Seven Rituals For Self Healing

“The focus here is not on ritual itself, but on opening up something in hearts and spirits that has been locked away so long that individuals can barely remember the source.”

-Malidoma Patrice Some'-

---

For the last ten years, self-healing has been my priority. As a result, I've integrated various healing practices and rituals into my daily routine. I engage in sound therapy, aromatherapy, oil therapies, and most importantly, I prioritize rest and prayer. I can feel the joy within my cells! Below are the seven most accessible rituals I practice throughout the week. Some are done daily, others weekly. These practices have grounded my life and brought me peace, which is my ultimate aim. I encourage you to incorporate one or more into your weekly routine.

---

1. Still Your Mind.

Find a form of prayer and do it to enhance your mind, build your chi [energy],

and attract positivity. - The Rza-

Prayer is the calm in the center of the storm. I used to be intimidated by the idea of prayer. I believed I didn’t know, didn’t have the right words, couldn’t pray like sister so and so; I was terrified of making a mistake.

A wise woman once showed me that there are numerous ways to pray: a touch can be a prayer, as can a song. Writing, walking, cooking, and making love can all be forms of prayer. In essence, everything is prayer.

2. Write The Vision Whether it’s journaling, mind mapping, using your planner, digital or analog, write your visions. Bring them from heaven to earth.

I've been keeping a journal since I was nine. Over the years, I've accumulated boxes of journals. In my younger days, up until my 30s, I would detail even the smallest aspects of my day. Although much of it is repetitive, looking back, I can see how I was trying to find my voice and identity. Since 2020, I've started using paper planning to track and reclaim my time. It's a different form of documentation but equally insightful. If you're interested in journaling, remember that there are various ways to do it. Here are seven techniques to kickstart your journey.

3. Anoint Yourself Sacred Touch. Liquid Prayer. Anointing oil, also called blessing or consecrating oil, transforms ordinary oil into a powerful spiritual symbol and tool. The process is quite simple. The oil is put in a special, small container, and then a blessing or prayer is spoken over it.

Once prepared, the oil can be used in various ways, such as for healing or blessing your home.

Anoint yourself with oil daily to remind yourself that you are a living altar, a holy vessel and a sacred being.

4. Own Your Time

Time is your most valuable asset. Being conscious of how you spend this precious resource allows you to both value it and take ownership of your schedule. Time consciousness empowers you to be the driver of your life. A clear plan is the foundation of a calm week. Before diving into tasks, take a moment to map out the flow of your days.-----

Weekly Planning Checklist:

1. Choose your weekly focus.

2. Set your top three priorities.

3. Map the rest of your tasks around what matters most.

4. Block your time in your calendar, giving each task a specific home.

5. Stay flexible.

6. Check in mid-week for adjustments.

7. Close your week with a quick reflection.

Small structure brings big clarity. This simple checklist is perfect to print, save, and use every Sunday night.

5. Move Your Body

Movement is essential for both physical and mental health, providing benefits like improved cardiovascular and bone health, better mood, reduced stress, and enhanced brain function. Regular physical activity strengthens muscles and bones, lowers the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and improves sleep quality. For mental health, movement releases endorphins and reduces stress hormones, leading to better mood and cognitive function.

Whether it’s a dance class, walking, boxing, Peloton, etc., get moving and break a sweat!

Feel the surge of confidence that happens when you push your body beyond perceived limits—a life lesson in motion.

Movement keeps us vibrant. Movement is medicine. Every form of movement—dance, yoga, tai chi, boxing, walking, and more—has been shown to invigorate stagnant areas within us, helping us to access more of who we are.

6. Take Me To The Water

Growing up in a house of eight, Saturday mornings came with one rule: no Soul Train until the house was immaculate. Everyone had a task, and by noon, the whole place felt light again. My parents believed that order created peace, and over time, I learned how true that was. A clean home reshaped the whole atmosphere. You could feel the calm settle in.

Today, my rhythm is different. I clean throughout the week now, but the intention hasn’t changed. Order still brings clarity. It still brings peace.

That same peace is present in ritual bathing. Long before showers became the norm, full-immersion bathing—accompanied by herbs, prayer, meditation, or scripture—was used across cultures to restore the spirit. From Christian baptism to the Jewish mikvah to the Saturday night “get ready for church” bath, water has always been a sacred threshold. It reconnects us with God, with nature, and with ourselves.

When you step back and look at these practices together, the connection becomes clear: Cleaning your home and cleansing your body are both rituals of renewal. Both clear away what’s heavy. Both create room for peace. Both reset the atmosphere you live in—externally and internally.

Your home is a temple. Your body is an altar. Caring for both is a spiritual act.

And peace follows order. Peace meets you when the kitchen is clean, when the bed is made, when your keys are where you left them, and when you’re no longer wasting time searching for what’s lost in the chaos.

Many people ask, “Who has the time?”But disorder consumes more time than anything else. The way forward is small, steady steps—one drawer, one corner, one ritual bath, one moment of intention. Over time, the rhythm becomes natural. The clarity becomes noticeable. And the peace becomes lasting.

Cleansing your home and cleansing your body are not chores. They’re invitations to reset your life. Order brings peace—every time.

From baptism and the Jewish mikvah ritual to Saturday night 'get ready for church' baths, these traditions aim to reconnect with nature or God, rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul, and alleviate anxiety, insomnia, and depression. All of this can be experienced right in your bathroom. Create nurturing and restorative spiritual bathing rituals at home. Here’s my Selah Bath Ritual. Give it a try!

When was the last time you sought healing through water?

7. R & R: Rest and Re-Creation!

WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND!

WELCOME TO THE WEEK’S END

Taking one full day off each week is essential to a healthy, fulfilling life.

Every Sunday, I pause. No grocery shopping. No laundry. No cleaning. No errands. Nothing that feels like obligation. It’s the one day I give myself full permission to rest, be still, and enjoy my own company or time with the people I love.

I’ve kept a weekly sabbath for years, and it took time for others to honor it. One of my proudest moments was overhearing someone say, “No—Hakikah doesn’t work on her day off.” That told me my boundaries were clear, and my rest was respected.

I think of Sundays as my weekly retreat—my personal Selah. The energy is slower and sweeter. People brunching, worshipping, sleeping in, cars unmoved in driveways… time itself takes a breath.

Your sabbath doesn’t have to be Sunday. Choose the day that fits your life. And if an entire day feels impossible right now, start smaller. Begin with a sabbath hour, or even ten intentional minutes. Build from there. Rest is a practice—one you grow into. And once you begin, you’ll feel the difference immediately. Over time, the renewed energy and clarity become a way of life.

Stress shaped far too many years of my story. Slowing down has helped me heal.

Choosing rest is choosing life.

One of the scriptures that anchors me is Deuteronomy 30:11–14 (MSG):

“The word is right here and now—as near as the tongue in your mouth, as near as the heart in your chest. Just do it.”

That verse reminds me that ease is not out of reach. Rest is not unreachable. Peace is not a luxury. We simply have to choose it.

One of my key scriptures on choosing life is Deuteronomy 30: 11-20 {MSG}:

Vs. 11-14 says, “This commandment that I’m commanding you today isn’t too much for you, it’s not out of your reach. It’s not on a high mountain—you don’t have to get mountaineers to climb the peak and bring it down to your level and explain it before you can live it. And it’s not across the ocean—you don’t have to send sailors out to get it, bring it back, and then explain it before you can live it. No. The word is right here and now—as near as the tongue in your mouth, as near as the heart in your chest. Just do it!”

As the Malidoma Some quote above says, it’s not about ritual for ritual's sake. It’s about accessing Source that resides within all of us. The spiritual connection that gets broken, or has static on the line. These simple rituals, or others you choose or create, practiced consistently, help repair/bridge the gap.

Pause. Stop. Listen. Selah.

---

Using spiritual tools and techniques like those above, enable you to connect with your higher self and call upon the infinite wisdom within you, and surrounding you. Rituals form the bedrock of healing work and are important tools to support our goals.

Over the last few months, in my private Facebook Group, The S.H.E. Collective,* I've gone in-depth on these simple spiritual technologies, and more, that will take your life higher. *S.H.E. is an acronym for Self Healing Embodiment* Interested in learning more about these and other healing modalities? Join The S.H.E. Collective Facebook group today!

If you have any questions or comments about prioritizing your rest and reclaiming your time, leave a comment below, or reach out to me here