Our Step-by-Step Guide to an Indulgent Self-Care Night

by Madeline Kim on Feb 18, 2022

There’s nothing more relaxing than settling in for a night of self-care. The normal hecticness of our daily lives has been compounded the distinct challenges and hardships that have characterized the past two years, making the act of self-care more vital for our well-being than ever. Without taking time to intentionally ground ourselves and relax our minds and bodies, we risk becoming imbalanced, which in Ayurvedic tradition is the root of all illness and disease. (For more information on the three doshas and how to maintain overall balance, you can check out our blog here.)

Despite the fact that self-care has become a major buzzword in the wellness industry, it can feel difficult to know how to start and maintain a meaningful self-care practice. In Ayurvedic tradition, making small but consistent changes to one’s lifestyle can bring about long-term balance and health in a natural and seamless manner. These changes can be as simple as oil pulling in the morning, or taking a minute to dry brush before hopping into the shower.

If you’re finding yourself with the extra time and willingness to hold a more involved self-care night, there are a number of Ayurvedic rituals that induce profound relaxation and calm, instantly soothing both body and spirit. They’ll leave you feeling revitalized, recentered, and primed for sleep. Best of all, it will feel so amazing that you’ll find yourself wanting to make more and more time for self-care—forming a positive feedback cycle that will have profound, long-term effects on your overall well-being.

Here is a simple step-by-step guide to a rejuvenating Ayurvedic self-care night. You can try out any or all of these three practices; you can also swap one of these practices for other Ayurvedic rituals as well!

How to Have an Ayurvedic Self-Care Night

1. Blast your favorite music and make a healthy home-cooked dinner.

What we put into our body is as important as how we treat it; our diet is a major factor that affects our overall health. By incorporating organic, Ayurvedic ingredients into your diet, you can take strides toward improving your immune system, digestion, skin and more.

Especially during kapha season, it can be easy to become imbalanced and weighed down by feelings of stagnation. You can re-nourish yourself and counter these feelings by cooking kapha-balancing recipes, like this warming vegetable ragout:

Warming Vegetable Ragout (Serves 2)

Ingredients

1 large onion – cut into wedges
1 medium turnip
2 medium carrots
1 medium beetroot
½ cup vegetable stock
Spices: 1 tsp. curry powder, cinnamon (pinch), turmeric (pinch)
Parsley leaves and lemon zest (for garnish)
Ghee (clarified butter), mustard oil, and unsalted butter
Salt & pepper

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F
Peel and chop the turnip, carrots, and beetroot into ½-inch cubes and toss with half a teaspoon each of ghee and mustard oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender
Heat ghee in a large skillet and cook the onions until golden brown
Add the roasted vegetables into the skillet, adding vegetable stock, spices, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are thoroughly coated
Garnish with parsley and lemon zest

Optional: Pick cornbread for your choice of carb for its kapha-moderating properties!

2. Try out the healing, balancing practice of self-massage.

The Ayurvedic ritual of self-massage is one that sounds complex but is actually very simple: all you need to do is massage essential oils into your body, and you can vary your routine based on your own personal wellness needs. The practice of self-massage has powerful aromatherapeutic benefits, instilling you with instant calm and relaxation. It also boasts a variety of health benefits, including pain relief and enhanced mental function. For more information on the benefits of self-massage, check out our blog here.

If you’re not sure where to start with self-massage, we recommend trying our Absolute Essential Self Massage Oil, designed to absorb seamlessly into the skin for a radiant softness. To self-massage, simply apply the oil over your body and massage gently; use your full palm to apply straight motions on bones and circular motions on joints. Typically performed prior to a shower or bath, you should leave the oil on for at least 15 minutes before washing it off. Best of all, you can magnify the therapeutic, calming effects of the massage by taking a long, rejuvenating bath afterward!

3. Round out the night with a bath for instant mental and physical relaxation.

In Ayurvedic tradition, bathing is revered for its wide variety of mental and physical benefits: it relieves stress and anxiety, soothes muscle tension, purifies and cleanses the skin and enhances mental focus and clarity. You can even personalize your bath to suit your specific wellness needs by adding a few drops of essential oils to the water. Lavender oil, for example, both improves mood and relieves pain and inflammation. Sandalwood evens skin tone and soothes inflammation, while geranium provides deep hydration and calms irritated skin.

We also have our own Pure Calm Wellness Bath & Body Oil Gift Set, whose formulas are designed to purify the skin and soothe the soul for a radiant, soft complexion and feelings of tranquility and balance.

If you’re interested in learning more about bathing in Ayurveda and how to make the most of your bathing routine, check out our blog on the topic here.

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