Self Love Birthday Ritual

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I've been really feeling that Mercury retrograde this week (along with the eclipses and other planets in retrograde--AHHH!). 

So for my birthday I'm looking for some self care and self love check back in with myself and remind myself of my own magic. Below is a little Self Love Ritual I started last year and plan to continue. Of course you don't have to wait for your birthday, give it a try whenever you need some self-care!

Every year on my birthday I purchase myself a bouquet of roses, usually from Aldi's because they are cheap--amirite?--but still beautiful. These roses remind me of beauty, love and passion; all those things we may forget about in the thick of things.

Cut the stems and place all but two into water, just to enjoy. Those other two rose serve a different purpose...

Draw a warm bath, make some rose or hibiscus tea and grab a good book (Right now I'm reading The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman).  Add about a half cup of Epsom salts to the water for grounding and purifying--letting go of all that negative stuff! Then grab your essential oils and add in a few drops of Wild Orange (2-3) for brightness and sweetness and a drop or two of Frankincense to remind you of the spice in life. Top off the bat with the rose petals from one of the separated roses. Get in and relax. Soak up the beauty and enjoy some down time because you deserve it. 

After your bath, dry off--bonus points for a fluffy warm towel straight out of the dryer!--but keep those essential oils close at hand. Find a comfortable place to sit for some self massage with a drop or two of lavender oil, one drop of Frankinsence and a few drops of fractionated coconut oil as your base. Much like using lotions after bath, use the oils to hydrate your legs, arms, elbows, shoulders, knees, etc. Then make a slightly smaller batch of oils specifically for your feet. I like to use fractionated coconut oil and two drops of cederwood; once again for it's grounding properties but I find this helps me stay asleep longer. 

What about that second rose? Those petals go on your bed sheets. 
Place the rose petals all over your bed sheets so you can sleep like royalty. Let the sweet scent draw in beautiful dreams and remind you of your beauty, Queen. You'll wake up feeling refreshed, covered in roses and as a result a smile to start your day. 

I usually will leave the petals on my bed sheets for 2-3 nights before they completely dry and get a bit difficult to cleanup. Also if you have pets, I don't recommend leaving the petals accessible; I usually make my bed and my cats do not bother with them.

Hoping all your birthdays are beautiful, loves.
- Jenn Rose

P.S. - This ritual was inspired by the lovely Veronica Varlow. If you like this idea, you'll love her as well. <3