…on how I’m making peace with my body (right now)
A little snapshot of some of my favourites for this practice
Tonight, I’m doing one of my favourite Friday night rituals - taking my body on a date.
This week has been hard - American election uncertainty aside #alltheadaptiv - so it feels extra important.
I started this practice earlier this year, and while I don’t manage to do it every week (real talk: the last month has been incredibly hard for me so this is actually the first time in a while!), I notice what a difference it makes in my relationship with my body. To spend time really paying attention it it, and thanking it (if you find that part cheesy, you can skip it - but it feels less weird the more you do it, I promise!), and actually tuning in rather than just always pushing it and asking it for more. Slowing down might feel really hard (or ‘selfish’ or ‘indulgent’) at first, but just remember. That’s only your social conditioning - it’s not real! #maybeshesbornwithitmaybeitspatriarchy - and we can rewrite that story with time and new habits.
You can do anything to ‘date’ your body, but these are the three steps I usually follow, ish. I absolutely adore a good bath so the whole thing centres around a good bath for me - water is always so healing and cleansing for me emotionally, not just physically.
I often light (beeswax only) candles (read your labels friends, anything scented is putting out carcinogens in your space), bring my crystals, and play soul-soothing music (I can’t get enough Trevor Hall these days - check him out if you haven’t heard of him).
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE SOUL PLAYLIST? SHARE THE BEST TRACKS ON IT WITH ME! I’M ALWAYS LOOKING TO ADD TO MINE.
Before:
While the bath is running, I coat my body in geranium and give it a really thorough dry brush. Dry brushing is amazing for the skin and lymph system!
Geranium is a beautiful oil to use in body care because skin loves it but it’s also the oil of love and trust - we (especially as womxn) have been conditioned to view our bodies as machines (and especially as womxn) distrust or ignore a lot of what our bodies tell us. This is a beautiful oil to start to bring back that trust in self. (Mindful - whatever oil you choose is about to get in the tub - so don’t use a hot oil, and if you know you have sensitive skin, use a carrier oil too. If you don’t have a reputable guide walking your oil path with you - please holler at me!)
I also love dōTERRA’s clay mask - I leave it on while I dry brush and wash it off right before getting in the tub.
During:
The combination of oils you can add to the bath is pretty much endless! One thing of note - add the oil to Epson salts or milk before adding to the bath; you’ll get better mixing in of the oil and water. Also - the bath is driving the oils in to your skin, so again skip the hot oils and only 1-5 drops in total in the bath is tons! (I’ve added more before and it always leaves my skin a little prickly - not painful, just not awesome - which is the whole point). 9/10 I choose frank, because there is something so deeply grounding about this ancient oil.
I also will sometimes add in an extra step here - shaving, body scrub (especially on bits I didn’t dry brush like my heels), sometimes even a super long floss (when was the last time you realllllyyyyy got in there?) and toothbrush or oil pulling.
I love to read in the bath but when I’m on a date with myself, I leave the book alone to give myself space to really be present.
After:
I choose one of dōTERRA’s moisturizers (tonight it was Beautiful body mist but it’s usually the body butter #heaven) and add an oil or two. When in doubt, add Adaptiv. This process can take a while, if you’re really paying attention, but it also can feel so soothing when your pores are still open from the heat!
I also put yarrow pom on my face and then gua sha - I know, I didn’t know what that was either! That’s the funky flat rose quartz stone, designed to help firm skin, and if you ever hold tension in your face (jaw clenching queen right here) it can feel so good! I follow with a layer of the deep moisturizer, and sometimes a roll of imortelle too.
I always - always ALWAYS feel better after: more grounded, more connected, more love. And these days, that space for myself feels more important than ever.
