Clebrity Night Shot

How to Host a Spa Party for Your Friend's Birthday...

Treat her to an afternoon or evening of relaxation with friends

One of your friends has a birthday coming up and it has been way too long since you pampered yourself, or spent time with your friends.

That is the perfect combination for a girls' night in or an afternoon of spa retreat!

Plan a couple of hours of renewal for yourself and your friends...

(1) Set the scene with soft music and scented candles.

(2) Whip up a frothy or sparkling drink.

(3) Have them bring their own foot tub and you provide the essential oils to put inside them.

(4) Listen to a relaxing meditation while your feet soak.

(5) Offer time for reflection or sharing.

(6) Serve the cake or whatever you want to add to the general "treat yourself" atmosphere.

(7) Enjoy their company!

Start the party with a fun spa quiz. You can create your own questions to add to the ones I am offering here...

Five Signs You Need this Spa Retreat...

(1) You've been tired more than usual lately, and haven't been sleeping well.

(2) You sometimes catch yourself overreacting to minor upsets or irritations in your day.

(3) You find it difficult to turn off your brain at night.

(4) You would rate your average daily experience of stress at four or higher on a scale of 1-10.

(5) You haven't spent as much time lately doing things that nurture you. Can you remember the last time? How long ago was it?

The Birthday Cake

Before you serve the cake, you might want to take a few minutes to celebrate your friend by sharing how much you value her friendship and if the others are friends of hers, too, you could invite them to do the same.

Then you can all dive into the cake and other refreshments you might have provided.

The Foot Soak

You could have each woman bring her own foot tub and then you could provide the essential oils to go in them.

Here are some essential oils for your foot-soaking experience that will soothe, calm and relax you and your friends as you release the cares of the day and drift into tranquillity...

Lavender: a very peaceful essential oil that eases tension, releases stress and promotes a sense of harmony. It's gentle but powerful, and is good for insomnia.

Chamomile: gently soothing and relaxing, chamomile helps you release the stress of the day.

Vanilla: warm and comforting, an essential oil that grounds and centers you and brings you "mother earth" energy.

The Meditation

Even brief meditation (10-20 minutes) can be powerfully relaxing and healing. Research has found that in some cases, guided imagery heals more powerfully than therapy because it accesses a different part of the brain than you use in therapy or coaching. Meditation actually changes and trains your brain, according to the May 2010 issue of Yoga Journal

So even five minutes of meditation would be a very generous birthday gift for your friend and for everyone else there, as well!