Back in the mid 2000’s, I attended a spiritual retreat in Egypt and among the visits to the Ancient Temples we also were taken to an Egyptian perfume store. The owners gave us a brief history of Egyptian perfume making. And as our humorous Egyptian presenter explained the history and making of perfumes in Ancient Egypt. Meanwhile, his assistant gave the group sample bottles of these beautiful perfumes to smell and test as we listened.
It is well-known that the Ancient Egyptians and many other cultures used fragrant oils, lotions, herbs, tinctures, as nourishing treatments for well-being and personal care.
And if we look at the word – “treat” – the Latin meaning, curation – cure, touch, attention, care, healing… equates to Self-Love. And we are all familiar with the phrase, “I am treating myself to a massage, or facial, or holiday.”
In this busy, complicated age of tech, it is vital to nurture oneself and take time out to restore vitality and maintain well-being. Only twenty to thirty minutes of practice a day is needed to help bring into balance and peace to the mind, which extends to emotional and mental balance and centering.
There is a multitude of practices that support well-being as they nurture all aspects of human physiology. Contemplate adding one or more of these to your daily life consistently and see what happens. Try out deep breathing exercises, Tai Chi, meditation, yoga, stretching exercises – any one of these will assist with calming the mind, strengthen the body, and create emotional stability. And for variety, adding treatments such as saunas, acupuncture, massage, facials, manicures, or cranial therapy, for example, will assist in maintaining self-nurture and well-being.
Other creative ways to let go of stress and encourage relaxation are; listening to opera or classical music, reading poetry, repeating mantras or affirmations, chanting, watching comedy shows, having a luxurious bath with aromatherapy oils, walking amongst mother nature. These activities are understated, sophisticated ways to encourage the release of tension and relax the central nervous system, bringing rejuvenation to the mind, body, and soul.
Feed your soul the elegance of self-love practices and enjoy the rewards.