rituals off the mat
written by madison obenrader
Candlelit Bath
Imagine this: It’s a crisp evening, the wind is howling, the moon is shining bright. You have your home all to yourself, you’re feeling sore from your All Levels Flow class at Ritual, and you are in need of a spiritual cleansing. You decide to run a warm bath and set the scene: lights are dim, candles are lit, incense is burning, crystals are everywhere, and 528 Hz frequencies are softly playing in the background. You add in your favorite herbs, salts, and bubbles to the steaming water. You disrobe, dry-brush your skin, and begin to step one foot into the tub, and then the other. Submerging your body completely into the water, you let out a sigh of relief. “This is exactly what I needed,” you think to yourself. You fully allow your body, mind, and soul to absorb all the healing energies from this ablution, inviting peace and renewal into every part of your being. You recite your prayer or mantra, establish your intention, and immerse yourself in a state of deep relaxation for 30 minutes, or as long as your body needs. Sounds like the perfect evening if you ask me.
Mindful Eating
Most of us tend to rush through our meals, distracted by our devices, leaving us completely oblivious to all the flavors and nourishment of our food. This has led to a growing disconnect between us and our eating experience. But we can make the conscious choice to make eating a meditation in and of itself: Start by removing all devices and distractions, and dedicate your time to just eat. Now that it’s just you and your plate in front of you, take a moment to pause. Take a deep breath in, and a long exhale out. Begin to pay attention to all sensations of your food: the smells, the colors, the shapes. Next, start to contemplate where your food came from.
Thich Nhat Hanh has said that we can see a single crumb of our food as an “ambassador of the cosmos.” Give gratitude to the sun and rain, the farmer, the delivery driver, and anything or anyone else possibly involved in the food in front of you. Take a moment to close your eyes and say a quick prayer or blessing over your plate. Now that you’re aware of where your food has come from, it’s time to eat. Start by picking up your fork or spoon, gather your food, and whenever the food reaches the inside of your mouth, come back to your senses. What flavors do you notice? Textures? Take your time, chew your food slower than you normally would, and be sure to finish all of the food in your mouth before going in for your next bite. Whenever the mind begins to drift off (naturally so), just gently bring your awareness back to the food you’re eating and to the present moment. Once you finished your meal, take a moment to reflect and express gratitude for the nutritious food you’ve enjoyed. Try this mindfulness practice during your a meal or feast with a loved one this month.
Give Gratitude
Embracing a mindset of gratitude brings many, many positive benefits to your life. Research shows that giving gratitude can help us strengthen our relationships with those around us, improve our physical and mental well-being, enhance empathy and reduce aggression, improve our sleep, enhance our confidence and self-esteem, increase mental strength (Morin, 2014), and so much more. On top of all that, it also just feels good to take the time to look around and really become aware of all that you have, no matter how big or small.
