensitive skin, start with one at a time to find which feels best for you. Also, note that each herb has many more healing properties. Here I’ve included a few of their basic qualities to get you started on deciding which herbs or essential oils are right for you. Flower/ HerbTry using it for...RoseImproves skin complexion, soothes anxiety and promotes self-love.ChamomileSoothes aching muscles, treat skin irritations, and promotes restful sleep.LavenderPromotes trust, calm and relaxation, restful sleep, known to be anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal.SageEnergizing, purifying, releasing, and can help alleviate muscle soreness.PeppermintInvigorating and refreshing. Peppermint can create a tingling sensation that not everyone finds pleasant, so be careful not to overuse it.BasilCalming, cleansing, promotes unconditional love and renewal.EucalyptusStimulating, refreshing, and promotes clarity.FennelPromotes courage and health.RosemaryPurifies energy, helps heal congestion, and soothes sore muscles.CalendulaSoothes and heals dry skin.LemonMood-lifting and energizing. You can add your flowers and herbs directly to your bath, but draining and cleaning at the end can be difficult. Another option is to brew a strong tea and pour it directly into your bath. You can also use a cheesecloth bag to put your ingredients in, like a giant tea bag for your bathtub. If you're using essential oils, only use a few drops. They are quite potent and can irritate the skin. Add Hydrating Oils You can also add hydrating oils to the bath to get soft, glowy skin. I like using a few drops of jojoba or almond oil, but you can also try coconut, rosehip, grapeseed, or any other hydrating oil you have around. Using Crystals In Your Self-Care Bath Ritual Crystals bring healing energy to your self-care bath ritual. Add them directly to the bath to create a bathing elixir (just make sure to use only water-safe crystals and remember to remove them before you drain the tub) or place them around the edge, or on your bath tray. You can even create a grid around your bath and set an intention to bring even more healing power to your self-care bath ritual. Simply attune each crystal to your intention, place it around the tub and connect them by touching each with a crystal wand. Here are a few crystals and some basic uses to get you started. There are an abundance of crystals to work with and each has many possibilities, so go with whatever resonates with you. CrystalTry Using It For...CitrineMindset shifting, manifesting, improving energy, fostering creativityCarnelianPromotes creativity, overcoming fear, groundingSmoky QuartzDetoxification, grounding, protection, and body positivityRose QuartzPromotes self-love, unconditional love, and self-acceptanceClear QuartzEnergizing, strengthens other stones, master healerTiger EyeGrounding, promotes focus (ONLY polished and tumbled tiger eye is safe for bathing)AmethystFostering intuition, spiritual growth, motivation, overcoming addictions and anxietyBloodstonePromotes sleep aid, detoxifyingHematiteGrounding, sleep aid, self-control, promotes inner balance Make sure to double-check that you are only using water-safe crystals, or take special care put them in a place where they won’t get wet. To make it easier, I’ve only mentioned crystals that are water safe in this table. Check for any cracks before putting your crystals in water. Water can seep in and weaken the crystal. For this reason, I recommend using only tumbled and polished stones, as it's easier to detect cracks. A final tip on bathing with crystals: Be careful about putting cold crystals in hot water. The temperature can cause them to crack. Submerge your crystal in lukewarm water first, and then turn up the temperature. If you want to learn more about crystals, read my article on 14 Crystals for Self-Love and How to Use Them. Get a Bath Tray A bath tray is a piece of wood or other solid material made to fit across your bathtub and give you a little table to use while taking your bath. It’s great for holding your teas, crystals, books, or anything else you might want nearby during your bath. I have this cute bamboo one from Amazon and I love it. Light Some Incense Incense adds a rich fragrance to your bathtime ritual. I like using incense that only contains natural ingredients, as some contain unnatural fragrance that may be unhealthy for the body when burned. Add Pink Himalayan Salt to Your Bath A Himalayan salt bath is said to draw out toxins, deep clean the skin, and renew the body energetically. Add a couple of cups to the bath as it's filling with water. You can also use Epsom salts or any other natural bath salts you have on hand. Grab a Speaker for Soothing Music Playing soothing music can help take you deeper into relaxation. You can listen to anything that helps you feel relaxed or try listening to Solfeggio frequencies. Solfeggio frequencies are tones of sound that can promote physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Their vibration can alleviate stress, clear your energy and help you connect to your higher self. Meditative Mind is a channel on Youtube that has many soothing and regenerating tracks. This one incorporates all nine solfeggio frequencies over the course of about 80 minutes. Learn more about the healing solfeggio frequencies at Gaia.com. If you need a waterproof speaker, I recommend this one from JBL. It's portable, the sound is clear and vibrant, and the battery lasts a long time. I've had mine for a couple of years and I love it. Make Some Herbal Tea Sipping a cup of tea adds to the cozy vibe and can help you relax. My favorites are chamomile and this Yogi Kava Tea. The Kava is super relaxing and I love the cinnamon-y flavor. You can find it at some grocery stores, but it’s also available here, from Amazon.com. Put on a Detoxifying Face Mask Use a facial mask to come out of your self-care bath routine glowing. My favorite mask right now is a detoxifying dead sea clay powder I got from a little organic shop in India. I like adding a little turmeric powder for its anti-inflammatory and skin brightening properties, and a little jojoba or grapeseed oil for a moisturizing boost. Try Calming Breathing Techniques To calm your mind and body, try to exhaling longer than you're inhaling. This action tells your parasympathetic nervous system that you are safe and that it's okay to go into healing mode. From Mindbodygreen.com, “When the parasympathetic system is dominant, your breathing slows, your heart rate drops, your blood pressure lowers, and your body is guided back into a state of calm and healing.” You can learn more about this simple breathing exercise to calm your mind and body from Mindbodygreen.com here. Put on Lotion To finish off your ritual, find some organic, chemical-free lotion to protect and moisturize your skin. Be intentional as you put the lotion on and take the time to appreciate your body and all that it does for you. I use this one from Alaffia. The scents are delicious without being overpowering and I like that the brand is all clean, fair-trade, and sulfate-free. Finally, offer gratitude to yourself for dedicating time to self-care. Tossing your well-being aside in favor of 'getting things done' may be the societal norm but it's so important to take the time for healing and to do activities that nourish your body, mind, and, soul. I hope you found plenty of helpful ideas for creating a soothing self-care bath ritual. Schedule time to take your self-care bath soon and stick to it! You are worth it. Thank you for being here, Rebecca