Luxury Bath Ideas and Alternatives

This is one of my favourite parts of the retreat! Let your mind float, and really slow down. Here are some ideas to make this truly relaxing and inspiring:

• add 1/2 cup Epsom salts to your bath

• make up a simple sachet with a few good wintery-smelling things (collect some evergreen needles on your walk, add a piece of cinnamon stick, some dried citrus, etc.)

• add a few drops of a favourite essential oil (lavender is quite relaxing)

• candles! If possible, a few tea lights in a bowl, floating on the surface of your bath. The candles will create magical reflections and can be quite hypnotic. (of course, please be safe with your candles)

• low lighting - maybe the candles are enough light, or if you don’t have candles then perhaps you can have a flashlight or low-wattage lamp across the bathroom from your tub (again - be safe with this! Don’t have these things near the tub; place them in a far corner)

• music - I strongly suggest something without words in a language you understand, so either instrumental or something like Gregorian chants {example}. These chants have been found to activate our brains in a very meditative way. Something else to try is listening to a “sound bath” {example}.

• don’t forget to drink lots of water and/or herbal tea so that you don’t get dehydrated

• be careful when you stand up - the salts and oils will have made your tub more slippery than usual

Bath Alternatives

Maybe you don’t have a bathtub - no problem! It just means you get to be creative with this. One suggestion at a past retreat was to fill up a basin with warm water to use as a relaxing foot soak - you can still use Epsom salts, essential oils, low lighting, and music as you would with a bath, and can have a few candles lit nearby.