Ritual Baths: create your own health ceremony

The healing properties of water have been acknowledged by humanity for thousands of years; from the ceremonies in temazcales (from the Nahuatl temāzcalli or “house where one sweats”) of Mesoamerican cultures that symbolized rebirth and purification, to the rituals of healing and spiritual connection of Japanese ancient onsen (hot springs), to the traditional banya (public baths) in Russia, where Slavic mythology cites the Bannik deity as the spirit that inhabits these sanctuaries of wellbeing.

Next June 12th we will be celebrating Global Wellness Day and we think there is no better time to talk about the effects to relax and soothe muscle tension you can obtain from bathing rituals. Deborah Hanekamp, better known as Mama Medicine, extends our understanding of this ritual and affirms that they are ideal to connect with creativity, introspection and deep healing.

In her book “Ritual Baths | Be Your Own Healer” Deborah —who has been named “the favorite fashion healer” by Vogue magazine— explains how we can take care of our health by integrating the healing powers of water into our daily routine, along with crystals, quartz, flowers and herbs.

We share some tips from Mama Medicine to help you get all the benefits of this ritual:

1. Less is more, use things you have at home
Include in your bathing ritual an unscented candle and a cinnamon stick for smudging. The essence that emerge from the burning cinnamon cleanses the toxic energy of the environment and has calming effects. Use epsom salts which are very easy to get, and fresh or dried rosemary that represents the loving boundaries of a mother.

2. Leave the clock outside the bathroom
This precious moment is a gift you craft for yourself. Indulge in this pampering ritual as you take all the time you want, especially now that we have plenty of time in our hands. Give yourself at least 20 minutes to enjoy your moment and benefit from the healing properties of it.

3. Hydration from within
As stress and tension melt away in the water and your skin hydrates, drink an herbal tea of your choice. Follow your intuition to choose the tea that will accompany your ritual.

4. Bathtub is optional
You can choose alternatives such as preparing a foot bath using the same ingredients that you would use in a bathtub, or accompanying a relaxing shower with all the elements of this ritual.

Deborah Hanekamp was among the stellar guests during the first virtual Wellness Getaway in Grand Velas history, on May 1^st.
We share the video of her beautiful intervention.
Enjoy it!