SELF-CARE: Grounding Goddess Ritual

We all tend to spend the majority of our days in action, striking off items from a never ending to-do list, juggling our professional, romantic, social, family lives and then collapsing at the end of a long day with little time for reflection. And it's no wonder since in our society, the energies of action and motion are rewarded while the reflective and receptive are often pushed aside. We brag about being busy and hustling hard, forgetting that our creativity and growth often come in those times of calm and self-reflection. In fact the key to feeling fulfilled and energized lies in our ability to balance the opposing but equally important masculine and feminine energies.

Whatever your beliefs, every woman can connect with the archetype of a Goddess and benefit from ritual and self-care. Mindset and positive thinking are so powerful (just think of the placebo effect!) and rituals are a perfect way to create sacred space and time for yourself. Blocking out the outside world, the phone calls, the notifications, the wants and needs of everyone else. Taking time to look inside. Something we rarely do but that can be the most powerful tool for knowing -and getting, what we want out of life.

Below is a self-love Goddess ritual I like to use to centre myself and reconnect to my power, sensuality and feminine energy. This ritual is especially powerful for new moons or the Day of the Goddess (Friday the 13th which happens rarely but is super potent) but it can also become part of your weekly self-care practice as a way to turn in and reconnect with your inner goddess. Feel free to adapt the ritual to what feels right for you, trust your intuition!

1. Release the Old

I like to begin the ritual with a spiritual cleansing of myself, my space and my crystals. Get rid of any negative, self-sabotaging patterns or limiting beliefs by writing them out on a piece of paper and then (safely) burning them. Allow the fire and air to transmute the energy of all that you are releasing. Clear yourself and your space by smudging. Waft the smoke of your choice around your body, your space and your crystals.

A personal favourite for this ritual is the incredible scent and energy of Palo Santo smoke. Palo Santo is a holy wood from South America that sort of smells like cedar or frankincense and was used in ancient ritual and ayahuasca ceremonies to keep energies grounded and clear. It also raises your vibration when preparing for meditation and enhances creativity. Alternatively you can burn sage or incense (I love copal, the quintessential Tulum scent).

2. Get Clear and Centered

After the burning and smudging, where you invoked the elements of fire and air, it's time to welcome water and earth.

Start by drawing a bath for yourself and adding two cups of sea salt, and a few drops of essential oils (I like jasmine because it's associated with the new moon and smells heavenly!) Place your crystals around your tub, for this ritual you can use rose quartz or rhodonite which ignite self-love. All crystals have different healing properties and can be used to amplify your concentration and focus on whatever you’re working on during your meditation or ritual. If you don’t have a bathtub, you can make a scrub with fine sea salt and essentials oils by mixing them with coconut oil. Gently rub the scrub all over your body in circular motions, and then wash it off in your shower. This will leave your skin feeling exceptionally smooth and soft and is a great opportunity to show your body some appreciation and love, without judgment or criticism.

Some suggest wearing fresh, white clothes after this Goddess bath, but anything white paired with silver jewelry can make you feel extra magical. I am partial to wearing loose and flowy black clothing with gold jewelry... do whatever feels right for you!

Follow this deep cleansing by a short grounding meditation. A simple practice to anchor back: sit comfortably and imagine roots growing from your feet or your spine down into the heart of Mother Earth. Take a few deep breaths, until you feel calm, clear and centered. I tend to visualize a ball of light emanating from the centre of the earth (which looks like an avocado pit to me!) travelling up my taproot and flowing through my body clearing out any negativity and scattering it back into the earth. Focus on your breath throughout.

3. Set New Intentions

Light a white candle, play your favourite sacred/meditation music, and call in any Goddesses that may resonate with you. I like to work with the Greek Goddesses Artemis, Athena or Aphrodite depending on what I need help aligning with.

Close your eyes, and focus on your third eye (the center of your forehead), inviting your soul to show you its dreams, intentions and will for your most abundant, blissful life and radiant, authentic self. Flow with each vision, no matter how out-of-reach it may seem, your soul knows you are worthy and how to bring it to you. If nothing comes, I usually pick a mantra or affirmation to focus on and visualize myself embodying whatever I'm repeating to myself. It could be anything like 'I am worthy of love', 'I am whole', 'I am confident and assertive', 'I have faith in the universe', ''I deserve to be heard and seen', ... whatever. I picture myself as a Goddess embodying those feelings in specific situations.

Once you've received your visions or made them for yourself, write down your inspired new intentions. Keep these intentions central to your daily spiritual practice. Repeat them to yourself whenever in doubt.

4. Let Go

Once your ritual complete, let go. You've released the old and received your soul's intention. Act from your heart and soul. Keep moving, living, being. And trust.

Let go of expectations. You've done your part now have full faith that the universe will have your back. Focus on other parts of your life, and be fully immersed in the present moment as much as possible. Tune into yourself everyday and keep an eye out for signs and synchronicities. Appreciate all the blessings you have now and try to live in joy and gratitude. Whenever you feel anxious or attached, go ground in nature or just go for a walk.

Like the tide, life is a series of ebbs and flows, ups and downs, embrace each phase and learn to co-create with the universe instead of resisting it.

And voila! You've just enjoyed your first Self-Care Goddess ritual. Hope you feel grounded, refreshed and inspired!

xo