Her Strength is Built in Baths.

“When surrounded by the cares of the world, she bathes; she washes the worries and works away.” —Natalie Stover

The art of bathing has been around for a very long time. We could follow it back to nomadic tribes who would submerge themselves in natural hot springs to bring healing and peace to their bodies. Somehow, the springs beckoned them to soak in their natural elements, and even call truce in a survival of the fittest culture where only the strong survived. Sometimes, only these places offered peace, unity and healing amongst enemies and war. The art of bathing has always been a place where even the most barbaric can harness peace and let the worries of this world vanish for a moment, so I choose to glean from history and partake in this art as much as I can this year.

There’s something cleansing about ending your day in a tub filled with warm water. Something significant about letting the cares and tasks of the day be smothered by a blanket of warmth, that encircles you and holds you for a while. We all need to be held, so bathing has become a daily project of mine—and I’m not talking about my daily shower for the sake of hygiene. I’m talking about a planned experience every evening to relax and let the stresses of the day drown in the glorious feeling that meets you in the tub. So let’s raise our water bill this year! It will be worth every penny.

Things to remember as you soak…

Number 1: It doesn’t have to be fancy. You don’t need the added bath salts, candles, bubbles etc… although they can be used at times to enhance your experience. It’s the hot water that does the trick. The idiom “to be in hot water” has a whole other connotation to me. I beg of you please put me there—I want to be in hot water.

Number 2: Just make it hot—we’re not talking sexy. In this case we’re focused on temperature. A hot bath makes the blood flow easier and makes it more oxygenated. So this year you can relax and take a deep breath as you breather easier in the tub. Not only will your breathing improve, immunity can too. The hot water can help kill bacteria and strengthen the immune system. So let’s make this year one of the hottest yet.

Number 3: Let yourself lounge—Bath lounging is one of my most loved activities. For many reasons really…but for one—it’s the one place that really “slows” this busybody down. There’s nothing else to do but lounge. I can’t “find” something else that “needs” to be done. It forces me to relax! I can’t do dishes or laundry in the bath. I have to be “lazy”—and I’m the kind of person that needs to be forced to stop and lounge. So this year, don’t just give yourself permission; force yourself to lounge a lot more.

Number 4: Soak in the R&R. I go here to think, to dream or just to Rest & Recharge. Undisturbed, I soak in the sound of running water, then the quiet sets in and I drift into tranquillity to find a healthier me. Take as long as you need. I can spend an hour or two soaking to find her; if it’s the latter I may have had to refill the bath with hot water again. Nevertheless, she emerges stronger, better and more whole, and there is research to prove it. Did you know that bathing has psychological effects that bring comfort and security and can even help fight depression? The art of bathing doesn’t just wash over our exterior, but our interior, cleansing our minds from the burdens of the day. When finished, I emerge with a Renewed mind, mentally stronger & Ready to engage life. Not only do I emerge mentally ready; physically I have been rejuvenated. My circulation has increased, my blood is more oxygenated, and my heart is healthier—in more than one way. I have finally found that healthier me.

Here’s to soaking in the New Year!