Visit me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Shanti Birth Services
  • Welcome
    • Meet Kirstin
    • Testimonials
    • FAQs
  • Services
    • Birth Doula
    • Postpartum Doula
    • Your Amazing Placenta
    • Fun Extras >
      • Lending Library
    • Bereavement
  • Shanti Birth Fund
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • This Is Birth

Pour your Intentions into the Salt Bowl.

5/31/2014

0 Comments

 
I've been thinking a lot about connection recently and how we impact the people around us. No matter how quick a connection, a change has been set in motion. An exchange...give and take.

A bee might only pause briefly atop a flower but both the bee and the flower have experienced a powerful connection. The bee, pausing only moments to collect nectar has no idea that there is an exchange taking place. As the bee sits, the flower's pollen sticks to its legs. Flower to flower the pollen is transferred and the cycle continues, creating new flowers from which the bee can drink.
Picture
Since my husband and I learned that we are going to be moving, I've been focusing a lot of my energy on the connections that I've made. I feel guilty that I didn't have the opportunity to tell everyone how much they have meant to me and how grateful I am for the lasting impact that they have had on me.

The dictionary defines a Connection as "linking of people or things: the joining together of two or more people, things, or parts". With that in mind, I wanted to mention something that I hope to do with the people in my life. I want to go to the salt bowl.
Picture
Image captured before my goodbye salt bowl ceremony
A salt bowl ceremony is an incredible practice that involves a circle of people who, with adding their own personal ingredients, co-create a large bowl full of pleasant smelling sea salt. The salt bowl is sent around the circle and as each person adds their own special ingredient (essential oils, sage, finely chopped citrus peel, lavender that you picked from your home garden, honey, sugar, etc.) they also add their intention. This can be anything that you want, a goal for your life, a thought about the relationships in the circle, a kind message to the group, aspiration, whatever intention you feel compelled to pour into the bowl is left in the salt.

When this circle is completed, everyone takes a jar of the intention filled, delicious smelling salt home with them. In times of stress, anxiety, or simply when you need a break from the day, you can return to the salt bowl. You can bathe in those intentions and love, wash your hands with the well wishes and kind thoughts that were lovingly added by family and friends, or simply close your eyes, smell, and remember the unity that you felt as each person added their selves to the bowl and how wonderfully present you were in that moment.

An experience like going to the salt bowl can be wonderfully transformative. It's a moment in time when you're holding a literal representation of yourself...being a part of something bigger. And while you're amazing on your own, great things happen when you connect and bind with those around you.
0 Comments

    Kirstin Mae Sengupta

    WELCOME TO MY WORLD!
    I will be gabbing about all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum but I'll also be yakking away about my life, my love of chocolate, fun things that I'm doing, important people in my life, who's annoyed me, cooking, what I'm reading...you know, life.

    Archives

    November 2015
    October 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    Affirmation
    Anniversary
    Baby
    Baby Shower
    Bee
    Branson
    Breastfeeding
    Connections
    Daddy
    Dads
    Doula
    Empathy
    Fathers
    Good Friends
    Good Times
    Great Things
    Infertility
    Life
    Love
    Missouri
    Museum
    On Call
    Party
    Positivity
    Salt Bowl
    Shaming
    Springfield
    Stuff
    Tips
    Transition
    Visits

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Charlie Davidson, groundswell, BrownGuacamole, majcher, zabethanne, jonner, quinn.anya, oatsy40, KkleinRN, Brett Jordan, jcmejia_acera, jeffreyw, raganmd, edenpictures, roseannadana, weexpectedthis, USCPSC