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7. Daily Rituals of Peace- Part 2

Rituals start with routines. Routines are what ground us and centre us – they help us create stability and predictability for our minds. Nilakshi Sharma, Content-Head at Paro, tells us how mindfully creating your own personal routines can help you find moments of calm.

Daily rituals are like little notes to the Self. When we can start the day on a note that offers us what we need – calm or delight or joy or even can-do energy, we are nourishing and nurturing our Self, we are laying the groundwork for a better day, a better week and a better year. The rituals with which we end our day are equally important because when can calm our minds and slip into restful sleep, we are allowing our bodies and minds to rest and repair.

Release The Day

Many of us struggle to cross the bridge between an active day and the calm repose of sleep. Our minds remain busy and our bodies far too alert to allow us to slip easily into a relaxed state, which is the precursor to a good night’s rest.

Functional night routines can be that bridge, allowing us to unwind; slowly and easily. Ending the day and starting your sleep routine with simple self-care is a good way to transition to sleep time.

Before settling into bed take a few minutes to lavish attention on your hands and feet. Wash and then massage them. Use any nourishing body butter or balm or seed oil you like. Use Sesame, Coconut, Almond, Jojoba, or any other nourishing seed oil that you like and have at hand. To add a fragrant note, add a drop or two of the essential oil of your choice to the seed oil.

The routine of doing this daily can make this a grounding experience. Both, the soles of our feet and our palms, have pressure points. And as you massage them you can experience the day and all its business ebbing out of your body slowly. If you have a massage tool like a Kansa wand, you can use it to massage the soles of your feet.

Don’t rush through this routine and treat it like a chore. Pause. And then do it with a sense of releasing the day. Your mind and body will reward you.

Make this a functional routine that allows you to let go of the day and enter into a calmer state of mind that will allow you to slip into restful sleep more easily.

Starlight, Starbright

Once upon a time we looked at the stars and saw in the stories of wonder and magic. We used to see the Hunter striding across the sky as we traced Orion’s Belt, we looked for the Bears - the Ursa Major and the Ursa Minor, we wove legends around the eternal vigil of the North Star, in the twin star system of Mizar and Alcor we saw the fidelity of true partnership – naming them Vashisht and Arundhati. We saw the stars and we lived in their stories.

And then the noise and pollution, the busy days and the bright lights drowned out the stars. But now, thanks to the dramatic decrease in air pollution and stay-at-home lockdown, it is a good time to gaze skywards again.

Such is their magic that star gazing is also one of the most beautiful ways to transition from the business of day to the restfulness of night. When the day ends and the night shrouds the Earth, take the time to head out onto the rooftop and look at the stars. Use apps like Sky View Lite, which are a great way to help identify the stars and constellations visible in the night sky. Stargazing is also a beautiful and rare opportunity in urban settings to introduce children to the magic of the stars and their stories.

Note of Peace

Disclaimer: This article is authored by Nilakshi Sharma, Content-Head at Paro . The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not represent those of GlobalSpa.