Have you ever felt so happy you thought your body was turning into light, or maybe you have always wanted to simply glow like a saint? Well now you can with this DIY Mystic Mud Mask recipe inspired from afar. What a better way to ring in the new year with some tender, loving, self care!

This beauty ritual explores the sourcing of (edible) ingredients from India. Sandalwood essential oil for example is acquired from steam distillation of the wood from the Sandalwood tree. It has a main chemical component, Alpha santalol which gives provides therapeutic qualities that promotes healthy, smooth skin and can reduce the appearance of scars, wrinkles and blemishes. Both the wood and the oil have been valued for centuries and documented through history for many helpful applications.

It's a good ideafor safety reasons to really know the ethical practices of your essential oil company by evaluating many factors beyond the label. There are no labeling laws so any essential oil on the shelf can be labeled as "Pure" even when the oil is far from it. Synthetic chemicals, pesticides, or cancer culprits like harsh solvents are commonly used to cut or extend the quantity of oil.

Even from just smelling the aroma we can disrupt hormones affecting the adrenals, sexual function, mood, neurological, and auto-immune health. On the other hand, working w/ a Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oil can assist in balancing these functions, supporting the body /mind to greater health. Many of my favorite oil brand's essential oils are even safe for internal use. A drop of Sandalwood on the tongue is pure heaven!

Here is a list of what is needed. Mixing together in a small bowl:

1/4 cup garbonzo flour
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 tablespoon of almond oil
3 drops of Sandalwood Essential Oil
1 drop of Lemongrass Essential Oil

1-3 tablespoons of water (as needed) to turn mix into a paste.

* (Use turmeric with caution because it is a natural dye that may cause staining)

Apply for 10 min and rinse. Store remainder in fridge, and use the remaining cold mixture for an even more invigorating experience within 3 days.

One of the best parts of the mud mask ritual besides soft, glowing skin is using those ten minutes to do something else to elevate your mind or soul. Meditation or another Indian inspired oral care technique called oil pulling feels great. I like to also chant various matras. Sound Science isn't a religious thing or hippy thing but ancient technology that has been around for thousands of years but kept secret because the effects are so powerful. Through the power of the mind and also sound/or vibration we can create, manifest, and change our reality. Here are a few to start with and the meaning behind them:

OM is the primordial sound that created all of the galaxies. Life originated from OM. When you say or think OM, you are at one with all of the universes in space.

AIM is the mantra for consciousness, life and creation

So Happy New Year to all and love yourself more than ever by whipping up a mystic mud mask. Happy chanting!