If this concept is new and weird to you, keep an open mind, and try something new!
Full moons are all about cleansing, shedding and letting go. Out with the old in with the new.
I have a feeling that baths aren't that popular, but soaking in the tub is one of my favorite self-care activities. It kinda makes me feel like a kid again. Full moons are the perfect time to soak in an epsom salt bath because it's detoxifying. Sprinkle in a little intention and wala! You’ve got yourself a ritual.
I put this together with the season of spring in mind. I think it's the perfect way to celebrate the transition into a new season, but can be equally meaningful any month of the year. Feel free to bust this one out any time you need to practice self care, recalibrate, and detoxify.
Gather:
Bathtub. Yet not necessarily*
Epsom salts
White Candles, (or any color if you don’t have white)
Ginger tea with lemon,
Frankincense essential oil
Optional flower petals
Meditation playlist
Sage for smudging
1 piece of paper and something to write with.
Cup of water
Steps:
You don't have to do things in this exact order, I simply listed them into steps that made sense to me. Feel free to rearrange, or skip any steps you're not feeling.
1. Make yourself a cup of ginger tea. Ginger tea helps alleviate inflammation in the body, aids digestion, and enhances immunity. Sprinkle in a little tumeric and cinnamon for an extra medicinal kick.
2. Light candles around tub for ambiance. White candles symbolize purity, healing, and new beginnings, but if you don’t have white candles, then any old Yankee candle can get the job done.
3. Play meditation music or nature sounds playlist. Obviously if that's not your jam, play something else. If you use Spotify, here’s a playlist I created, titled Zen AF.
4. Smudge yourself and your surroundings with sage. The smoke of sage is used to “wash” yourself or your space of negative energy.
5. Take a moment to center yourself and connect to your breathing. Feel the earth under your feet and shake out the tension in your body. See if you can inhale for the count of four, feeling your belly expand and exhale for a count of 8, drawing belly button to spine. Repeat this for a few minutes.
6. On a blank piece of paper, write down 1-3 things you'd like to let go of. I like the idea of one person to forgive, one thing to forgive yourself for and one negative behavior to release, but you do you. Transfer your thoughts and feelings through your writing, onto the paper.
7. Shred the paper into thin strips, and carefully burn one by one in the flame of the candle, dropping into either a nearby sink or a cup of water. Watch what your transferred onto the paper, dissolve in the fire and turn to ash. Be careful not to burn yourself or set the curtains on fire.
8. Draw a bath. Add epsom salts, and frankincense oil. I chose frank because its known for purifying and grounding. In ancient times it was believed to ward of evil spirits. Perfect. If your not into it, substitute frankincense with any other essential oil you like. Option to sprinkle flower petals or herbs if your feeling fancy.
9. Soak and sip tea. Take this time to reflect of this past season. Thank these past few months for the lessons learned, the insight gained, and beauty bestowed.
10. When your ready to finish up, pull the plug and watch the water drain out, carrying with it the physical and metaphorical dirt, one last release. Go straight to bed or take it easy the rest of the night.
*This ritual can be done in the shower if your don't have a bath tub. Put a few drops on a washcloth, wet it and set it on a shower shelf. Apply epsom salts directly to skin and gently massage into skin to scrub off dead skin cells.
So there you are, a simple full moon ritual for cleansing and renewal.
Have fun with it. Please share your thoughts and ideas with me!
xoxo Namaste.