Winter Time Blues: Healing of the Soul

The winter blues have hit.  Well, I actually hope it is the winter blues.  I am home from work because I feel awful.  I teach kindergarten and this week I  had 9 kids out on Tuesday, 5 on Wednesday and 7 yesterday.  Several confirmed cases of the flu.

I know I do not have the flu as I do not feel THAT bad.  I just think I body is not well.

Here are my plans to help deter my own personal "soul fever":
*The ideas below are in no particular order.*

• read... jump into the pages of a good story and loose myself in the warmth of the words on the pages.
• pedicure... pampering the feet heals my soul.  I do not get a pedicure often enough, but at times like this it is imperative to aide in the healing of my spirit.  The quiet time is a must during these cold, wintry days.
• lavender bath... a hot bath with lavender oil.  The steam helps clear the head of stuffiness.  The lavender relaxes the spirit.  The heat warms the body to the core.
• quiet meditation... peace, quiet, calm.  This is something the body needs in order to ground itself.  I am not a meditator in the true sense of the word.  I just do my own thing. 

Lay on your bed with your eyes closed.  Place a lavender rice pillow over your eyes.  Begin to breath in for the count of 5 and out for the count of 5.  Continue.  Increase the length of your inhale and exhale as much as you can.  Free your mind.  If you mind begins to wander, refocus on your breath.  Inhale for 10.  Exhale for 10.

Try to do this twice a day for 10-20 minutes each time.  I have noticed that my mood is much brighter and I feel less jittery on the inside if I can keep up this practice.

• drink... several cups of peppermint tea with truvia.  The tea will not only help to open the sinuses and clear my head, but warm by body from within.
• tei fu... a natural wintergreen oil that is applied to the temples and base of neck.  It can also be placed liberally on the palms and inhaled.  This is a wonderfully natural way to open the sinuses and relieve headache.

What do you do to help stave off the winter time blues?

How do you ground yourself during these cold days of winter?

What is your favorite ritual of self indulgence?