Sacred Skinny Dipping (a how-to for you)

Last week was one for the books.  I started off the weekend by leading over 70 women in a Full Moon Ceremony.  Whoever said New Englanders were a bunch of preppy puritans was very VERY wrong.  The magic is alive and well here in Massachusetts and I am so honored to give it another home at Hawthorn Farm.

After the ceremony Thursday night, I spent the rest of the weekend with 30 wise and beautiful souls at HOME: A retreat to remember your body is sacred.  The first day I led the women through releasing and processing all of the pain, anger and fear we build up in our bodies as modern women.  The day was hard and the women did some deep work.  It’s never easy to go there, but there isn’t any space to grow unless we get rid of what’s holding us back.

The second day I led them in the most incredible body ritual, one where I saw each woman come alive and fully embrace her unique beauty and power.  It was so transformative that I wanted to give you the steps so you can perform this ritual at home.

During the retreat we changed out of our clothes into sarongs and walked down to the lake.  We each connected with what we wanted to release, dropped our sarong and scrubbed our skin with Amazonian clay. Not only does this sluff off dead skin, but the clay actually removes toxins from the body. We imagined the emotional junk we’ve been carrying around being pulled out by the clay as we scrubbed our own bodies and helped out our sisters with their backs.

Then we all jump in the lake completely naked and rinsed off the clay and the stuff we’ve been carrying around. It was one of the most joyful, free moments I’ve ever witnessed.  Just imagine all of these beautiful, naked women splashing, screaming and smiling ear to ear.  In that moment, there was no shyness, comparison, or feeling like our bodies are here to look at.  We each stood so confidently in our unique and interesting Homes.  So healing!

Then we dried off, put our sarongs back on and came inside where we gave each other rose oil massages while we sat with the question, “What is my body the temple of?”  Seeing these women nurture and take care of each other with the candles flickering and beautiful music playing, gave me chills.  It was like I was witnessing a deeply ancient ritual.

After the massages, the women put on their favorite dresses, braided their hair and adorned themselves with flowers, feathers and face paint.  What a sight! Each woman was glowing, fully embodying her Queen and standing in the temple of her essence.

To do a version of this ritual at home, you’ll need the following supplies:

• Towel
• Clay
• Rose oil
• Candles
• Water (lake, ocean, bath or shower)
• Hair brush and Hair tie
• Beautiful dress
• Optional: feathers, flowers or leaves gathered from outside

Here are the steps to take:

1. Clear your ritual space by clearing clutter and saging. Set out your candles (dont light yet) and your supplies.
2. Get undressed
3. Sit with what you want to release and get clear.
4. As you scrub your body with the clay, imagine what you are releasing being sucked out of our body and brushed off of your skin.
5. Close your eyes and set in the intention to release this emotional junk.
6. Dive in the lake, get in the bath or step in the shower.
7. Imagine all the things you no longer want to be carrying being rinsed away and going down the drain.
8. Step out and notice how you feel. Do you feel lighter? Empty? More free?
9. Dry off and lay your towel on the floor.
10. Dim the lights and light your candles.
11. Give yourself a rose oil massage, while asking yourself, “What is my body the temple of?”  Rose essential oil opens the heart and brings the energy of love and femininity.  Do this for at least 10 minutes.
12. Brush your hair and braid it if you like. I love all of the tutorial and ideas at How To Hair Girl.
13. Put on your favorite dress (it’s ok if youre not going anywhere special, this is just for you).
14. Put some flowers, feathers or other fauna in your hair to remind you how connected we are to nature.
15. Behold your raw, powerful beauty.  Your body is a temple. Honor it.

I hope that you experience the same deep acceptance, joy and embodiment the women did last weekend.

Sending you so much love beautiful.

Xox,
Sarah