Hot Towel Scrub

There is nothing like a good body scrub to get your circulation moving. It's a good idea to incorporate body scrubbing into your regular self care routine. Body scrubbing can be done with a hot towel as described below, or with a home-made concoction or coffee and brown sugar. It can be done before or after your bath or shower, or anytime during the day. (If you want to scrub with coffee be sure to do so in the morning as it will keep you awake. For night time scrubs stick to hot towels and/or sugar or salt scrubs.

All you need is a sink with hot water and a medium-sized cotton washcloth. For the maximum effect, scrub your body twice a day: once in the morning and once again in the evening. Scrub from 2 minutes to 20 minutes, depending on how much time you have. The process of the hot towel scrub has a deeper physical, mental and emotional effect when done at the sink, as opposed to in the shower. Directions: • turn on the hot water and fill the sink • hold the towel at both ends and place in the hot water • wring out the towel • while the towel is still hot and steamy, begin to gently scrub the skin • do one section of the body at a time: for example, begin with the hands and fingers and work your way up the arms to the shoulders, neck and face, then down to the chest, upper back, abdomen, lower back, buttocks, legs, feet and toes • scrub until the skin becomes slightly pink or until each part becomes warm • reheat the towel often by dipping it in the sink of hot water after scrubbing each section or as soon as the towel starts to cool
The Benefits: • reduces muscle tension • reenergizes in the morning and deeply relaxes at night • opens the pores to release stored toxins • softens deposits of hard fat below the skin and prepares them for discharge • allows excess fat, mucus, cellulite and toxins to actively discharge to the surface rather than to accumulate around deeper vital organs • relieves stress through meditative action of rubbing the skin • calms the mind • promotes circulation • activates the lymphatic system, especially when scrubbing underarms and groin • easy massage and deep self-care • can be a sacred moment in your day, especially if done with candlelight and a drop or two of essential oil, such as lavender • creates a profound and loving relationship with the body, especially parts not often shown care, and especially for a person with body image problems • spreads energy through the chakras