Creative Bubbles and the Art of the Bath

The bath is liquid psychotherapy.  When I was living in London many moons ago, I had an English boyfriend who liked to take baths.  He would sit in his bathtub for a really long time, running hot water at intervals to keep warm.  It seemed really odd to me that he would be in there for an hour, all alone.  I wondered if it was some British pass time that the young chaps fancied.  Routinely, he would emerge from a steamy room, all a-flutter in a terry blue robe, and write notes for a production he was directing.  It took years for me to realize that this lad's behavior was, as they said in Londontown, brillo pads.  A luxurious soak is known for relaxation, and it is also good for producing creative bubbles.  When your body unwinds, mind blocks come down that allow you to be innovative and solve problems. Enjoying a bath is an art that has lots of benefits.
 
20 years later, I discovered the true gift of the bath.  They say public speaking is one of man's biggest fears.  The truth about public speaking isn't really fear of getting up in front of others.  It is about the possibility of being shunned, ridiculed, and alone.  Try stand-up comedy.   Fear in comedy is bombing.  My most uncomfortable bomb was at a local restaurant where a group of my friends came out to support me.  It was pouring, torrential, with weather advisories to stay home, however, five of my buds were there to cheer me on.  The place was a bit icky, evidenced by my friends showing me how their hands ticky-tacked to the table.  I felt bad for inviting them to a dumpy place.  They were soaking wet and sticking to the furniture.  Let's just say it wasn't a good set.  One of the gals even said afterward something to the effect of better luck next time.  Feeling rather blue the following day, I decided to try a cleansing bath.  Lo and behold, in my foamy steep, a meditative trance occurred and new material came to me.  Ever since then, weekly creative immersions occur.  It is a quiet place to write speeches, comedy routines, blog posts, work out conflicts, and brainstorm ideas.  It is my liquid psychotherapy.  And I never bomb in the tub.

Here are benefits to a good soak, according to Huff Post:
Boost Brain Power
Soaking in warm water with essential oils can do wonders for your body and your mind. Using sage oil can sharpen your memory, calm your mind and act as a natural mood-booster. 

Calm Ya Down
Warm baths are the perfect way to unwind. For an extra calming effect, try adding in eucalyptus or lavender essential oils, which have been proven to help reduce stress.

Aid Sleep

Taking a bath is a natural way to induce sleep. Relaxing in a warm tub slowly increases your body's temperature. When you hop out and it returns to a cooler state, your brain releases melatonin, triggering bedtime.

Fight Cold Symptoms

Can't stop sniffling? A warm bath may be a good tool to help relieve your symptoms. Steam from the water can help moisturize nasal passages, help with dizziness and relax achy muscles.

According to Food Matters, epsom salt baths are very beneficial. 

Epsom salt is rich in both magnesium and sulfate. While both magnesium and sulfate can be poorly absorbed through the stomach, studies show increased magnesium levels from soaking in a bath enriched with Epsom salt.! Magnesium and sulfate are both easily absorbed through the skin. Sulfates play an important role in the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. They stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and are thought to help detoxify the body of medicines and environmental contaminants.

Add baking soda to bath water if you have dry, itchy skin in the winter months.

Add oatmeal for skin rashes, poison oak and poison ivy, and dry skin.

Take a mud bath for detoxification. This might not be as relaxing as an herbal or salt bath, but it is a great way for the body to get rid of toxins. You can buy red clay or mud bath mix at your local health food store. Lather up in the mud or red clay and soak for at least 30 minutes.

Aromatherapy (essential oils) is a great way to calm the mind and adds to the therapeutic benefit of a bath. Add 15 drops of eucalyptus to help with a common cold or sinus problems.

My favorite bath infusions, available at your neighborhood Target.  Just don't throw a cart down the escalator like I did once.  
                  

 

Happy bathing!

Cyndy, The Whoopie Queen