There is an insane amount of activity going on in the world around us and in our every day lives. And lets face it, none of us take enough time out of our 24 hours to still our minds and listen to what our bodies and souls need. Even with a completely full schedule there are many ways to introduce mindfulness and ritual into our lives. There is no ‘right way’ to go about this either, just intentionally make small changes in your life, and incorporating practices little by little until they form into healthy habits!
Mindfulness is the practice of self-awareness, awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations.
Ritual is a way to make even the most mundane activities intentional and sacred. Creating a morning and nightly ritual is a great way to recharge our batteries and put our best foot forward each day!
Mindful Mornings
For most of us one of the biggest parts of our mornings is applying our favorite skin care and makeup! It can help us feel more ready and confident about the day ahead. Whether your routine is short and sweet or lengthy and complex it has the potential to be far from a boring and repetitive task.
Morning Skin Care Ritual
Instead of letting what Vedic philosophy calls our “monkey minds” drift off as we stare into the mirror applying products, we can take this time to bring awareness to how we are feeling. Are you anxious about the day ahead? Dreading going to work because of that one coworker? Is there quite a few tasks on your to-do list?
Take a few moments to bring your attention to your breath. Try a few different pranayama breathing exercises before you get started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAQLvFbsPwY One of my favorite breathing exercises to do in the morning is Alternate Nostril Breathing or Nadi Shodhana Pranayama. This breathing technique balances the oxygen flowing to both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. I also like to mix eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, and lavender in a carrier oil and rub a little inside or right underneath the nose to promote easier breathing and stress relief.
Now that you’re a little more aware and relaxed; take your favorite facial cleanser and wash away any negative or low vibration thoughts that may be clouding your mind, realize it’s a new beginning, a new day to create whatever you wish. Bring awareness to your skin. What does it need today? Is it dry, maybe more oily than usual? Think about what products you could use that will most benefit what your skin is in current need of. As you put on your favorite serum and moisturizer really massage it into your skin to release tension and increase blood flow to the skin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1XFV11Fwr8
This is the perfect time to tell yourself how beautiful you are! Remember to keep taking slow breaths; aware of your inhale and exhale, breathing in the scents of your products. Pick out some of your best qualities and say them out loud to yourself. Say all that you intend to accomplish today. One of my favorite things to listen to while I apply my skin care and makeup are Positive Affirmations or Guided Meditations that you can find on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5HGdD5tttg&t=4062s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIH1XMhV2EM&t=14s
If you don’t have much time to do this before leaving the house, try incorporating it on your commute to work!
Night Time Is Prime Time!
Your nightly skin care ritual is just as vital in setting the tone and vibe for the next day.
You can follow the same skin care steps I introduced for your morning ritual but instead, think about how thankful you are for all the events that occurred during the day and what intentions you have for tomorrow! Maybe this time add a mask in the mix and drink your favorite tea while its setting.
Once your skin care ritual is complete try a night time yoga routine to wind down before bed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsOHPld6B00
Try this out for a week and notice how you look and feel! Its quite alright if you miss a day or two, but remember how important YOU are!
Namaste,
Athena.
Mindfulness is the practice of self-awareness, awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations.
Ritual is a way to make even the most mundane activities intentional and sacred. Creating a morning and nightly ritual is a great way to recharge our batteries and put our best foot forward each day!
Mindful Mornings
For most of us one of the biggest parts of our mornings is applying our favorite skin care and makeup! It can help us feel more ready and confident about the day ahead. Whether your routine is short and sweet or lengthy and complex it has the potential to be far from a boring and repetitive task.
Morning Skin Care Ritual
Instead of letting what Vedic philosophy calls our “monkey minds” drift off as we stare into the mirror applying products, we can take this time to bring awareness to how we are feeling. Are you anxious about the day ahead? Dreading going to work because of that one coworker? Is there quite a few tasks on your to-do list?
Take a few moments to bring your attention to your breath. Try a few different pranayama breathing exercises before you get started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAQLvFbsPwY One of my favorite breathing exercises to do in the morning is Alternate Nostril Breathing or Nadi Shodhana Pranayama. This breathing technique balances the oxygen flowing to both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. I also like to mix eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, and lavender in a carrier oil and rub a little inside or right underneath the nose to promote easier breathing and stress relief.
Now that you’re a little more aware and relaxed; take your favorite facial cleanser and wash away any negative or low vibration thoughts that may be clouding your mind, realize it’s a new beginning, a new day to create whatever you wish. Bring awareness to your skin. What does it need today? Is it dry, maybe more oily than usual? Think about what products you could use that will most benefit what your skin is in current need of. As you put on your favorite serum and moisturizer really massage it into your skin to release tension and increase blood flow to the skin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1XFV11Fwr8
This is the perfect time to tell yourself how beautiful you are! Remember to keep taking slow breaths; aware of your inhale and exhale, breathing in the scents of your products. Pick out some of your best qualities and say them out loud to yourself. Say all that you intend to accomplish today. One of my favorite things to listen to while I apply my skin care and makeup are Positive Affirmations or Guided Meditations that you can find on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5HGdD5tttg&t=4062s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIH1XMhV2EM&t=14s
If you don’t have much time to do this before leaving the house, try incorporating it on your commute to work!
Night Time Is Prime Time!
Your nightly skin care ritual is just as vital in setting the tone and vibe for the next day.
You can follow the same skin care steps I introduced for your morning ritual but instead, think about how thankful you are for all the events that occurred during the day and what intentions you have for tomorrow! Maybe this time add a mask in the mix and drink your favorite tea while its setting.
Once your skin care ritual is complete try a night time yoga routine to wind down before bed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsOHPld6B00
Try this out for a week and notice how you look and feel! Its quite alright if you miss a day or two, but remember how important YOU are!
Namaste,
Athena.
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