by Ana L. Palles

My favorite neighborhood bath and body botanical store, Moon Dance Botanicals, hosted a day-long spa party on Saturday in honor of Earth Day. There is nothing like a Spring-time facial to rejuvenate your skin after a drying winter. And this mini spa experience was a feast for the senses.

We used herbal cleansers, nut meal scrubs, moisturizing masks with essential oils and flower hydrosols, but what I am still daydreaming about was the herbal steam. Placed in front of us on the table were containers filled with blends of therapeutic flowers and herbs. Dried rosebuds, calendula flowers, lavender, chamomile and other wonderful herbs forming beautiful color portraits in their generously-filled dishes. It reminded me of an impressionistic painting of a French country scene.

We each chose a blend we wanted to try based on our skin types and scooped the colorful mixture into our bowls. The shopkeeper walked around the table with a teapot of hot water filling our bowls with several inches of the steaming water. A towel draped over our heads. enfolding the bowl in which our herbs steeped, created a nice herbal mist tent.

I closed my eyes and let myself sink into the fragrant steam. The flowers and familiar herbs brought me a sense of belonging and connection to the past.

I remembered my grandmother and her jars of different herbs, some that calmed the nerves, some to soothe a cramping stomach, others that eased a cold. I breathed deeply, cleansing my lungs and nasal passages, feeling my pores open, drinking in moisture and herbal essences. I felt that I was doing something very, very good for me, and treasured the moment.

I thought again of my grandmother and all the mothers before her and sent my thanks in their honor. In honoring them, I also honored myself. I gave myself time to enjoy the experience and joy in this moment, to take in the benefits to my mind, body and spirit, breathing in all that was beautiful, and imagining myself exhaling what I needed released. Day to day anger, anxiety, fears, obstacles in our path.

Honor is an old fashioned word. It conjures up images of Shakespeare, Don Quixote, knights, and business on a handshake. But while the word may not be as familiar to us now, it is often the missing link to our happiness.

Honoring oneself means that we treat ourselves with respect. It is recognizing value and worth and not belittling ourselves or others with hurtful jabs and sarcastic comments. It is about keeping our promises, because when we don't keep our word, we erode a significant part of ourselves. It is about valueing and cherishing our dreams.

We cannot honor another when we fail to honor ourselves. And when we don't honor ourselves, we open the door for others to not honor us either. If we think we are worthless, others will agree with us. And the spiral downward begins.

Happiness is something we prepare for. Like a comfortable room for a weary guest, the soil in the vegetable garden that you turn over in the spring, and a loving relationship. We honor our guest with soft, fresh linens, hot bath and a nourishing meal prepared with love. We honor the earth by tending the garden, amending the soil and planting the seeds. We honor our relationships by valueing ourselves and each other.

Giving thanks was an important part of life for our ancestors resulting in small rituals or ceremony. There is a reason why this was important. It helped them focus their thoughts and intent. It is no accident that We refer to facials and skincare as our beauty ritual. If done consciously and with the intent of bringing joy and healing into our lives, it is a powerful ceremony of love and honor.

So, get creative. Design your own personal ritual be it ten minutes of silence, lighting a candle, singing a song, drumming or throwing bird seed in the garden. Take a moment and give thanks for all the gifts in your life. It doesn't have to be Earth day or Thanksgiving or Christmas to stop and express our appreciation and love. Honor your ancestors, all that went into who you are, and all that you will be. See how you feel and what a difference it makes in your life.

Bear in mind that the wonderful things you learn in your schools are the work of many generations. All this is put in your hands as your inheritance in order that you may receive it, honor it, add to it, and one day faithfully hand it on to your children.- Albert Einstein