There’s a new phrase floating around—doom-scrolling—and anyone with a smartphone can figure out what that means. Then there are the parents who are valiantly caring for kids while simultaneously conducting meetings and teaching classes via Zoom. Under more pressure are our nation’s valiant essential workers, who venture out every day to work in hospitals, keep our grocery stores stocked with food, or run our nation’s transport systems, to name a few of their heroic contributions. And finally there are the rest of us, trying to stay sane while social distancing, self-quarantining, and wearing masks—now recommended inside your own home if a family member is working outside.
With the pandemic showing no sign of stopping, most of us are in need of mental, physical, and emotional relaxation. But you can’t just tell yourself, “Relax, mate, it’s all going to be OK,” and expect your blood pressure to return to normal.
We all need a little help, and that’s why I highly recommend taking a do-it-yourself spa day to pamper yourself with massage, aroma therapy, and relaxing herbal teas—all happening inside your own home, since that’s where it’s at these days.
And once you get the hang of it, you can incorporate these easy tips into your daily routine wherever you go. Why not make relaxation a daily habit? With the challenges the entire world is facing today, relaxation is a tool we all can use to bring our minds and hearts closer to our normal, joyful selves.
Here are five simple ways to kick off your at-home spa day.
- Morning Self-Massage. Craving a relaxing massage but can’t risk it during the pandemic? It’s time to give yourself an Ayurvedic self-massage. Called abhyanga, Ayurvedic self-massage involves rubbing warm, fragrant, herbal oils into your skin in a specific pattern—long strokes over the long bones and circular strokes over your joints, abdomen, and head. Start with your scalp and don’t forget your feet. See detailed instructions here. Designed to release toxins, calm your nerves, and tone your muscles, abhyanga is a surprisingly effective way to start your day. Not to mention how your skin will glow.
Not sure which massage oils are best for you? Use this guide:
Moisturizing Massage Oil calms mind and body with a blend of organic sesame oil, fragrant lemongrass, calming ashwagandha, and other stress-reducing herbal extracts.
Soothing Massage Oil cools the body and emotions with an herbal blend of organic sesame oil, heartwood oil, sandalwood, waterlily, and six other cooling and nourishing herbal extracts.
Stimulating Massage Oil invigorates mind and body with a stimulating blend of organic sesame oil, java citronella, jatamansi, and four other herbal extracts. Or give yourself a treat with Youthful Skin Massage Oil, a truly luxurious oil for deep relaxation and even deeper sleep. It combines jojoba and sesame oil with two different formulas of artisan-crafted herbs for men or women.
If you prefer to add your own essential oils for a custom massage experience, Organic Sesame Oil for Massage is a cold-pressed, chemical-free oil suitable for most skin types.
- Bathing and Nasya. After your massage, take a warm bath to allow the toxins to flow out of your tissues and into your elimination system, where they can easily leave your body. While bathing is recommended, you can shower instead if time doesn’t allow. (Tip to avoid clogged drains: Allow the oil to soak into your skin at least ten minutes before bathing. You can also wipe off excess oil with an absorbent paper towel. Also, you don’t need excessive amounts of oil for an effective massage.)
After your bath, take a moment for nasya, a simple but powerful Ayurvedic technique that involves sniffing pure herbal oil to cleanse and protect your sinuses. Because the nasal passages provide a path to the brain, nasya helps calm the mind, too. Organic Clear & Soothe nasal spray makes it easy—you just squeeze the bottle and inhale. Its mild mixture of organic sesame oil and heart-leaf sida protects against allergens and balances Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
- Yoga and meditation. Now that you’re awake and squeaky clean, it’s the perfect time for your morning yoga and meditation. I personally have had amazing results with the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, a simple, effortless way to set up your day with energy and clarity of thought. Because it’s so effective in releasing stress and creating profound balance in mind and body, TM is considered the foundation of Maharishi Ayurveda, and has been researched in studies sponsored by the NIH and published in peer-reviewed medical journals such as the AMA’s Hypertension.
Yoga asanas (postures) have also been found to create mind-balance and are the perfect way to relax your mind and body before you begin your meditation practice.
- Herbal Tea Ritual. Herbal teas, found in the ancient civilizations of China, Egypt, and India, have been cherished for their health benefits for thousands of years. The magical combination of herbs, warmth, and flavor soothes and relaxes. Of course, some people want their herbal tea to wake them up, while others want to calm down; so choose the tea to balance your particular needs for that time of day.
Morning: Raja’s Cup gives the satisfaction of a cup of coffee without the buzz. It’s actually a powerful antioxidant and a flavorful, gluten-free, herbal blend that balances all three doshas. Spicy and stimulating, Organic Stimulating Kapha Tea will chase away morning lethargy and is especially good during spring weather and for people with Kapha body types.
Afternoon: Organic Cooling Pitta Tea is perfect for summer afternoons, as it helps cool excess heat. It also helps with digestion. Afternoon is also a good time to slow down and destress with a cup of calming Worry Free Tea, which not only calms the mind but soothes frayed nerves and stabilizes your emotions—giving you that extra boost to finish your day’s tasks with ease.
Evening: A cup of calming Organic Calming Vata Tea early in the evening provides a great transition into your evening meditation session, helping to wash away the stress of work—and setting you up for a tranquil evening with your family or friends. And nothing beats Slumber Time Tea before bed for slowing down your mind and helping you enter a state of deep sleep with ease. Eat a light, nourishing evening meal, turn off your screens at 8:00 and listen to music, enjoy light conversation, or take an evening stroll instead. With all this relaxation going on, you’ll find yourself slipping into a deep night’s sleep before 10:00pm.
- Aroma Therapy for Balance Throughout the Day.Inhaling the fragrance of essential oils of flowers is an easy way to maintain balance all through the day. Experiment with Calming Vata aroma oil while you meditate, Cooling Pitta or Blissful Heart aroma oil if feeling frustrated or irritable, and Slumber Time to ease into a deep, restful sleep. Sniffle Free aroma oil helps clear the sinuses and enhance immunity, and Stimulating Kapha is great for getting your body moving on sleepy mornings.
For no-hassle aroma therapy, try this elegant bamboo diffuser. It’s not only a beautiful addition to the room, but it disperses the oils using a cool ultrasonic mist instead of heat, thus protecting the integrity of the delicate flower essences. This diffuser doubles as a humidifier, and shuts itself off when the water level goes low. Plus it’s quiet and doesn’t interfere with sleep, and contains an optional nightlight.
Pure sandalwood incense is another way to diffuse cooling sandalwood aroma into a room. It’s a traditional choice for creating a sacred space and refining the senses for meditation and yoga.
Experiment with your at-home spa day, and find out for yourself how great it feels. This is the first step to creating a lifestyle based on relaxation—and a great way to make the most of your expanded at-home time.
Linda Egenes writes about green and healthy living and is the author of six books, including Super Healthy Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Maharishi Ayurveda, co-authored with Kumuda Reddy, M.D.
© 1999, 2021 Maharishi AyurVeda Products International, Inc. (MAPI). All Rights Reserved. MAPI does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. See additional information.
