Auntie Moon

Has the everyday work week got you down and you’re ready for some pampering and R&R? It’s time to baby yourself, Capricorn style.

These are the kinds of home treatments that will nourish and pamper those parts of the body ruled by Capricorn and Saturn—our bones, knees, teeth, and skin. We’ll be using some of Capricorn’s favorite’s—salt, baking soda, scents of Capricorn, calcium, and mud or clay. Capricorn is conservative and classic so there won’t be anything out of the ordinary here. They’ll be tried and true but gentle.

Salt Scrub

You’ve heard the expression, “Salt of the earth” and have probably known a few. My own “salt of the earth” mentor just happened to be a Capricorn. Few could come close to her sensibilities, acceptance of the material world, and her humor. She simply had a grip on things.

You can use a salt scrub you have on hand or make one from scratch ~ which is simple, fun, and doesn’t take much time at all. Here’s a basic recipe which you can adapt to any of the signs simply by changing the essential oil.

Basic Salt Scrub Recipe

Use this as an all-over scrub or on your knees and heels, specifically. It will help slough off dry skin and get the skin ready for slathering on your favorite lotion or moisturizer. Skin is usually very thirsty in the winter months that Capricorn covers because of artificial dry heat, so always remember to moisturize.

Always use extreme caution when using these oil based scrubs in the shower or tub. They’re oil, after all, and that means they’re slippery. Be seated if possible, and make sure you have something firm to grasp when standing.

• 1 container to store the scrub ~ Make it plastic if you plan to keep in your shower.
• 1 cup of sea salt or kosher salt ~ I like mixing coarse and fine grained salts.
• 1 cup of oil ~ You can use olive, vegetable, jojoba or anything you have on hand. I usually go with the olive oil unless I’m looking to make a colorless scrub. Vegetable oil works good for colorless scrubs. Almond oil is an excellent choice.
• Essential Oil ~ This is completely optional. Add a few drops, adjusting as you mix it with the scrub. A little goes a long way with some of the oils. If you want to use oils associated with Capricorn, patchouli, cypress, and myrrh are on top of the list, but more delicate scents are associated with Capricorn, too. Honeysuckle and lilac are Scott Cunningham recommendations in his book,  Magical Aromatherapy.

Try peppermint oil for a refreshing foot scrub. Rosemary and lemon scrubs are fantastic to keep near the kitchen sink for your hands.

Dry Brush Your Skin

You can do a full body brush with a long-handled natural bristle brush. This sloughs dead skin cells and gets blood flowing to the skin. As with the salt scrub, don’t overdo it. Eventually your skin will be able to tolerate longer periods of brushing. Try this before getting into the shower or bath.

For the Teeth

I keep a shaker bottle of baking soda on hand for this and sprinkle some into my hand. Simply dunk your toothbrush in the baking soda and brush in the normal way. This is a salty taste, obviously, so get ready for that. You’re tasting Capricorn! This is an excellent cleanser, a fantastic stain remover and is cheap, cheap, cheap, completely green and chemical-free. It’s abrasive, though, so be gentle.

Milk Bath

You might be wondering, “Doesn’t Cancer rule milk?” Yes, it does, but the calcium that milk contains is Capricorn’s, as are all minerals. (This is a great time to remind you to take your calcium for good bone health.) You can purchase any of the milk baths available or you can make your own, which is simple. Add a cup of milk to your bath water. Told you it was simple. It can be regular or powdered milk. You can make the recipe more spa-like by adding some dried herbs or essential oils to the milk. Don’t forget to put the herbs in a little draw-string bag or tie them in some cheesecloth so as not to clog the drain.

Mud or Clay Mask

What else would Capricorn have besides mud, the earth itself. Mud masks are made to deep-clean and tighten pores, so they’re best for oily skin. Clay masks are super for pulling impurities out of the pores.

Root Chakra Meditation

I wanted to share this guided Chakra meditation video with you. Our root chakra connects us to our foundation and it’s health can give a very clear picture of how grounded, secure, and connected we feel. An imbalance in this chakra, ruled by the earth element and Saturn, can manifest through financial difficulties, being over or under weight as a way of disconnecting from your body, lack of self-worth, and feeling like you don’t belong. If you feel uneasy in your own skin, do some work on this chakra.

Smear on that mud mask and while it dries, close your eyes and relax into this lovely 10 minute meditation. (It ends abruptly, which is too bad, but it will keep you from falling asleep with the mask on.)

Wash off the mask and indulge in a Capricorn Tea or a small meal that includes root vegetables, earthy stews or soups, and a nice whole grain roll. If you love a baked potato, this is your day!