We sat down with Cecilia Musmeci founder of Le Paradox, a conscious and visionary platform curating art direction and identity for sustainable and high-end fashion and jewellery brands.
How do you find your daily source of golden balance?
I practice Kundalini yoga. Everyday I wake up before sunrise and I spend few hours in meditation. This powerful practice clears my mind of all the unnecessary thoughts and it's a full workout for the physical and subtle bodies. When my aura is bright, my chakras are balanced and my brain is sharp I feel golden all day long!
How important is self-care to you, and do you often implement it into your regular rituals?
Self-care is super important to me. I know that if I don't treat myself kindly I won't perform at my best in all my activities. I strongly believe that the most successful people in the room are the most relaxed ones. I have so many rituals that If I'd do them all daily I would probably never leave the house. I'd say my essentials are Ayurvedic abyangam with sesame oil before stepping into an ice cold shower, breast massage and tapping of the main lymphatic glands under the cold water, few minutes of face gua sha after having applied face oils.
Have you found your purpose? If so, would you share it with us?
My purpose is to inspire people to consume consciously by showing them that true luxury is unique, handmade, good for the individuals and the planet. As a creative consultant I curate the image and identity of sustainaible high-end fashion brands with the aim to make "eco" cool and sophisticated. I also have several clients in fine jewelry, which is not disposable and it's meant to last for a lifetime, handed down through generations. Recently I have been organizing experiences that integrate spiritual practices and retail to engage with consumers in a new and meaningful way.
Share with us a quote that gives you daily inspiration.
Be a forklift. Lift somebody up-anybody with no obligation. Put somebody on the trail. Let somebody move. Let things move. Feel happy about it. That is your happiness ~ Yogi Bhajan
How do you practice nourishment from the inside out?
Everyday I fill myself with beauty, which means beautifully nourishing foods and uplifting tonics for my body, inspiring art and fashion images for my soul and creativity, lectures, podcasts, books and movies for my mind and knowledge. I pay extreme attention to what I expose myself to, handpicking my sources of news and entertainment.
What are some of your favourite ways to wind down?
My absolute favorites are ritualistic baths. I love to put in my bathtub different essential oils, flowers, fruits and crystals and soak for a good hour while reading and listening to mantras. Lately I have been obsessing over what it is supposed to be Cleopatra's beauty bath, a luxurious blend of raw milk, honey and rose petals.
Ingredients-wise, what are your three non-negotiables in the kitchen?
The sacred trinity: onion, garlic and ginger
Now tell us, do you have a guilty pleasure?
Drinking hot cacao in bed while eating fresh Medjool dates. It's kind of guilt free but very decadent!
What is your favourite way to use turmeric, be it in your beauty regime or recipes?
Definetly I am a huge fan of tumeric lattes. An an usual but powerful trick: everytime I feel a little low I rub ghee and tumeric at my navel point, then I imagine a bright yellow sun radiating its warm light from within. It totally shifts my mood. The navel is a point in which many nervous channels meet, so the soothing properties of ghee plus the uplifting power of tumeric get absorbed immediately through the skin and carried by the blood vessels all around the body and to the brain for immediate empowerment and relaxation.