Take a breath. Notice where your breath is and the quality of your breath. Now inhale through your nostrils, taking your inhale into your belly. Draw in your belly as you begin your exhale, open your mouth and gently let out a soft ah as you complete your exhale. Do this a few more times. And now breathe. Notice a change?
Remember this. Remember the power of conscious intentions. Where intention goes, energy and mind follow. Our reality is formed from the experiences of our mind, senses, and our innate spirit, or soul. Conscious intention is a powerful reality shift.
Breath is a gateway into this shift, as you have just experienced.
I was reflecting on my daily rituals, and how they have shifted of late. I used to believe that once I felt the benefit of each ritual, I could let them go. Instead, I find myself leaning into the calming familiarity of each ritual as a daily commitment to honour my self and my space. Small steps can yield significant shifts.
Here are 5 themes about how to explore how you can incorporate more relaxation rituals into your life:
- Timing
- Cleansing
- Supporting the breath
- Relaxation
- Nourishment
Optimum Timing
Are you a lark or an owl? I might wish I could be a lark who effortlessly embraces the early dawn, and I’m not. I am at my best when I wake with full sun on my face, and my brain often has its best moments when night falls. The challenge is to resist the urge to indulge in doing once the ideas spark late night!
Find the best time for you to incorporate your rituals.
You probably already have an existing morning and evening bathroom ritual – what have you been meaning to add into the mix to try, and haven’t yet embraced?
Cleansing
One of my few morning practices that takes seconds, is tongue scraping jihwa prakshalan. Before I brush my teeth or rinse my mouth, I stick out my tongue and use a copper tongue scraper to gently pull forward from the back to the tip of the tongue 5-7 times to take off the build up on my tongue, rinsing the scraper each time. This makes my mouth feel less claggy, and is part of my oral hygiene routine, supporting taste, better breath, immunity and digestion.
Each night, I start by patting on a cleanser and then placing a damp warm muslin cloth over my face. Rinsing the cloth, I place it back on my face twice more, before gently massaging my face to remove the cleanser.
This is my practice to cleanse off the cares and complexities of the day, turning into yielding and softening as I prepare for sleep.
Supporting The Breath
Do you neti or nasya?
Using a neti pot, a form of nasal irrigation is to use warm purified salt water to flush out mucus, allergens, whilst gently moisturising your nasal passages. Tilt your head to one side and pour half the salt water into the opposite nostril, allowing it to then flow out through the nasal passages and out the nostril closest to the basin. Once complete, do the other side. I usually do this in the evening when my allergies are more intense. The cleared nostrils make it easier to breathe more freely.
In the morning, when I want to simplify my routine, I use a good quality nasya oil, placing a drop on the tip of my little finger and gently rubbing the inside of each ear. I then repeat, adding another drop for each nostril. This also supports breathing and sinuses.
Last thing at night, I follow James Nestor’s advice and place a strip of surgical tape vertically over the bow of my lips. It prevents mouth breathing and can help with mild snoring…try it and see!
Relaxation
I have not always been a fan of baths. Who has time for a bath when you can hop in the shower? I was wrong. I have been converted. Several times a week, I sink into an Epsom salt bath that helps relax my muscles, ease pain, and support inflammation reduction. I have yet to add candles to this ritual, and I am hopeful! Since embracing Epsom baths, I find sleep more accessible and deeply restful. It is also said that the salts also help the body detox more effectively.
Breathwork is my go to, so I usually lie down in savasana or viparita karani, legs up the wall pose (or against the sofa in my case!) with a breath pillow on my navel, keeping the hips and lower ribs clear. Whilst I listen to music or read in this pose, over the course of 20-25 minutes, helps to passively deepen and calm the breath, and invoke the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to relax the body before sleep.
Nourishment
I make up and use my own body oils to nourish my skin. Bear with me! I buy bottles of almond, avocado and sesame oil, and mix up a blend that suits my skin, and then add drops of aromatherapy oils into it. A small bottle lasts me months, so this is something you only have to do three or four times a year, giving you a customised scent and oil that suits your skin and mood. I like to add sage, juniper, lavender and frankincense for my own blend, occasionally flirting with citrus oils. You can also buy pre-mixed blends to start with to keep it simple. My skin is supple and smooth, and the massage is part of my relaxation after showering or bathing.
Gua sha is an ancient Chinese technique using crystal flat tools and rollers to support lymphatic drainage, allowing improved circulation and reducing the stress puffiness of the face.
Placed under the eyes, eye bags can significantly reduce. Gently using it on the shoulders, back of the neck and base of the skull can also help to alleviate tension and pain. Once you master the hang of it, it takes no more than a minute.
Which of these 5 themes speak to you?
What are your go-to relaxation rituals?
May you find greater ease & joy as you embrace ritual & relaxation.
Main – Image by Javier Campos from Pixabay
