Creating Sacred Space

Start by running your bath water and putting on some meditative music. Light some candles, focusing on creating a sacred space for your bath. Sacred in that you are holding a space for you to celebrate your Self. Next place a totem next to your candles- a shell, stone, picture or whatever item means peace to you and your heart.
Pour some bath salts or bath oils into the filled tub and swirl the water with your hand to disperse. Settle yourself into the fragrant water- close your eyes & calm your thoughts. Slowly take three cleansing breathes inhaling through your nose deeply & exhaling out through your mouth and relax....

Be aware of your breathing in & out and relax. Smell the fragrance of the water and relax...

Wet your soap & inhale its fragrance and let your mind drift over things that have been crowding your thoughts- things that you want to let go of. Imagine that as you soap up your cloth that you are gathering the energies together to rid yourself of these negative thoughs. As you wash your body,know you are cleansing your body of all negativity and are purifying it. Relax in this new space you have created.

When you are ready, release the drain to let the water out, know that your cares and worries are also being released and carried away leaving you refreshed and renewed.

It is already October and I am not yet ready for Fall!

Fall came on September 21st and here it is October 3. The foliage has already started to morph into its autumn stage and getting ready to start that winter hibernation. I am sure that the squirrels and chipmunks are storing their nuts away for the cold days ahead. I know you say do we really haev that sort of winter in North Carolina but last year we did get cold and snow for Christmas and I was very much reminded of New York Winters!
Fall is a time for turning inward and storing away tidbits and ideas to condsider for the winters days when you stay home more and inside. Wherever you are its a time to slow down abit more as the nights grow longer and days grow shorter. What things are you going to put away to keep you through the winter ? What ideas do you want to hatch and grow next year as the days get warmer and longer. What do you want to manifest in the coming of 2012?

Have you ever thought about the mystery of water?

I have watched the movie " What the Bleep Do We Know?" and the segment on the mystery of water has always fascinated me. Part of why I named my business Ritual Waters is because I have always believed in the healing power of water - it nourishes our bodies as well as makes up 90% of our composition. We need that space to relax our mind and feed ourselves with good thoughts to feed our souls!

Being Creative

I took my own advice today and took a long, quiet bath. I was pondering how things have been sort of so so lately. Here is Spring just around the corner and I am in my doldrums. I am really needing to get some creative juices flowing and now seems the time for things to start bursting forth.

I pulled out my copy of Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way which seems a perfect place to start. I have read it on and off over the  past year's and it always starts me down the right path.

Check it out if you have not heard of it as it will inspire you. One of the great suggestions is Morning Pages. Upon waking you write 3 pages every morning. Writing whatever comes to mind. A way to dump out whatever trash is ruminating in your mind and to clear yourself to allow new things to come in. Always a great way to start the day!

Bathing Rituals

The art of bathing has been passed down through the centuries. Most of us have heard of the public baths built in Rome or the bathing rituals of the Japanese. The Ganges River in India is also a site for public bathing, more a place to cleanse and purify the soul as than just cleansing the body.

Soaking in a tub of warm water with candles and the scent of essential oils can literally take one away to another place where you can relax and feel energized and restored in mind and spirit. This is definitely a comfort place that soothes the soul.
This is a Ritual for the Soul and a sacred place for your spirit.

What places and rituals soothe your spirit as you recover from life's daily stresses?

Honey & Lemon

I have been getting over a cold recently and have used that old remedy from my Mother of taking honey and lemon in tea. Honey is just an amazing liquid and I wanted to share some healthy facts about it.

Raw unprocessed buckwheat honey has natural antioxidants. According to a University of California study, raw honey taken by mouth and not dissolved can raise the level of antioxidants in the bloodstream.

Raw honey is also known as a wound healer. It was used long ago and a topical anti-bacterial agent. It also reduced inflamation and reduction in pain. It also helps with quicker healing and minimal scarring. These many attributes have been re-discovered recently.

In other studies, honey positively affects cholesterol and is the healthiest sweetener.

All good things and more from this golden liquid in its raw state.

All things wild & waterfilled are good for the soul!

We are into a new decade and I felt it was time to dust off this blog. I had high hopes of writing weekly and had allowed life's daily events to interfere. But it is time to start anew and begin again!

Ritual Waters has grown and our product line has changed with new soaps being added, whipped butter creams, Cappuccino Lip Balm and more new items in the works.

I am very excited about my newest soap Arabian Nights which is pictured above. It is a spicey sensual blend with Ylang Ylang-Nutmeg-Cinnamon- Coriander. And for the men, we also have a very sexy blend called A Walk in the Woods scented with Lavender-Patchouli-Oakmoss.

I always find it amazing how different scents affect us. How they can spark a memory and put us right in that moment. One bit of trivia- when you smell a scent it is carried through your nose to the olefactory bulb in your head which has a direct link through many neuro-pathways to that part of your brain where memories are stored. This is why scents have such a great affect on our memory and how they can trigger them. What scents do you find that remind you of someone or some place? For me I love Orange and Cinnamon -they remind me of Christmas and making pomander balls in Girl Scouts.

And you?

I am soon to be teaching a Soap Class locally in Greensboro, NC. I am very excited about it and thank my friend Cynthia Loving for sponsoring it. Our second class looks to be already full and we will be scheduling a second class for later in the year. My first class will be held on Feb.20th. You can read more about it on my Ritual Waters Facebook page.

Please come back often and I would love to read your posts!