Bathe with all the grandeur of a Roman
By Tori Taylor, January 23 2020 —
Since the beginning of time people have used bathing as more of a holistic ritual than strictly for personal hygiene. The Greeks and Romans viewed themselves as a higher society in part because of their publicly elaborate bathing procedures. Bath houses were a vital part of regular life in ancient Rome. Citizens of any class were given the opportunity to socialize, gossip and relax in beautifully built buildings. Bath houses were often called Thermae and were seen as an integral part of Roman civilization — an example of the Roman society’s superiority. Bathing traditions spread as fast as the Roman Empire. From Europe to the Middle East to North America, this ritualistic way of cleansing has brought civilization to the world. With an understanding of how ceremonious the historical roots of getting into your tub truly are — drop trou’ bro and get to marinating.
It is unlikely that your porcelain tub comes anywhere close to the jaw-dropping bathing houses of Rome, but there are still several steps you can take to make your mediocre bathroom magical.
Candles:
Open flame is glorious when brought inside a home — especially within the confines of your smallest room. Is there anything as entrancing as being butt-ass naked whilst in the company of crackling fire? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, line up your favourite candles and light them. I prefer dimming the lights or turning them off completely. We spend all day with harsh bright lights in classrooms and work. Take some down time to relax your retinas. The aromatherapy from your favourite candles will help wash away daily stress.
Bath Salts:
We have all heard the cutesie phrase, “I don’t need any sugar — I am already sweet enough.” It could be said that a similar phrase applies to quite a few people, “Hold the salt — you’re already salty af.” But in regards to bath salts — don’t be shy with the effervescence. Soaking in all the magnesium and stress-relieving minerals can help sore muscles, aches and pains, psoriasis, eczema, headaches and the list goes on. Depending on what type of essential oils are added to the bath-salt blend, it can help all sorts of bodily ailments.
A drink of choice:
Fermented grape juice is my drink of choice. I am in the tub to breathe easy and quiet down my busy mind. A good glass of red fits right into that agenda. But if you prefer a hot cup of tea or other delicious elixir ,that’s even better. Slowly drinking something you can savour is always an excellent mindfulness exercise. Take some time to layer down, lean back and focus on your #sipandsoak technique.
Music:
Set the mood with more than just warmth, candles, scents and wine. Enjoy all five senses by adding your favourite playlist. Music is a happy place for many of us. Listening to music might just be one of the best ways to let go of stress. This is your time to truly zen out and you might as well hit all the marks — touch, taste, smell, sight and sound.
Netflix:
This might as well just read Friends or Grace & Frankie or if you’re cool watching freaky shit while naked You. Some baths need to be longer than others. If you are hunkering down for the long haul then turning on a favourite T.V. series or movie is a great idea. As long as you can stay in the warm water absorbing all of the minerals and oils from your bath salt blend the better. We are so often rushing from one thing to the next to the next. There is no turn-off time to recharge your battery. Let yourself soak for the duration of a full episode or more.
At the end of the day, you have to take care of yourself. That looks different for everyone. Look at it this way, the Romans were next level bad-ass. Perhaps the secret to a godly historical empire is as simple as tits-out-in-the-tub or butts-free-in-the-bath.