This New Moon could not have come at more perfect time.
As someone who has a tendency to go-go-go and someone who has a tendency to practice escapism when the going gets rough, tuning into the Moon and her rhythms has been an essential part of my mental and physical self-care. The New Moon invites us to sit down with ourselves, to be quiet, and to turn inwards. Its arrival acts as an external reminder to tend to my internal waters, make sure everything is flowing smoothly, and, if it's not, listen to what my mind and body need. More often than not, what they need is to relax! To stop checking Facebook and Instagram, to stop reading a book or article every free second I have, and to take a deep breath and actually relax.
On that note, today I decided to put my feet up, literally. I have been writing down "herbal foot bath" on my To Do list for the past three weeks, never once finding (or creating) the time to sit down and just relax.. But today I told my partner Diego to come over right away because we were doing a foot bath before he went to work, goshdarnit! The time we took for ourselves was short, only 15-20 minutes, but it was worth it.
If you are like me and have a hard time taking time for yourself, I invite you to set aside a measly 20 minutes to sit back, soak your feet, and relax!
What You'll Need
- 1-2 quarts boiling water
- 1-2 cups dried herbs
- a container to soak your feet
- optional: a warm compress for your eyes, lavender oil for your temples, or soft music in the background
I wanted to feel relaxed, but also rejuvenated and ready to tackle the rest of the day, so The Herbs I Used Were
- 1/2 C lemon balm
- 1/2 C oatmeal
- 1/2 C rose petals
- 3 tbsp peppermint
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp lavender
Other options are
- Relaxing herbs: lavender, roses, lemon balm, spearmint, chamomile, passionflower
- Uplifting herbs: lemon balm, peppermint, fennel, basil, lemon peel, rosemary, sage
Instructions
- Boil 1-2 cups of water on the stove
- Put 1-2 cups of your herbal bath blend into a mason jar, using 1 cup of herbs per quart of water
- Pour the boiling water in a mason jar //or// add your herbs directly to the pot
- Let this "tea" steep for at 10 minutes
- Pour the tea, strained or unstrained, it's up to you, into the container you will soak your feet in
- Wait until it's the temperature you want, or add a few ice cubes and a little cold water
- Dip your feet, take a deep breath, and relax
It's a small gesture, but taking the time out for an herbal footbath can really make the difference in a hectic day. Currently, I am in the middle of packing for Medicines from the Earth, preparing packaged teas for the counseling center I work for, formulating for a new client, and waiting for an old friend to come over. This herbal footbath was the perfect mid-day activity to quiet my mind and renew my senses. It reminded me of how much relaxing you can really do in less than 30 minutes. Pair this foot bath with a cup of relaxing, nourishing tea, and you're good to go.
Have a beautiful, safe, and nourishing New Moon!
xoxo,
Blaire