How to Cultivate Self-love on a Daily Basis
Ayurvedic Practices for Self-Care
It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self, and intelligence. – B.K.S. Iyengar
To have love to share, we first must cultivate a juicy bank account of love inside of ourselves. Sometimes this is easier said than done as when there are a million things to be done, children to feed, emails to respond to, appointments to fit in and a plethora of other activities surrounding your day-to-day routine, it can sometimes feel impossible to make time for self not to mention the practice of some juicy daily self-love and care.
This is where the power of setting yourself up with a few simple daily ‘rituals’ to support you, your yoga practice and your self-love bank account – can make your life a whole lot easier and more delicious!
There is no limit to the amount of daily rituals you can seamlessly weave into your day. You most likely already have a whole bunch such as showering, brushing your teeth and making your morning cup of tea, coffee or green smoothie.
Rituals are magical as they allow us to honour what is sacred. Devoting 10-20 mins of your time morning and night to some sacred ‘you’ time is all it takes. Your body is a sacred temple. When you love your body, it will love you back ten fold.
5 Ayurvedic Rituals for Self-Love
The 7 minute Morning Self-love Massage – Warm a small bottle of cold pressed black sesame oil or coconut oil up in hot water and massage your whole body for 5-10 minutes before having a shower to move your lymphatic system, boost your immune system, hydrate your skin and give your beautiful body some juicy self care and love.
Daily Devotion – Nourish your mind and spirit daily with stillness, surrender and connection. A daily practice of your own form of prayer and meditation is nourishing for your inner self.
Create your Day – set intentions at the start of each day to create a context for your day that inspires you. We attract what we put out. Start your day with clarity and focus for your body, mind and spirit.
Massage your Feet – Make a habit of massaging your feet with an organic nontoxic body cream, body butter or sesame oil each night before bed. The reflex points in the feet have the power to relax your whole nervous system, which leads to a deeper sleep and soft beautiful feet!
Journal and Let Go, Daily! – Mental digestion is just as important as physical digestion. Create a habit of writing your thoughts down, expressing your feelings and reflecting on the day before you go to bed. This practice is powerful for cultivating self-love and receiving guidance that will assist you and prevent stress from building up.
Words by Lorien Waldron
Author, Yoga Teacher and Nutritionist