(Home on Long Island, at the docks in Northport)
This past weekend for me was an equal mix of relaxation, red wine, ocean beaches, & family time. And it all kicked off Thursday evening with one of my routine "me time" bubble baths. So, tonight I have decided to highlight this routine as I have brought it to your attention before. The bubble bath. When I was a full time nanny to those same three little darlings I’ve written about in the past (see April blog: “why does the pig eat tofu?”) I used to give them a bath every night after dinner. Yes. All 3 of them at the same time. There were lots of bubbles. You may be wondering how I managed to wash 3 children at the same time. Easy…. Funny Bones.
(What?)
Yep. Funny….Bones….
My hands would have the wash cloths wrapped around them, loaded with soap. I would reach for the ankles and scrub while singing “the ankle bone connects to the, knee bone! The knee bone connects to the hip bone!” Then: “them bones them bones them, funnnnnyyy bones!” (at the “funny bones” they would get tickled and splashed by me, making the washing process well, “funny” to them. They got the biggest kick out of this. If you don’t know the funny bones song, then I fear you may have missed out on something during your childhood. Their little laughs would make me laugh, and by the time the bath was over we were all equally covered in bubbles. The kids however, were clean. Mission accomplished.
But what does a bath mean to you when you are no longer 5, but rather 25?
At 5 I looked forward to baths because it meant I got to turn my barbies into mermaids and play in a giant tub of water until my fingers looked like raisins. This past Thursday evening, I finished a brutal workout at the gym, and I felt that if I did not take some time to soak in hot water, I may not have been able to get out of bed in the morning. :) Now there are other reasons for taking a bath as an adult besides a killer workout. Stress for one, is a horrible chain of reactions in our body which will age us, add weight, and affect our physical and mental health. If you feel stressed for whatever reason, I am going to suggest a bath. If you feel you have a lot on your mind, and need time to gather your thoughts and re evaluate some things; I am going to suggest a bath. And while I may have taken one this night because of the workout, I will confess…it was all of the above reasons that made my bath feel superior.
I believe it’s important to listen to your inner monologue, to listen to your heart, and to listen to your body. They are all always speaking to you, and it is this self awareness that I feel puts you 10 steps ahead of the game. For example, I usually know when I am getting sick days before it actually happens. I can feel when I am low on iron, and when I am dehydrated. Forget Tylenol, diet supplements, and talk shows on TV. You can figure everything out on your own, just listen. So listen I do (or at least try to most of the time, but no one is perfect). What I heard was …”lady, take a bath”. This time is beneficial since 1. Relaxing slows my heart rate down, and this makes excellent prep for sleep, 2. The steam opened my pores and allowed for workout wastes to escape way better than a cold shower would, and 3. Meditation & self awareness requires practice. Marjorie Jaffe, in her book, "The Bathtub Yoga & Relaxation Book" says "You forget how to take care of yourself, and [a bath] teaches you to take time, meditate and be mindful of your body" (David Fischer discusses this on his candles and soap blog).
It is amazing how when I turn off my bathroom light, & light 4 candles instead, how my bathroom (which is so boring and normal during the day) becomes an entirely different place. It is beautiful. With 4 candles at the front of the tub (2 on each side) and 2 candles that hang in holders on the wall, I can shut off the actual bright lights that are above my sink. I filled up the tub with hot water, and poured a dove soap mix against the running water. My final touch is the ipod perfectly placed next to the tub, and my playlist set to go. I tie my hair up in a “sloppy bun” & step right in. Hello, this is my world now. I am thinking about how being alone feels nice sometimes (despite how much I usually love being around people), and how I feel that this is better than any verbal therapy session anyone could ever offer me. Fortunately for me, I have the capability to close my eyes, listen to music, and completely meditate until I feel new again. I also make decisions during this time on issues that are peeving me for the moment. Sigh…ah clarity. There you are.
I will share my relaxation playlist: I couldn’t have been happier listening to this mix. You should try it. (it's mostly the same artists, but hey if the mood fits...)
Ingrid Michaelson: “The Chain”
Ingrid Michaelson/Sara Bareilles: “Winter Song”
The Cinematic Orchestra: “To build a home”
Ingrid Michaelson: “Morning Lullabies”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: “Maps”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: “Runaway”
Maxwell: “Womans work”
Ingrid Michaelson: "The way I am"
Ingrid Michaelson: “Keep Breathing”
So, my loved ones, do yourself a favor and step into the world of hot water, candles, and bubbles that smell like lavender. Because when this world gets confusing and complicated, it wont do you any good to stress. Stress will leave you with nothing but wrinkles, and I have a master plan to remain looking 25 well into my 40s. ;) (Also, just like when I was 5 years old, I stayed in this bath until my fingers looked like raisins as well).
I leave you with a quote I read this week (after my yoga class each week they always end with a quote, & I see myself starting to pick up the habit..)
“If you want something you’ve never had, you need to do something you’ve never done”
Enjoy your sanity (and a sample song from my bath playlist).
All my love <3
More Ingrid Michaelson music on iLike
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