Body Oiling: A Daily Practice
What’s all the hype about herbal oils?
This natural remedy works its magic in many layers.
Self-love & self-care.
Calming the nervous system.
Aches & pains.
First aid.
Skin issues & maintenance.
Herbal oiling has been a much-used natural remedy for millennia. And the practice of herbal oiling is an essential self-care skill.
The best part is getting out of your head and getting to know your body. Oiling lets you touch every inch of your body with love. Your skin absorbs nourishing and beneficial fat from the oil, healing plant medicine, and your own deep self-love.
It is like wrapping yourself in a blanket of love. The results are profound, nourishing, empowering and immediate.
Here’s how to do it:
Set-up: Lay out a towel to sit on. Mindset matters, so consider silently repeating an empowering mantra throughout your oiling session.
Warm oil between your palms and begin your massage, working from the scalp down toward your feet.
Move and breathe slowly, mindfully--take as much time as you desire. Linger where necessary, taking more oil in your hands as needed. Use long strokes on the limbs and circular strokes on the joints. Pay special attention to your ears, hands, breasts, and feet.
Work from the outside to the center of the body to move lymph and fluids into proper circulation.
To support healthy bowel function, start at the bottom right corner of the abdomen then move up and across to the left side, down and back around.
BONUS: Use a dry brush to exfoliate and stimulate skin before oiling for an enhanced effect.
But wait! That’s a LOT of work…
Herbal body oiling does not need to be one more thing on your miles-long to-do list! Simplified versions take just a minute or two. Try oIling the bottoms of your feet before bed or massaging your hands in the morning. You can even oil your ear lobes for a quick pick-me-up.
Just promise me someday soon you’ll allow yourself a whole body oiling session, complete with candle light and a warm bath. :)
As an herbalist, there is nothing quite like working with the plant, infusing it in a carrier oil and watching the healing constituents seep out in front of your own eyes.
I hope you’ll incorporate body oiling into your daily routine—you’ll be so glad you did. 🖤