gratitude ritual with a yellow flower candle and bath salts

Hello! This post originally appeared on mountain-things.com. Since then, I have moved websites, but I wanted to ensure that this content was still available. While the complementing Gratitude Ritual Kit is no longer available for sale, the below ritual can still be practiced with the list of materials provided. Thank you!

Welcome! The time you take today to show your gratitude is sacred — because as important as it is to build a life of wonder, it’s just as important to show thankfulness for what you have. Let’s get started.

What you’ll need:

Cleansing Bath Salts
Yellow Container Candle
A Pinch Each of Offering Herbs
- Calendula
- Sage
- Cedar

IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Remove the lid from the candle and stash it away until the end of the ritual. Ritual candles should never be left unattended. Keep the candle away from children and flammable surfaces/items. If an herbal piece of the candle catches flame, you may carefully allow the herb to burn and enjoy the aroma as part of the ritual. If the materials begin to spark outside of the container, snuff the candle out at once. Never allow the candle to burn when less than 1/4” of the wax remains. The only 100% safe way to enjoy this candle is by not burning it.

The Ritual

Please read all directions before starting your ritual. Ideally, this ritual will be performed on a sunny day during an equinox, but use your best judgment to determine the right time for yourself. Before you begin, I encourage you to create a space in your bathroom (or wherever you will be performing the ritual), that feels bright and loving. Put on a playlist — like this one, made specifically for the occasion — light some incense, apply a face mask; whatever it takes for you to feel settled in your realm.

Once your area feels welcoming, start a bath with water that is slightly warmer than what is comfortable, but not scorching (you don’t want the water to cool too quickly as you soak). As the water is running, pour the salts directly under the faucet to dissolve. Alternatively, place the bath salts in a reusable tea diffuser or mesh bag to prevent clogs in sensitive plumbing.

While the bathtub fills, light the candle and set it near the bathtub in a safe, flame-resistant space. When the bath is ready, step in.

As you settle into your bath, begin to focus deeply on the candle’s flame. Allow your thoughts to wander to the parts of your life that are blessings. Your home, your loved ones, your pets — take a moment for everything you feel gratitude towards. Inhale and exhale slowly.

Continue making a list of things you are grateful for in your mind, breathing deeply in and out as you do. Once your mind feels saturated in gratitude for the blessings that surround you, open the jar of offering herbs and gently shake them into the flame. This is a good time to reflex on balance; how, when you give to the world, it gives back to you. Take a moment to free yourself from your own self-imposed expectations and sit in the gratitude that surrounds you.

Soak for as long as it feels good for you. Drain the water and take the empty herb bottle with you. As an optional addition to the ritual, you can write what you are grateful for on a small piece of paper and stash it in the bottle as a reminder to never let your expectations exceed your gratitude.

If you loved this ritual or think it could be improved, please add your comment below.