A Healing Steam Ritual for the "New" Year

What does a “new” year really signify, if it’s just a cosmically arbitrary, created marker of a linear understanding of time? We look to the stars and the seasons for cycles of movement. We reach into the past to call on the power of our ancestors, and draw from the creative well of future ancestors to manifest our dreams. Where does the start of 2019 fit in?

These are the conversations in our home as we move into January 1. Despite its astronomical insignificance, we appreciate all opportunities that call us into ritual, and the marking of a new year does just that. It is an opportunity to pause, reflect, vision, and set intentions. We like to choose words of intention every year, rather than make resolutions. This year, both Olivia and I have independently chosen a word that revolves around intentional practice. Olivia has set the intention of “ritual,” and I have “patterns.” By patterns, I mean exploring the conscious and unconscious patterns of how I live my life. What patterns of thinking, behavior, relationships, etc. am I practicing? Which practices are no longer serving me? Which need to stay? And what practices (or rituals) do I want to create this year? (If this at all interests you and you’d like some guidance in reflecting and setting intentions for liberating practices this year, we highly recommend listening to the stunningly brilliant and incomparable adrienne maree brown’s Spell Casting Practice for 2019 on the Healing Justice podcast. (Have a journal and pen ready!)

One ritual that nourishes me that we would like to offer to you, Beloveds, is the practice of vaginal steaming. A ritual that is and has been practiced in indigenous cultures around the world in Africa, Central and South America, Asia and Northern Europe, steaming offers physical and emotional healing benefits. Done by sitting over a steaming pot of water infused with medicinal herbs, the heat and herbs can help bring balance to our cycles, promote circulation and blood flow to the uterus, relieve menstrual cramps and heal cysts, stimulate our creative center, and support our ability to release past traumas.

Best of all, you can do it at home! Sometimes even with herbs you may already have in your kitchen! A steam is also a great time to incorporate other rituals that work for you, like journaling or meditating. If relaxing over some warm and cozy herbs while listening to some deeply healing tunes sounds right for you (how could it not??) Olivia has created a steaming mix just for you! See the link at the bottom of the page. :)

For a steam, you will need:

-A medium sized cooking pot

-Blankets to keep your lower body warm

-A place to steam (you can kneel on a mat over the pot with a blanket surrounding you, place two chairs close together and sit straddled between them with the pot under you, or go for a sitz bath that can fit inside your toilet seat-- you don’t need to use the bag attachment)

-1 cup of dried herbs

Some possible kitchen herbs:

-oregano: antiseptic properties, stimulates the uterus, helps to bring on menstruation. (Not advised if you have a heavy flow)

-lavender: promotes relaxation, physical & emotional healing

-rosemary: promotes wound healing, inhibits yeast growth, stimulates menstruation

-basil: May help reduce painful menstruation

-chamomile: relaxes and heals

Other nourishing herbs:

-yarrow: supports uterine health, helps heal cysts

-red raspberry: tones and nourishes the uterus, promotes fertility and relieves cramps

-calendula: helps to heal scar tissue, tears, hemorrhoids

Directions:

First, determine if this is a good time for you to steam. See below for reasons NOT to do a vaginal steam. When you’re ready, prepare your steaming area. Think ahead of time about what your body may need- can you handle straddling the pot on your knees over a mat or towel? Do you have 2 table chairs that you could perch between with the pot under you? Or would you feel more comfortable using a sitz bath for your toilet or investing in a steam stool to sit on during your steam? Prepare your space with anything you may want during your steam: a glass of water or tea, extra towels and blankets, a journal, book, music (ahem, Olivia’s steam mix), etc.

Boil about 3 quarts of filtered water. Once boiling, add 1 cup of dried herbs. (Never use essential oils!) You can mix some of the herbs suggested here or research many others! Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. From there, it’s best to transfer the herbs to a cool pot. You don’t want to burn your precious self on the hot pot while you steam!

Place the pot of herbs in your designated space and get undressed from the waist down. Sit or kneel over the steam for 15-30 minutes. The steam should not burn. If it feels too hot, wait a few minutes and try again. Use a towel or blanket to form a tent around your lower body to cover yourself and keep the steam in. Use this time for meditation, music, journaling, reading, or whatever feels good to you. When finished, discard the water and herbs. It is important that you stay warm and rest for at least an hour after a steam. My favorite time to steam is right before bed, and it helps me fall asleep, too!

We hope you try and enjoy this steaming ritual!

Onwards towards our collective healing and liberation in 2019 and beyond,

Qiddist & Olivia

NOTE: You should not steam if:...

-you are pregnant

-you have an open infection (speak to a naturopath or other professional first)

-you are on your period, as it may increase your flow

-you have an IUD

-Speak to a midwife about when/how to steam postpartum