"Self-care is the constant practice of not letting more pain accumulate. It is about continually remembering that our lives are of value. It is the active process of settling our nervous systems so that we have more access to the present moment."
— Susan Raffo
My idea of "self-care" has changed quite a bit over the years. I believe Susan Raffo's quote (above) is a beautiful reminder that caring for ourselves goes way beyond bubble baths and massages.
True self-care is nurturing our hearts, tending to our emotions, prioritizing our bodies, and receiving support in balance with how much we give. It is letting our needs and desires matter as much as our ambition and achievement.
I am frequently learning new levels of self-care as an embodied practice and it amazes me sometimes just how much space and time I need for myself.
I think about all of the women in the world raising little ones, birthing projects, caring for their loved ones, managing households, and careers, and trying to squeeze in enough time to hear themselves think. It can feel like a lot and can be tempting to put ourselves at the bottom of our lists.
I believe carving out space & time for ourselves is part of our most important and productive work as women. It is how we will not only heal our hearts, but our connection to nature and the deep wounds our culture has toward our feminine nature.
As my teacher, Javier shared with me in one of our recent conversations -
"We must give ourselves as often and as lovingly as possible a space to be soft and not take care of anyone for a couple of hours, to have a date with ourselves and to connect with our feminine needs and desires."
Please remember that you matter. Your needs matter. Your heart and desires matter. What support can you open yourself to receiving right now?
A Tea Ritual for Self-Care
Simple additions to your daily routine can support your body on all levels – mind, body, and spirit. Supplementing with nourishing herbs in the form of teas, tinctures, broths, powders, and healing skin balms can provide an opportunity to slow down, restore and ritualize your daily self-care.
When I have a moment in between clients sessions, I like to use the practice of making tea to help slow down and return to my body and connect with myself ~
+ Based on how I want to feel, I'll choose an herbal or loose leaf tea blend.
+ I smell the dried herbs and greet the plant spirit from my heart.
+As I put a kettle of water on and wait for it to boil, I avoid scrolling on my phone and step outside or take some deep breaths.
+Letting the tea steep, I focus on how I want to feel and allow my breath to support me in returning to presence.
It can be so simple to return home to yourself throughout the day. Embodied practices like this one when used throughout your day can support you to reconnect to yourself, to manifest, to plant seeds for what you're creating in life. How are you utilizing rituals in your day?