Castor Oil Packs & Stuck Emotions
You ever have one of those days where you wake up and everything just feels off? And no matter how much you try and re-center yourself things just keep spinning off the wheels? That’s about the day I had today.
And while it would be really easy to point the finger of blame out at all the things that happened today, things that I have very little control over, and say “that’s why I feel lousy!” The truth of the matter is that happiness is an inside job, and some days, well, some days are just lousy.
What do I mean by this? Someone recently told me that you can’t get to the root of the word spiritual without the word ritual. And what I’ve found is that my greatest chance of being happy, content, joyful, and free-lies in my commitment to a consistent 𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 daily self care practice. Basically, there’s no gettin’ around doing the work. You gotta show up to glow up.
AND simultaneously, sometimes even when we are doing the work-we can still feel crappy. Why? Because we’re human! And it ain’t easy to clear out and rewire old thoughts, behaviors, and ways of being.
So what on earth do we do when these feelings arise? Allow yourself to pause. I’m not saying don’t show up-because let’s be real. It’s not often that I wake up and go yes! I am so excited to do my spiritual work today! Let’s go cardio! Some days I do, but more often than not it’s something that I have to 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 at, and then sometime in the middle of doing it, or when I’m finished, I simply feel better and then I keep doing it because it works.
So when we have a bad day, I don’t think the answer is to quit, but I do think it is good to slow down. To honor your feelings, invite them in, and learn from them. Then watch as they leave because 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴.
On days like today when I feel particularly stuck in some uncomfortable emotion I like to do a castor oil pack. We hold so much of our emotional body in our gut and womb spaces, and castor oil packs are a great way to clear out stagnant energy in both. I usually soak some clean flannel in the castor oil and place it right over my lower belly, cover that with a plastic bag so my clothing and furniture doesn’t get stained, and then cover that with a heating pad. I sit for anywhere from 5-20 minutes, enjoying the calming heat on my abdomen, and sipping an herbal tea (lately rose verbena).
Castor oil packs act as a gentle detoxifier, and aids digestion and elimination. They also have been shown to shrink and sometimes completely clear cysts and fibroids if used consistently (great for ladies with ovarian cysts, or PCOS). They can also reduce period cramps and clotting over time with consistent use. However be advised that they also will increase your menstrual flow if you use them in the days leading up to your period or while you are bleeding. So be discerning-if you have a heavy flow to begin with try and use them at other times during your cycle.
So, here’s to all the parts of our cycles, the ups and downs, and in betweens. May we know ourselves as love, and if there are times when we cannot, may we know that all things are temporary.
