Welcome to 7 Days of Soul Care! We're so excited to be kicking off this week with an amazing guest contributor: Nikelle Lovaas of Monthly Rituals. She is a deeply knowledgeable resource on the power of building nourishing rituals, and we are so grateful to have her insight.
"Ritual is the act of presently tuning into one’s vessel, movement, and environment. It is the practice of slowing down in a state of unhurried time to experience sensation and listen to our internal world. When we tune in with presence, we connect.
Through ritual, we can tap into our internal world, noticing the state of our body and mind. When we notice, we become better listeners and better care-takers of our vessel. We are sensitive to every sensation, every moment that transpires - we fully embody the human experience.
Through the culmination of these decisions to connect with self and these moments in which we are present and intentional, we cultivate an internal terrain in which thoughts and energy can move freely. Let’s transform routine into present, intentional, reflective ritual."
- Nikelle Lovaas
Water gifts us the archetypes of life, motion, renewal, intuition, reflection, purification, transformation, and fertility (of earth, body, or spirit).
The ritual of bathing encourages time spent inward in deep relaxation and release.
Bathing nourishes the nervous system, which intimately influences the function of all body processes. During this time of relaxation, herbs can encourage detoxification, alleviate pain, soothe inflammation, move stagnation, and protect against stress in cells - leaving the skin feeling deeply nourished and hydrated.
This practice is written for a foot bath, but if you have a bathtub in your home, the same practice can be applied to a full body bath.
Enjoy this ritual twice monthly during the full moon and new moon. Optional: use a botanical soaking blend or epsom salts for added benefits!
PRACTICE
Burn scents to cleanse your space. We encourage the use of cinnamon sticks as they are a sustainable resource, burn slowly, and clear negative energy.
Perhaps light a candle.
Hydrate - fill a glass of water (optional: add a pinch of sea salt and citrus for added electrolytes)
Fill a bowl with warm water, and add flower petals, bath salts, or dried plants of your choice to the warm water. Make sure you have a comfortable place to sit, and then place your feet in the foot bath.
Enjoy the sensation of your body slowly unwinding as your feet embrace the element of water.
Take it slow, enjoy. Soak for ten minutes or as long as feels intuitive to you.
CONSIDER
How do you feel in your body today?
Is there anywhere you can mimic the energy of water - easing, flowing, and reflecting?
What can you let go of, and let the water carry for you?
