3 Steps for Turning Your Manicure into a Meditation Session
Revive your nails and your outlook with these tips from meditation teacher Jenni Dawes.
Photo: svetikd/Getty
If you have time to get a manicure, you have time to meditate. That's the philosophy behind the hand treatments at the buzzy New York City salon Sundays, where you can be pampered with nontoxic products while listening to a guided meditation via plush headphones. Here's how to experience a more mindful manicure, wherever you are.
Set the mood.
For DIY manicures, play music, make tea, and light a candle (like Chesapeake Bay's Peace + Tranquility three-wick candle, $15, Target.com). "You want an immersive experience without distractions," says Dawes, founder of the NYC mindfulness center Kindred. Whether you're at home or the salon, silence and stash your phone.
Breathe it out.
To let go of tension, when you sit down take a deep breath through your nose. As you exhale, let your shoulders melt toward the ground, your whole body sink into the chair, and your feet feel heavy against the floor. Repeat two times.
Take notice.
Get out of your head by paying attention to physical sensations—the temperature of the water your hands are soaking in, the friction from the file. "When you catch your mind wandering, say 'thinking, thinking' to yourself and go back to observing," says Dawes. (Bonus points if you can stay calm while your nails dry.)
Set the mood.
For DIY manicures, play music, make tea, and light a candle (like Chesapeake Bay's Peace + Tranquility three-wick candle, $15, Target.com). "You want an immersive experience without distractions," says Dawes, founder of the NYC mindfulness center Kindred. Whether you're at home or the salon, silence and stash your phone.
Breathe it out.
To let go of tension, when you sit down take a deep breath through your nose. As you exhale, let your shoulders melt toward the ground, your whole body sink into the chair, and your feet feel heavy against the floor. Repeat two times.
Take notice.
Get out of your head by paying attention to physical sensations—the temperature of the water your hands are soaking in, the friction from the file. "When you catch your mind wandering, say 'thinking, thinking' to yourself and go back to observing," says Dawes. (Bonus points if you can stay calm while your nails dry.)
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