Autumn Bath & Incense Ritual on a blustery Fall Evening
Putting hands to nature to create your own herbal bath and a raw plant incense, then enjoying them in ritual is a meaningful way to engage in Autumn self-care and attune with the changing the season. Healing is more important than ever after the activity of summer and doing so aids nature in telling our bodies and selves that it’s time to rest…and that its more than okay to enjoy the sweetness of hard-earned relaxation.
Build the intention of your bath and incense ritual from the very beginning of gathering your herbs and ingredients. As you harvest and prepare your herbs, imagine yourself lighting the incense as your bath water is running and think of what you wish for each ingredient to bring to that space. Imagine yourself in the bath and acknowledge that the herbs will be aiding in your relaxation, their scents floating about in the steam and think of what you hope for them to do for you. Ask them if this can be done as you are preparing.
Enjoy this ritual on a blustery Fall evening, when you have a night alone to just be and enjoy!
Autumn Herbal Bath & Incense Ritual
prepare the following herbal bath mixture during the day in a small bowl then set near your bathtub:
desired amounts of ground sage, chamomile, & rosemary
1 cup epsom salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
prepare this loose incense during the day and store in a jar, then gather your burning tools and set near your bathtub (charcoal, safe-container, and lighter/matches):
freshly dried marigold, spearmint, sage
2-3 cloves
Draw your bath in the evening. Light a charcoal piece (these ones are designed for safe incense burning indoors) in the safe container nearby your bath.
Light a candle or a few around your bath. Adjust the lighting to be as dark as you’re comfortable with for safety and relaxation.
Open or crack a window to let in the crispy Fall air.
Pour your herbal bath mixture into your bathtub.
Put your loose incense on top of your charcoal.
Before you step in to relax, say to yourself or out loud “In these darkening days, I tend to my roots. I nurture my inner glow, as I feel into the winds of change. I rest in harmony with the cycles of life.”
As you bathe, your only job is to notice and feel the air, as you breathe and relax in the water.
Exit the bath before its warmth dissipates. Stay slow and relaxed as you towel dry and put on comfortable warm clothes. Close your window and either clean up your incense storing any leftover for later or add more and take it with you around your home.
Don’t turn on lights after your bath ritual, but rather spend the evening in as much darkness as you can - read by candle light, journal, listen to music or simply sit and be one with the peaceful dreamy night. It is never as dark as we think it is, the moon gives so much more light than we realize because we are so used to artificial light in the evening. See if you can allow your eyes to adjust to the night. You will see that you can accomplish all you need by moving slowly and mindfully in the dark. Note your level of relaxation with a lower level of light in the evening. Remember that you are glowing with warmth.
Sleep and rest.
