Judith White - Home Spa: Creating Your Own Spa Experience with Aromatherapy

Home Spa

Copyright 2006 by Judith White

Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: orders@psdprom.co.za Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast: www.raincoast.com Published in India by: Hay House Publications (India) Pvt. Ltd.: www.hayhouseindia.co.in

Designed by: Rhett Nacson Edited by: Rachel Eldred, Hay House Australia

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2005935413

ISBN: 978-1-4019-1148-5
10 09 08 07 4 3 2 1
1st edition, January 2007

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Humans love to be pampered, and in the 21st century the health spa has become not only the ultimate place to indulge, but the perfect place to relax and it also assists you in maintaining good health. Unfortunately, for many of us, a visit to a spa is either a rare treat or a one-time rescue remedy.

Yet it neednt be: not if you create a spa environment at home. For most people, life is busy and its difficult to find the time to rest and rejuvenate, but it isnt that difficult to create a mini-spa environment at home that you can enjoy every day. Even if its for 10 minutes enough time to soak your feet in an aromatic foot bath or give yourself a scentual shower. Thats not difficult; the only requirements are the appropriate ingredients and techniques, which I shall provide in the chapters that follow.

My background and expertise is as an aromatherapist. I started work in the field in the 1980s when most people had no idea what an essential oil was, let alone what to do with it. Today its different, and aromatherapy has become so widespread that you can pick up an essential oil in almost every health food store or pharmacy anywhere in the Western world. Aromatherapy is very popular in health spas, and to create your mini-spa at home you can use essential oils to not only set the scene but also to add to the many wonderful spa treatments that help rejuvenate body and soul for example, foot soaks, body massages and facials.

It was my love of essential oils that inspired me to write this book; simply through the use of the oils in my day-to-day life, I had unwittingly created a mini-spa environment in my own home. Theyve touched every aspect of my life, and also allowed me to appreciate every moment of it. Ultimately, the creation of a home spa is simple: Take the time to truly be with and pamper yourself even if its for two or three minutes a day in a shower.

Home Spa is about encouraging you to maintain good health. Its about adopting a proactive role in your personal health and wellbeing. Like anything you value and care for, when you treat it well it responds favourably and, conversely, when you mistreat it, it can create havoc. So given that most of us want our body to be in optimum good health, the creation of a mini-spa environment at home is ideal.

how to use this book

Simplicity is the key to Home Spa. The idea is to inspire you to create a mini-spa environment at home without too much fuss. The idea isnt to increase your workload, but rather lighten it. introduces many different spa techniques you can use in the comfort of your own home, from self-massage and sensual baths to aromatic footbaths and facials. Get ready to pamper yourself.

It takes 28 days to create a habit. In , I introduce you to the 28-Day Refocus Program. The simple tips I give are easy to incorporate into your everyday life and so make it a daily habit. It neednt consume too much of your time, or distract you from your everyday tasks. On the contrary, it should assist you in decreasing stress levels so you get much more from your day.

My objective isnt to create a mini-spa environment at home to rival the health spa, but rather to complement it. A health spa is tremendously pampering and healing. Unfortunately, the healing experience often ends soon after you leave. The benefit of a mini-spa at home is that it prolongs your health spa experiences and assists you in keeping an equilibrium between spa visits and its that equilibrium that can assist you in dealing more effectively with the rigours of life.

Home Spa inspires a self-loving practice. When you rub your fingers and hands over your body with an essential oil blend youve created, you do more than just moisturise and protect the skin. You improve your circulation, tone the muscles and boost your immune system. The aromatic molecules can also help you to focus your thoughts and alter your mood as you spend quality time with yourself.

Ultimately, Home Spa is a guidebook you wont just read it once, put it on your shelf and never look at it again. It shall be a constant point of reference as you define, and then continue to refine, your mini-spa experience at home.

When you take responsibility for your own health and wellbeing, your experience of life changes. You are not a victim of circumstance, but rather more powerful you know and trust that you can take care of yourself no matter what life throws your way. Home Spa encourages you to do that. It invites you to make the most of your life, whatever it happens to present you with.

It wasnt that long ago when spas were simply thought of as pools of water with bubbles. Not anymore. Today, the spa is your one-stop health and pamper spot, and theyve bred, it seems, in response to the busy-ness and demands of modern life. Since 1997 health spas in Australia have grown from a mere three to over three hundred.

As I mentioned in the introduction, your home mini-spa is to complement your visits to a health, or day, spa. The idea is to inspire you to keep abreast of lifestyle changes, as we know how easy it is to slip into self neglect when caught up in the busy-ness of life.

Good health in the 21st century is not simply the absence of disease; good health means youre on top of life you feel great, you have the energy you need to get through the day, you are resilient to stress, your attitude to life is positive and you enjoy a healthy body weight. If this is not where youre at right now, it can be. Your visits to a spa, plus your own home mini-spa can help you achieve and sustain good health, so you meet the world with strength, character and determination.

But what is a spa and what can it offer? Each spa is unique in its own way. Some spas are big on hydrotherapy, others on health and nutrition. Some spas offer fitness regimes, while others focus on beauty treatments. For example, your local beauty salon may refer to itself as a spa simply because it offers massage. Essentially, though, todays modern spa is a health, beauty and fitness centre. And though massage is a treatment offered at most spa centres, at some you may also get nutritional and dietary advice and recommendations on how to change your lifestyle.