Amy on Rituals
Some questions I'm often asked are..
What does self-care mean to you?
Why do you perform rituals?
And that’s what I’m going to answer for you here.
To me, self-care is a commitment to myself to practise self-love body rituals. The commitment I make is to do this at least twice a week.
Why rituals? Well, self-love for your body is more than jumping out of the shower and quickly rubbing moisturising cream into your skin or simply cleansing your face.
I practice my rituals with intention.
nd I believe THIS IS THE SECRET
Intention means bringing awareness inwards. That means this ritual is not so much focused on the exterior.
I practice intention by allowing myself to focus on my breaths, burning some incense or lighting a candle, something to signify that I’m about to create a special personal moment and let go of what no longer serves me.
I sit somewhere quietly – in my bedroom or bathroom - on a chair. By sitting down, I relax and become centred. It calms my mind as I look inwards. Giving myself precious time in my busy life allows me to switch off from my day and many roles as business owner and stay-at-home mother.
Another way to enhance my practice is by massaging beautiful botanical products all over my body. I select blends that resonate with me or what I’m drawn to at the time.
This all depends on how I’m feeling. If I need to unwind and come back to myself, I’d use a blend of lavender to relieve stress and sandalwood to ground me. The delightful aromas from nature’s botanicals no synthetic product can replace. I feel relaxed and in control of my life.
By massaging my body with intention and truly scanning my body in a loving and caring way, I focus more on what my skin feels like…
Is it lumpy or smooth in particular areas?
And while I focus on this self-discovery, I choose positive thoughts and say loving affirmations. (Find out more about positive self-talk and affirmations in my article Amy On Positivity here. )
WHY RITUALS?
Self-massage relaxes me and it’s great, not only for a sense of calm but also to detox my body, release trapped toxins and stimulate circulation.
Here are the key benefits of self-massage rituals.
Ritual makes you feel good because you’re doing something for yourself.
Taking time out to be well-groomed makes you feel confident… And there’s nothing wrong with that as long as it’s balanced and doesn’t take over your life!
You pay extra attention to avoid negative self-talk and focusing on what you don’t like about your body.
You can switch off the nasty voice inside your head and practise positive self-love through affirmations.
Massage will teach you about your inner body by putting you in touch with its outer covering, as author of the book Aromatherapy, Judith Jackson informs us.
Self-discovery – through aromatherapy self-massage - will teach you that there is more to your body than the mirror reveals.
Self-care rituals have such a tremendous and positive effect on my mental health and emotional wellbeing. Self-care boosts my confidence and my mood. Try some rituals for yourself today.
RESOURCES
Below are some places to start exploring rituals for yourself.
+ Aromatherapy by Judith Jackson