Isn’t it time to start loving yourself more. So often we are searching for something outside ourselves to feel good when in reality we need to just take a few moments to really love ourselves as we are now. Spirituality always includes sensuality. Sensuality does not always include sexuality though it does not shun it either.

Now there are “50 ways in which to leave your lover” according to someone’s lyrics, whose name eludes me at the moment,  and if that is true there must be a thousand ways to love yourself. I am certainly happy to help create a more personal method for you but for today I wanted to extol the virtues of the bubble bath. Gentlemen, please do not run away, you can dispense with the flower petals if you insist but do not deny yourself sensuality, the women in your life will thank you for it, I promise.

Look at the photo. I mean take a moment, sit back, relax and look at it. Look at it with your enquiring eyes, look at it with your mind open and your senses alert. The detail in this photo is beautiful. This woman is celebrating herself as the goddess she is. She has collected river rocks, she has bathing salts in a bowl and chocolate mousse (pudding), all of this is sitting on a large green banana leaf on a beautiful wooden tray. She has tucked a flower behind her ear and she is holding and looking at another one.

This is the secret to how we love ourselves. It really requires two things. Firstly we must want to do it and appreciate ourselves enough to do it. It is important we do it for ourselves not just others. Think of yourself as the guinea pig (no disrespect to our furry little animal friends) and try out new ideas before sharing them with a loved one. Secondly, we shall “reap what we sow” so please put some effort into your creation.

Try to engage all of your  senses. The bubble bath as photographed here does it very well. There are many interesting fragrances, from the bubble bath itself to banana leaves. It is visually stimulating and taking the time, as she is doing, to observe consciously will only heighten our enjoyment. Adding chocolate to the mix can never be wrong. I mean really, can chocolate EVER be wrong? Eat it slowly. Let it melt on your tongue and see how long it lasts. If you chose music you can make it something soft and gentle or vibrant and inspiring to you or you can simply listen to the bubbles bursting in the foam as I often do. Finally relax into the water and feel the incredibly silky sensation bubbles make on our skin. One of the reasons nearly everyone enjoys a bubble bath (if we open our mind to it) is that being immersed in warm water must reconnect us with primal feelings of being nurtured in our mothers womb.

I really hope that this quick recipe for relaxation is something that you will try for yourself but if it does not resonate with you then please create one of your own. It is not that important what method you chose to use for loving yourself but it is very important that it be a totally engaged sensual experience so that means relaxed and consciously present for every part of it. If you could see yourself as I see you then you would understand that you are truly loved.