Today's practice to prepare for sound sleep is a water element foot bath.
Foot baths are an ancient Chinese practice of soaking your feet in hot water and herbs before bed each night.
It's believed to have many health benefits,
That of which can change with the seasons.
Foot baths increase circulation,
Which is highly beneficial in colder regions.
Soaking your feet increases your heart rate the same way as exercising,
And this is helpful for those who are less physically inclined.
Cardiovascular activity is essential for our body to process efficiently,
So foot baths are highly effective for those with more sedentary lifestyles.
There are some contraindications or precautions when taking a foot bath.
You may wish to avoid foot baths if you are pregnant,
If you have metastatic cancer,
If you have an active infection,
If you have a disease made worse by increasing your blood circulation,
If you have recently had surgery or have an open wound.
If you belong to any of these categories,
Instead of this water element foot bath,
Please follow the first lesson of my other course,
Healing Touch,
Emotional Alchemy Acupressure and the Power of the Creative Cycle,
Where I share an acupressure practice for the water element.
For this foot bath,
You will need to prepare a bowl or container,
Such as a plastic or metal bowl,
For soaking your feet.
Ideally,
It should be deep enough so you can place both of your feet flat within it and submerge your feet with water,
So that the level of the water rises to at least five fingers above your ankles.
This is because there are vital acupressure points,
Including the Sanyinjiao Three Yin Crossing,
Which can be found close to your ankles.
You may also wish to include herbs,
Salts or oils for your foot bath as they enter into the bloodstream through your skin and affect your system.
Their medicinal properties are only effective if there is significant blood circulation,
Which comes from the warmth of your bath,
Opening the pores of your skin.
Here are some common foot bath herbs that you may wish to include.
Magwort – this promotes blood circulation,
Relieves pain,
It soothes menstrual cramps and regulates your vital energy.
Chrysanthemum – this is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.
It also helps to relieve stress,
Sadness and soothe anger.
Ginger and dandelion – this is great for flu relief.
Epsom salt – this helps to alleviate constipation,
Relieve pain,
Reduce fatigue and also improve your sleep.
Aside from your foot bath container,
Any herbs or salts you wish to include,
You will also need a pitcher or container you can use to pour clean water on your feet when you're finished,
As well as a towel or cloth to dry your feet after rinsing your feet with clean water.
If you struggle with poor circulation,
The first few baths might only warm your feet.
After several times,
If your blood circulation improves,
You may feel the heat from the bath rising up through your legs,
Through your body and you might feel an increase in your heart rate.
At this point,
You may start sweating and sweating signals the end of your foot bath session.
I will now walk you through a simple 4-step process of preparing your home foot bath.
Feel free to pause this audio and follow this 4-step process to prepare your foot bath.
Most people discover it's much easier to meditate during your foot bath or afterwards,
So if you wish,
You can set aside time within the foot bath or afterwards for your daily meditation practice.
The first step is to prepare your foot bath container.
Then,
Boil your bath water so that it reaches between 40-50 degrees Celsius or a comfortable temperature and include any desired herbs or salts within your bath water.
Then,
When it is ready,
Pour your bath water into your foot bath.
You can set a timer for around 15-20 minutes and you can stay until the end or until you break a sweat.
If you are practicing your meditation during your foot bath,
You can pause this audio and then set a timer for 15-20 minutes for your meditation.
After your foot bath,
Rinse your feet with fresh water and dry them so you don't slip and flush the water down your toilet.
Don't forget to wash your hands and you may wish to rinse your feet again just to be sure you've removed all the remaining salt or herbs.
Thank you for joining me for today's lesson on how to practice a water element foot bath for sound sleep.
