Every mother knows that swaddling babies in soft fabric makes them feel settled and secure, and encourages deep, restful sleep. Use the same approach when dressing yourself, opting wherever possible for light, luxurious natural fabrics, like cashmere and linen. Dress for comfort and grace, not fashion: no sharp shoulders, tight cuffs or uncomfortable high heels. Tight clothes can make you hyperventilate (breathe too fast), add years to your looks, as well as raise your blood pressure. Choose clothes that make you feel calm and connected to your body: floaty skirts that let the warm air kiss your skin, open-collared shirts that let you breathe and turn your head, flat or low-heeled shoes that let you run and walk briskly whenever you choose. Treat yourself to the sensuous pleasures of a delicate silk camisole, a sheer cotton lawn shirt, a treasured angora jumper that you can nestle into. They will delight your senses and help you feel at ease.
Our fundamental motive for getting dressed is actually not for warmth or protection - it is to decorate ourselves and to send messages to the world about who we are. Consider the scarf, which must be one of the oldest forms of clothing - people were wrapping lengths of woven material around their bodies long before anyone figured out how to use a needle and thread, or to sew a seam. A scarf is like a favourite piece of jewellery: the more you wear it, the more it feels like a part of who you are. No buttons, no pulling or tugging, no lacing or belting. Opt for natural fabrics, such as silk chiffon, wool or alpaca … wrap it softly around your throat, knot it around your head, sweep it over your shoulder or thread it through the loops of your jeans. Grace yourself with a flattering fusion of colour and texture.
Fragrance-heavy air fresheners may mask unpleasant odours from pets, cooking and smoke, but the chemical ingredients can irritate eyes, skin and throat, and make you feel agitated and unsettled. More worryingly, air fresheners and aerosols contribute to a complex build-up of chemicals and volatile organic compounds in the home - researchers have found that some commercial air fresheners and aerosols are associated with an increased risk of ear-aches in children and headaches in adults.
Create a relaxing mood by changing the atmosphere at home or work - literally. Use an aromatherapy burner to vaporise essential oils, or fill a clean spray bottle with 100 ml water, add 4-6 drops of essential oil(s) of your choice, shake well, and use to mist your room, your car seat or your desk. Choose from the following.
While getting clean is, in one sense, utilitarian, bathing also happens to be one of the best (and easiest) things you can do to balance your psyche and restore your sanity … especially if you add a little atmosphere by burning natural vegetable wax or beeswax candles.
When you take a bath in a room lit by harsh electric bulbs, you remain firmly tethered to the stresses of your working day. Dimming the lights with an automatic dimmer switch can improve the mood, but it doesn't come close to the soothing ambience created by lighting a candle - several is even better - and creating a haven of natural calm and intimacy. Candlelight takes us back to a simpler, slower-paced time, when humans naturally stopped work when the sun set, instead of trying to squeeze more activities into the night-time hours. Float in the water and gaze at the patterns thrown on the walls by the candlelight.
Focus on one flame and draw the idea of the light deep into your mind, putting all other thoughts aside. Watch the soft light play on the water around your body; imagine you've captured the moonlight in your bath. Let the warm, scented water slow your body and brain down. Lighting candles turns a simple bath into your very own sanctuary. Savour the moment of doing. Absolutely. Nothing.
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Note: This article was sent to us by: Celia Rumbers at 06092010
1. Turn a shower into an oasis of relaxation
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