Turning Inward, Self Massage, and Ritual

This season brings us the opportunity to reflect, draw back, and burrow inwards; connecting with our physical bodies and listening to our needs. As the trees shed their leaves, the vines wilt, and the flowers burrow back into their bulbs, we too can remember to return to our bodies and nourish the spaces that may have been depleted. Self massage is a ritual that many find easy to incorporate into their daily practice, and one that is filled with opportunities to check in with what your body is asking for in that moment.      

Self massage is guided by intuition of what your body is telling you and can be as simple as thinking about releasing a muscle or noticing how the movement of breathing massages from within. It can also look like a daily ritual of a gentle temple massage while washing your face, a hand massage during the morning meeting, or a self foot massage while decompressing at the end of the day. 

An easy place to start can be using a small portion of massage oil, like Seagrape’s Overworked bath + oil which has lavender and rosemary which both have anti-inflammatory properties, and warm it between your hands as you take some cleansing breaths. Place your hands on the area of your body or muscle group that feels tense or tired and just notice the sensation of your touch. Apply gentle pressure that allows you to feel connected to that area of your body and imagine breathing relaxation and wholeness into that space while breathing out tension. Try different pressures, motions, directions, and oils to find what best works in that moment, acknowledging that spending time being intentional in one’s body is healing and beneficial. Sometimes things like trauma and pain can make being present in our bodies difficult, so be sure to be gentle with yourself as you connect and communicate with your body.