Making Peace with Self Love - Bath time Stories

After spending a lengthy occasion in the freestanding bath tub of my hotel, the brewing time I took to steep with all of the rainbow speckles bubbles left me with some enduring inspiration about the topics of compassionate living and self love ...

After gorging the huge open mouth of our bath tup with steamy hot water (and nearly a full bottle of sparkly shower gel…), I was able to lie back, sinking deeper and deeper into the soothingly calm liquid surrounding me. Almost fully submerged, I began to notice something unique about this bath time experience.

It wasn’t the luxury skin products I was able to use, or the two bobbing yellow ducklings trying to make friends with my toes.

No, it was the surreal sense that the experiences and contents of this bath treasured one of the most important secrets and lessons of the universe.

This might seem a bit odd to say, but to help me explain the profound feeling inside me, I can describe how it felt to look at all of the surrounding floating fluffy bubbles, which wandered like clouds amongst a translucent sky. Reaching out to touch the soft clouds that lightly caressed my being, I felt like a goddess, with unlimited power to manipulate my mini world within the safe haven of the bathtub.

The bubbly clouds, swirling and changing direction with a simple touch of a fingertip, shaded different areas of my paralysed body beneath. Looking down at different parts of myself, from a third person perspective, I didn’t make it my mission to judge how it physically appeared, or whether it looked bigger or smaller since the last time I viewed its increased shapeliness.

Instead, my eyes ran along the curved edges, appreciating that they were part of a child that was created by an awesome universe. The innocent creature below, was embodied by my soul, and in need of nourishment in the form of unconditional love - as well as enjoyable food.

During the next phase of my bath adventure, it was garnishing myself with soothing shower gel that made me realise even more the sacredness around my own and everyone’s bodies. I was giving my body permission to relax, and feel nurtured and energised enough to be the best it can in the wide open world. I was giving it strength to radiate the beauty of its soul from the inside out, without any judgement or feelings of guilt and shame.

All inside and around of me felt tranquil and calm - calm until the moment where I noticed that the tips of my fingers were becoming slightly wrinkled, and the clouds of bubbles around me were disappearing without a trace. It was time to leave my sacred haven of self-love, but what child wants to leave a mothers warm embrace ?

Of course I didn’t want to move an inch, but I knew I had to - just like our everyday life challenges force us more and more our of our comfort zones.

Gradually, emerging from my mini world, for the first time I didn’t fear facing the much cooler air that was eager to grasp the droplets of water scattered along my softened skin. I knew that a heated bath towel awaited nearby, as did a tubful of my favourite mango infused moisturiser.

Taking my time, inch by inch, I took finger-fulls of the luscious body butter, massaging it into the depths of each and every limb and muscle. As each finger glided past, I made a note to feel thankful of each body part - each making up who I am today and who I will become. I felt deeply at ease, watching every speck of butter melt into my thirsty skin.

As I have come to realise over the years at war with my body, it appeared as though moisturiser to the skin, is like what self love is to the soul. You can exist without it, but living in peace with it makes for a much richer, fulfilling and amazing experience. Like your skin, your soul is in need of self-acceptance and self-love, so that your body and mind can fulfil its compassionate mission here on this planet to the very best of its awesome abilities.

Part of me wanted to laugh out loud in the bathrooms, because it seemed like such a simple and obvious concept - but a concept I had previously been unable to fully grasp and apply to the context of my own life. But now, in the steamy rainforest of my hotel bathroom, stepping into my fluffy bathrobe, I felt utterly at peace with my whole self.

At peace to allow myself to become the goddess of my own being

At peace to nurture my inner child

At peace to nourish myself, like a mother, with unconditional love