What are your daily rituals? The things you do everyday, no matter what, or at least, as often as possible. Perhaps it’s making your bed every morning, brushing your teeth, or preparing your breakfast a certain way. When you think of these things, do you see them as tasks or chores or something more special? This is something I’ve been thinking about recently and it’s slowly becoming apparent to me that the more special I treat these everyday functional activities as opportunities for delight, I myself feel delighted. It’s a practice in mindfulness and the more I am present enough to notice, the more beauty I see.
Speaking of beauty, I’ve also had a desire recently to enhance my own daily rituals with pretty objects. They aren’t necessary of course, but I do think that by adding in beautiful items to the things we do daily can bring a level of sacredness to it.
I’ve listed out a few of my current wishlist items below. Take a look and let me know what other objects you use to enhance your daily rituals.
1. Smokeless Incense
True story. When I was pregnant with Raffi and planning my birth plan, I had the desire to make my labor room feel luxurious and spa-like. I stumbled upon this incense brand, Bodha, while perusing the main floor of ABC Carpet & Home (which sadly, doesn’t exist in the same way anymore!) I was drawn to this particular one because it didn’t emit any smoke. The earthy wood notes of Hinoki, Cedarwood & Frankincense was pregnancy friendly and frankly, quite intoxicating. I purchased it immediately and was happy to have it in my hospital bag ready for the special day. But of course, if you’ve either experienced or heard about how labor actually goes down, you know we did not use the incense. Truthfully, I don’t think I even took it out of my bag until months later. At some point however, I did revisit the incense and since then, it’s become a part of my regular routine. The scent I have is called Ground and as the name suggests, it’s perfect for grounding and focus. I like to light it before sitting down at my desk to work or study. And when friends come over after it’s been burning, I always get comments on how lovely it smells.
2. Interesting Candlesticks
I’ve always wanted to be the kind of person who lights candles at dinner. The kind who brings out fancy candlesticks for special occasions or a casual set for a regular weeknight meal. But to be honest, I am currently not this person because mealtimes with a three year old don’t exactly feel candle friendly. But perhaps this is just a limiting belief. Perhaps this is a great time to talk about fire safety. And perhaps this is a time to buy my very own taper holder set from Ahmee Ceramics. I love the textured look of this tan stoneware and my eyes keep coming back to the white brush stroke. Lighting candles for a weeknight dinner will certainly elevate any meal, even if it’s just tomato soup and grilled cheese.
3. A beautiful teapot
The first thing I do every morning is put water into our electric tea kettle so that Inge and I can enjoy our daily earl grey. All I have to do is push a button and within minutes, my water is ready. I like this particular machine because it’s efficient. However, now that I’m seeing this beautiful glass tea kettle, I’m wondering if I need to make more space for beauty. I mean, look at this gorgeous pink glass. It’s so delicate! And elegant! Aptly named ‘Piuma,’ which means feather in Italian, this teapot is hand blown borosilicate glass, meaning it holds up well to heat, but looks and feels light as air. Adding this to my afternoon tea ritual seems like a very good idea.
4. Romantic Candles
My sister Karina introduced me to Maison Louis Marie a few years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. I started out wearing their Eau de Parfum No.04 Bois de Balincourt, which has notes of sandalwood, vetiver and amber wood. Every time I wore it, people would literally stop me on the street to ask me what I was wearing (ok, it only happened once but still.) I eventually discovered that the company also make candles, and at half the price of other fancy brands, they are the only candles I buy now. To enhance your everyday, I suggest lighting a candle anytime you’re going to do something relatively mundane. For example, turn the lights off in your bathroom and burn the candle while you shower. Or light it as a ritual before you open your emails. This simple ceremony helps slow you down so you can take a moment to appreciate the moment itself.
5. An Organic Meditation Pillow
Meditation has been something that’s kept me grounded and feeling good for several years now. But I’ve always managed to mediate wherever I can, whether it’s in bed, on my sofa, at my kitchen table, or even on airplanes. You definitely don’t need a special pillow for your practice. However, carving out a sacred space in your home where you can dedicate to meditating, journaling, or just thinking can be a really nice way to enhance your practice. Plus, it’s good for your posture and can make sitting for a long period of time more comfortable. This organic option from Avocado is on the top of my list.
How about you? Would you buy any of these pretty objects to enhance your everyday rituals? I certainly think there’s something sweet and special to it. Adding a bit of beauty and romance to your everyday tasks can be inspiring and nourishing. Let me know if you try it.
Top photo by Chelsea shapouri on Unsplash.
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