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Sacred Rituals: Weekly Ayurvedic Rituals & Reflections to Ground and Renew
Woman over 40 exploring these sacred rituals.
Welcome to Sacred Rituals, a space to return, reflect, and realign with nature’s rhythm.
Each month, I share a simple Ayurvedic ritual, a small act of devotion to help you pause, breathe, and reconnect with what matters most.
These are not elaborate routines, but gentle practices that restore balance and awareness through the changing seasons.
Come here whenever you need to slow down, reset your mind, or remember the wisdom of your body.
Bookmark this page and return throughout the month as your relationship with each ritual deepens.
These monthly Sacred Rituals will be archived on this page for easy access whenever you need them.
I'm excited to announce Sacred Rituals Sundays — Beginning in February,
I’m opening a new doorway for us to gather:
Sacred Rituals Sundays
A gentle 30-minute twice-monthly live, online reset to help you start your week nourished, grounded, and in rhythm.
More details coming soon — I would love to see you there!
January Sacred Ritual: Abhyanga
A Five-Week Journey into Touch, Rhythm & Belonging
Abhyanga is one of the best ways to soothe a jangled nervous system.
It is a remembering of warmth, of safety, of being held by your own hands.
Each week, we focus on a different gateway into the body, allowing the ritual to grow slowly, naturally, and without pressure.
You may spend 5–10 minutes, or linger longer if you wish.
There is no right way—only presence.
The sacred ritual of Abhyanga.
Week One: Oiling the Feet — Returning to the Ground
In Ayurveda, the feet are rich with marma points (like acupressure points) connected to the entire body.
When you oil your feet, you tell your system: You are safe to land here.
Oiling the feet with coconut oil or ghee before bed helps to reduce night sweats and hot flashes.
Ritual
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Warm a small amount of oil between your palms.
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Sit comfortably, ideally before bed or first thing in the morning.
Oiling the feet is a sacred ritual in Ayurveda.
Massage slowly:
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The sole, using gentle circles
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The heel, often dry and forgotten
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Each toe, pulling softly from base to tip
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Between the toes, pinching gently
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Long stokes up and down the sole and the top of the foot
If it feels nourishing, include the ankles and lower calves, using long, upward strokes.
Breath + Awareness
As you massage, silently repeat:
I am supported. I belong on this earth.
Let this be a ritual of arrival, not accomplishment.
Weekly Reflection:
How can I add this practice into my daily life with ease?
Week Two: Legs, Hips & Lower Belly — Establishing Stability
This week, we move upward into the foundation of the body: the legs, hips, and lower belly.
Vata dosha rules from the waist downward.
These areas carry both physical strength and emotional holding.
In Sanskrit, the word "sneha" means both oil and love, so every time you oil, you are giving yourself self-love.
Abhyanga is a tried and true way to calm Vata dosha.
Ritual
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Begin again with the feet (even if briefly).
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Massage the legs with long, up-and-down, grounding strokes.
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Spend time around the ankles and knees, circling gently.
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Include the hips, sacrum, and lower belly with slow, clockwise circles.
This practice is nourishing and soothing to Vata dosha and to the nervous system.
Awareness
Notice sensations like warmth, tenderness, and resistance, letting go of any judgment.
Silently affirm:
I trust my body to hold me.
This week supports Vata grounding, emotional steadiness, and a sense of inner peace.
Weekly Reflection:
What holds me back from nurturing myself with abhyanga every day?
What does it feel like when I catually take the time to nourish myself.
Week Three: Abdomen, Heart & Hands — Nourishing the Center
Here we enter the center of digestion, emotion, and giving.
The abdomen is the seat of agni (digestive fire).
The heart is the bridge between body and mind.
The hands are how we touch the world.
Oiling the feet is a sacred ritual in Ayurveda.
Ritual
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Begin with feet and legs if time allows (see description in previous weeks).
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Massage the abdomen in slow, clockwise circles, following the natural direction of digestion.
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Move to the chest and heart space, using flat palms and gentle, circular motions.
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Spend a few mindful moments on the hands:
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Palm centers
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Each finger
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Wrists
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Breath + Awareness
Let the breath soften into the belly and chest.
This week is especially supportive for Pitta balance and emotional digestion.
Weekly Reflection:
What am I ready to receive?
What am I ready to soften?
Week Four: Neck, Face, Ears & Head — Calming the Mind
This is the most subtle and often the most powerful week.
The head holds our thoughts, our striving, and our wakefulness.
Oiling the head is a traditional Ayurvedic practice for sleep, anxiety, and nervous system repair.
The ears are a site where Vata dosha accumulates, so oiling and massaging the ears helps reduce Vata.
Abhyanga eases sleep difficulties.
Ritual
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Warm a small amount of oil.
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Begin at the neck and shoulders, releasing downward tension.
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Massage the jaw, cheeks, temples, and brow with slow circles.
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Oil and massage the earlobes.
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Gently oil the scalp, using fingertips.
Move slowly. This is a ritual, not a massage technique.
Breath + Awareness
Let the eyes soften. Let the tongue rest.
Silently repeat:
I allow my mind to be held.
This practice is deeply soothing for Vata and Pitta, and ideal before bed.
Weekly Reflection:
Where do I hold tension in my face? Neck? Head? Shoulders?
Previous Sacred Rituals
Come Back Often
Each ritual unfolds in layers; what feels grounding today might feel expansive next week.
Return whenever you need to pause, breathe, and reconnect with yourself.
Ayurveda is a way of remembering who you are.
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Ritual Archive
