By Hannah Schenker
We are so busy, aren’t we? Racing about from dawn to well after dusk – nurturing, caring, organising… As parents, it is all too easy to be swept up in all this busyness, day in and day out, that we start to forget ourselves. We forget to honour our own rhythms, our own sensuality, our own unique joys. So how can we begin to cultivate rituals of joy in our lives?
Rituals of joy
“Bringing the attention back to our own sacred self is vital, as the knowledge that we possess the ability of being present, with and for ourselves, is so needed in building a healthy autonomous identity. As we then begin to feel we can truly nourish our own being, and don’t have to wait for others to do so. This, gorgeous one, is the soft revolution back to self.” – Lisa Formosa, Sensate Me
Ask yourself – what brings you joy? It may take a bit of excavating to uncover, as we inevitably grow accustomed to putting ourselves last as parents. But let the question settle into your mind and see what comes up. What brings you joy? How would you like to nourish yourself, in small simple ways?
By allowing yourself to ponder over these questions, you are giving yourself permission to allow pleasure into your life, accessing and honouring your holisitic sensual self. Connecting in with your senses as a daily practice brings you so swiftly into the present, and the more you practice it the more abundance will open up to you, and the more embodied and empowered you will become. So slow down, take the time and see what you come up with.
What brings you joy?
How can you cultivate more pleasure in your everyday life? Here are just a few suggestions, but ideally tap into your own wellspring of inner knowing. Think about your senses as a starting point, as connecting with them brings you instantly into embodiment.
- A visual cue to remind you to take a deep breath, each time you see it. This could be a special candle or crystal placed in a special spot in the house.
- Honouring your divine femininity by pressing natural perfume onto your pulse points each day.
- Making a sacred cup of something delicious in your favourite mug – and actually sitting down, even if just for a moment, to fully and thoroughly enjoy that first sip. Even if you don’t get to drink the whole mug, you will have indulged your taste buds with that first sip.
- Lovingly massaging special elixirs into your skin as a daily practice. It doesn’t take long to do, yet you are honouring yourself with this small act – showing yourself you are worthy of being taken care of.
- Allow yourself to choose special items for your home – a luxurious throw, a sacred journal, a handmade ceramic bowl, a beautiful necklace. Every time you see your special items as you go about your daily tasks will remind you that you live and breathe here too. You are a valued member of the household, and you too deserve beautiful things.
