Ida (II): Beauty & Self-care Rituals
Spacious
Mornings
Spacious
Mornings
…waking up without an alarm. Honouring my boundary. Eating breakfast. Slow walks. Getting sunshine. Writing. A space where anything is allowed for me. There’s no right or wrong.
This is Part II of my conversation with Ida Liana—healer, writer, singer and the creator of Our Sacred Body. In “The Beauty of Being Me“, she tells me about her unconventional journey. A turning point at 22 when she said goodbye to a job, a life that didn’t feel right to discover her true path in Bali. By a knowing in her heart, she shaved her head despite her parents’ objection, to shed the layer of a self that the world had put on her, to stop hiding who she is. One courageous decision at a time, Ida has been reclaiming power—and freedom—over her own body, her own skin, her sense of self and what makes her beautiful… And she’s thriving. “I had to go through what I went through, and I’ve found my own expression of what being beautiful feels to me: A congruence of my inside and my outside.”
Here, she reveals another glimpse into her heart, her world: How she honours and cares for her well-being—skin, body, mind and soul.
Words have power. As always, may you leave this space with a little more peace, more joy, more of your self.
Love, Karman x
On Skincare.
“I’ve never known that skincare could feel so alive.“
I shave my head every two weeks in my bathroom. It is a ritual of releasing and letting go. It’s a nice rhythm where it’s usually around the new moon and the full moon, and I’m looking at myself in the mirror—not just my physical body and my face, but really looking deeply into my eyes, seeing my soul in my body. And I’d always think: Wow, I can see my face again. I can see myself again. That makes me feel beautiful.
For my skin, I used to have severe acne. I struggled with it most of my adult life.
Now, the way I care for my skin is so different. I just use a face bar from Scoop. And then a very simple oil from Vizü, a Singaporean brand.
The founder, Juneau makes organic, plant-based products, and the oil I get from her is customised for me. I send her videos of my skin, and she assesses it before concocting a blend of what she feels I need. I have never known that skincare could feel so alive. And it has really helped to clear up my skin.
“It is about allowing all parts of myself to exist… honouring my journey as a human being who has flaws and limitations, while also remembering my greatest potential and the inherent fact that I am sacred and whole as I am.”
On Self-care.
“Having soft compassion and strong accountability for myself.”
01. Self-care for me is about knowing that I matter, that my needs, desires and feelings matter.
02. It is about nurturing a long-term, committed relationship with myself, just like how we nurture and commit to relationships with our loved ones.
It tends to be easy for me to be compassionate and pour love into other people, but more difficult to do those things for myself. I’ve definitely been growing in that area.
03. It is about allowing all parts of myself to exist—even my ego, my shadows, my ugly sides as much as the parts that are easier to love and accept. Having soft compassion and strong accountability for myself, honouring my journey as a human being who has flaws and limitations, while also remembering my greatest potential and the inherent fact that I am sacred and whole as I am.
04. Taking care of myself is also about allowing others to take care of me, to ask for what I need from the people in my life.
Me:
What are the practices that support or nourish your well-being—mental, physical, emotional and spiritual?
Ida:
Having spacious mornings to tend to myself, and waking up without an alarm. Honouring the boundary I’ve set with myself and my self-promise to have this space has really supported my well-being.
Eating breakfast first thing in the morning, daily meditation, writing, and movement in its own flow based on what I feel my body needs each day. Going to the beach almost every day, getting sunshine, nature, slow walks, expressing my emotions, letting my feelings flow in a safe space, singing, crying, screaming, laughing, dancing. Prayer is important for me in connecting to God, connecting to my guides, my angels and my ancestors.
Writing. When I write, I let whatever comes through flow—a space where anything is allowed for me. There’s no right or wrong. Over time, I noticed my inner voice changed as I wrote more. It was like this new character—who’s wise, compassionate and loving—coming up to respond to my fears. When I allow myself to express my feelings, I allow my emotions to not get stuck in my body. It keeps me in a flowing state, open to new things, keeps me present in my life.
I think there’s a certain point where our (self-care) practices have to extend beyond the practice of that hour that we are exercising or writing. It’s letting the practices integrate into our life that really shows the benefits of doing them for our well-being.
The whole reason why we have our rituals/practices is to know how to live, how to show up in the way that matters the most to us.
Me:
What are your go-to healing / restorative treatments?
Ida:
A go-to has been with a close friend of mine. Her business is called Soma Psyche Alchemy, where she does amazing work with somatics, astrology, energy healing, and psychic reading. She does such a good job of combining all of these different modalities.
Bodywork sessions at Sol House with Candice have also been nourishing for me.
Intuitive readings as well, with Transmission Wellness, where I’ve always received the messages I most need to hear in the moment, whether it’s a kind encouraging message or a truth bomb that really gets me to reflect on my direction in life.
There are no rules these days about how to exercise.
In terms of movement, it changes every season. In the last season, I was really moving a lot. I was cycling, going to the gym twice a week. I was doing Vinyasa yoga, which was exactly what I needed in that season because I needed to use my fire. For this season, I have been lying down a lot because I’ve been processing a lot emotionally, and the only movement that I’ve been doing is taking walks almost every day. And I walk really slowly. I walk for an hour at the beach while listening to music or podcasts, and that has been very soothing for me.
It always changes. I feel like I’m moving into a season where I want to dance more, and I want to move my body in more fun ways. I used to be super hardcore in terms of fitness. I used to train every day.
I used to compete in power lifting, and all that made me feel a sense of control, but also very quickly damaged my body. Now, I decide how I’ll move based on what is best for my nervous system, what feels most nourishing. There are no rules these days about how to exercise.
“I believe this is the only way I can live my life.”
Read: Ida’s Journey
❥