A Scent-Sational Way to Relax
Ayurvedic medicine considers bathing to be therapeutic. The healing benefits of bathing have been touted since ancient times -- the Greeks and Romans believed water was a gift form the gods, and to that end, they created elaborate bathhouses for healing purposes. Today, hydrotherapy continues to be prized as a healing modality. Bathing eases stiff muscles, relieves pain, opens clogged pores, stimulates circulation, and restores moisture to the body's tissues. In 1994, French researchers published a study in the Journal of Rheumatology that found that patients who underwent hydrotherapy "showed significant improvement" from lower back pain and other ailments. A few years later, a majority of test subjects in a University of Minnesota study confirmed these findings; furthermore, they agreed that therapeutic baths reduced their stress and anxiety levels. This meditation combines the benefits of hydrotherapy, meditation, and aromatherapy to alleviate stress and enhance relaxation. **Perform this meditation as often as you like -- every evening, if possible -- to release stress and anxiety at the end of the day.** (From the book ‘The Best Meditations on the Planet, by Dr. Martin Hart & Skye Alexander)