It’s the start of the Kapha Season, where root-loving Earth and feeling-the-feels Water melt together to take over Earth’s (and thus your body’s) household. The Earth and Water element are a match made in heaven: it is traditionally described as cold, damp, wet, and... Very fertile. It’s a good season to deepen any connections, make investments, start new things, and nurture what you have. Today’s Moon in Taurus is natively ruled by Venus and so I figured this would be the perfect time to share a rich body balm recipe with you that I hold dearly for self-love ceremony’s.
To give you an indication of the self-loving potential here: the first time I prepared this balm was five months after birth. It led to my first ovulation after bubba!
The Ingredients
For three self-loving massages
Pomegranate Oil - 3oz
Pomegranate is the fruit of youth. The ancient texts also mention Pomegranate’s abilities to tone the uterus.
Shea Butter - 1oz
Thirst quencher and skin soother, with renewing enzymes
Cacao Chips - 1.5oz
Cacao: the plant medicine of love
Rose
Cools the fire of self-judgement and opens the heart
Saffron
One of Ayurveda’s most potent aphrodisiacs
Prepare your oil + set up your workshop
Take a small (used) bottle and fill it with 3oz Pomegranate oil. This is one of your three base oils. Before you close it, add 2 Saffron strands and the petals of 1 rose to the oil. Then, place the bottle in a window so it can soak up Sun and Moonlight. Two weeks for a minimum potency and 6 weeks to 3 months for a more potent infusion. In a rush? Get the essential oils of Rose and Saffron for a quick alternative. Twelve drops per oz base oil is a lovely ratio.
Is your Pomegranate oil nice and infused? Then it’s time to set up your Au-Bain-Marie situation. If you don’t have an official set, you can use a bigger saucepan to boil water and a smaller pan or insert to place on top.
Good to go? Here are your instructions!
For a ceremonial grade balm, you want to prepare it with intention. Start with five deep belly breaths, burn Sage for an aura cleanse, drink rose tea to open the heart, and do a few sets of eighteen wrist rolls (circulating to the left) to awaken your healing energy. You will feel a gentle tingling when you’re ready to create.
Pour water into the bottom pan and bring it to a boil. You want to have enough water to keep the insert hot but prevent over-boiling.
Place the Shea Butter and Cacao Chips in the top pan. Allow them to liquidise.
Add the infused Pomegranate oil at the very end. Stir with a wooden spoon and take off the heat after 1 minute. I always like to chant Ohm while stirring.
Pour your blend in a (used) 4 oz jar. Allow it to return to a semi-solid state.
Your Self-Love Ritual
For your self-love ritual, retreat in a room of choice. Dim the lights, and burn a few candles. I love Selenite candle holders and pillar candles, but any cosy lighting will do. Find a comfortable seat in Lotus or on a meditation cushion. It will get very oily very soon, so make sure to have a towel handy to avoid slipping or to cover any fabrics. Place your hands on your womb space in a downward-facing triangle. Your thumbs and point fingers touch, which allows your hands to form a heart shape. Take a deep breath. Your womb fills itself up on the inhalation. Your belly button sinks into the spine on an exhalation. Take four more of these breaths while you keep your awareness in the womb. After a total of five breaths, continue the cycle of breathing without counting. Invite light into your lungs, belly, and womb on an inhalation. Follow the light back up as you exhale, and witness how it exits through the crown of your head with each exhalation. Repeat this cycle of light for about five rounds. When you’ve done your rounds, I invite you to stay where you are, in that bath of light, preferably with your eyes closed.
Chakra guided practice of gratitude
Are you enjoying your light bath? I would love to invite you to this Chakra guided practice of gratitude. First, think of three things that you are thankful for. It can be anything; there is no big or small, right or wrong here.
Then, send your awareness to your feet. Think of three places that these feet have taken you, places that you’re thankful for. Take some of your Cacao Balm and massage your feet. Starting with the big toe, covering the soles of your feet, and massaging up to your ankles. Keep that thought of the places your feet have taken you, as you continue to massage your calves, shins, knees, and thighs.
Arriving at the pelvic area, think of three things you have felt. Things you are thankful for feeling. These feelings don’t need to be vanilla. What’s important is that you felt what you felt, and it gave you life as a result. Massage the outer parts of your vulva (careful with the inner parts if you chose to work with essential oils), up to your womb space, and around your lower back. All the way up to your belly button.
When you get to your belly button, it’s time to place both hands over your navel. Imagine your navel carries the brightest light you have seen in your practice so far. It’s hot as the Sun. On your inhalation, the brightness fills up your belly. Exhale. Feel how the belly button sinks into your spine. Inhale again, and think of three things you have accomplished that you’re thankful for. Exhale, and take some of your cacao body balm. Massage around the belly button, in circles to the left. Allow the circles to become bigger and bigger. So big, they reach all the way to your heart.
Pause. Place your right hand on your heart. Think of three things you have received, that you’re thankful for. Then, take some more body balm and massage around the heart in circles to the left. When you get to your collar bones, treat yourself to long strokes away from the heart, firmly pressing into the skin under the bone. Repeat seven strokes on both sides.
You’re doing so well! It’s time to take some more balm, as you move from your armpits to your elbow, to your wrists, and into the palm of your hand. Long strokes, with circles to the left at each joint. Thank both of your hands for the significance and independence they have brought into your life.
Time to massage your neck! Take some more balm and let your fingers touch each vertebra in your neck. Then, press firmly into your scalp. Think of three things your voice has shared, and thank yourself for the bravery it took to share these. You’re welcome to spend more time massaging your neck or throat.
As you’re coming to the end of your ceremony, take some more cacao balm and place it onto your third eye. Massage it in with your left thumb, point finger, and middle finger, circling to the left. Move your fingers across your forehead, towards your temples, and relax. Think about your intuition and the things she has brought into your life. Thank her for it.
Lastly, place all of your fingertips at your forehead. Both pinkies on the inner corners of your eyebrows, all other fingers lined up next to the pinkies. Your thumbs touch your cheekbone. Gently press into your skin, and allow your fingertips to move up to your hairline, and from your hairline to the crown of your head, in long strokes.
Relax in the aroma of the cacao and roses for as long as you desire, while your skin absorbs all the good stuff. Ayurveda recommends waiting up to 20 minutes before showering it off.
Thank you for being you <3
X,
Deborah Rose