One way to lavish yourself with self-love is a ritualised "goddess bath" or a ritual shower...
A goddess bath is an opportunity for you to indulge...to treat yourself like the goddess, or god, you are. It's a concept you see in old movies with some Egyptian or other ancient theme, where a woman is being treated like a queen. Sometimes it's a milk bath and she comes out of it ritually cleansed and pure.
In our modern world, it's when you set aside time, grab the nicest toiletries you’ve got...you may have some branded spa oils, or something equivalent, or you may make your own salt scrub with special blend of oils (in the correct ratios) and (obviously water compatible) crystals.
You may surround your bath with candles, may have a table nearby with a book, a glass of wine or cup of tea. You may listen to spa music (or your favourite album), or watch TV. However you choose to have your bath, it's a way to devote time to yourself and honour your inner deity!
Sounds amazing?
It is...but while I do occasionally indulge in a deity bath, I prefer a ritual shower. Why? Because really love the idea of washing myself clean, and I just don't feel like that in a bath. And also because I know you should really be left to your own devices when you indulge in a bath, but my dogs are more likely to be the kind you’ve seen on YouTube or TikTok etc., jumping in my bath with me :)
So my personal preference is a ritual shower...especially now you can get shower bombs, which are scented, you put them under the water as you start your shower and they make your showers smell even more amazing.
As you wash yourself, make it a ritual, cleansing yourself of all of the stresses and concerns of the day, letting them flow away from your body just as the water flows and drains away. Visualising them disappearing. You can also visualise healing golden light pouring down with the water as you rinse clean, purifying and healing you. This is your mindful moment, so music, or candlelight etc. are perfect company if you wish them to be!
For me one of the most important things about a ritual shower, is that once you have cleansed yourself ritually and rinsed away all your concerns, then you can anoint yourself, with your nicest smelling shower gel, oils etc. Any posh, luxurious toiletries that make you feel like the divine being you deserve to be treated as.
Take as long as you want, appreciate this scent, this feeling of beauty and luxury, feeling worthy, lovable and truly loved by yourself. Remind yourself of all the reasons you deserve all the luxury, all the abundance. Use a mantra if you wish....
"Having cleansed myself of the stress of the day, I annoint and honour myself and walk back into the world unburdened and free."
is one of my personal faves...again, these are up to you, it is your mindful moment!
And this is another reason I'm not as fond as I could be of the term "goddess bath"...I prefer to keep it gender neutral, and often encourage my son to take these ritual showers. If he's had a hard day at school, he grabs a shower and washes himself clean of the day.