Let Water Soothe Your Soul

"Le Bain" by Alfred Stevens

Despite our best efforts to think positive thoughts, be grateful in our hearts and have faith that all is unfolding as it should, there are days when hope just fails us. We see someone we love who's hurting and we can't shake the sadness we feel; we come to the end of the month with not enough money in the bank and we panic; or we want to believe in ourselves but the old tapes keep playing over and over again in our head.

One of the best ways to return to a place of emotional equilibrium is to get ourselves into water. Water has a wonderful way of restoring us to a place of clarity and inner peace.

The next time you find that you just can't shake a bleak mood, run yourself a bath. Be sure to add some bath salts while you do. Bath salts are very therapeutic in a variety of ways. The are calming and help to create a sense of well-being. In addition, they soothe body aches and are good for the skin.

Etsy is a great place to find some lovely combinations of all types of salts. Here's a few that we really like:

"Renew" Bath Salts
$15 by Herbivore Botanicals

"Meadow" Bath Salts
$18.95 by Wild Rose Herbs

"Oatmeal Milk & Honey" Bath Salts
$4.99 by Ashla Designs

Add about 1/4 cup of the salts to the warm water. Let yourself soak for at least 20 minutes. While doing so, spend some time in quiet meditation. Close your eyes and deepen your breathing.

With each breath in, feel yourself taking in all that's light and good in the world. As you breathe out, let yourself release the toxic feelings and thoughts you are holding on to.

As you relax, remember to let go and let God. Find your way back to knowing that all is as it should be. We think you'll find a big difference in how you feel by the time you're done.

Show Up, Believe and Keep Asking

By Ida Rentoul Outhwaite

Despite all we might do to keep our vibration up, our thoughts positive and our connection to Spirit alive, we still have days where we feel life is coming at us from all sides. And when it does we can feel stuck, confused and very alone.

At these times, let the Universe know you’re looking for answers about what's going on in your life. Ask: “What do I need to understand about what’s happening?” “What do I need to see here?” A perfect time to do this is during your time spent in quiet meditation and prayer each morning.

Going to sleep with a concern or question in your mind is also a good idea. During the night, not only is your physical body asleep but your ego mind is as well. This puts you more in tune with your intuitive guidance.

Let the Universe know that you’re ready and willing to know the truth about a given situation. Getting a response might take a day, a week or longer – but the insight will come.

It will feel like you’re standing at a door and knocking - and then knocking some more. You’ll need to be patient, calm and believe. But when the clarity finally arrives, it will feel like a precious gift. You will experience a relief and a knowing. The door will have opened to a deeper understanding of yourself and of life.

Quiet Your Mind and Take Action from the Heart

Quiet Moment
From the Virgilla Art Etsy Shop

As you make your Divine connection each day through your spiritual practice, you’ll find yourself moving closer and closer into alignment with your genuine self. You’ll become clearer about who you really are and what you truly want in life.

We often find ourselves looking to others for advice or guidance when it’s time to make a decision or take an action step. Remember that all the answers we seek already lie within us. Quiet your mind and look there for what is best and true for your own life - and listen to what you hear.

Make sure your action steps are coming from a place of love and not of fear. If you’re confused about what your next step should be, ask for Divine guidance. When you begin asking the questions, you begin receiving the answers.

Allowing Ourselves to Flourish

By Ida Rentoul Outhwaite

In the midst of writing our book together, we came across something that really spoke to our hearts: "God does not set us up to fail. He sets us up to flourish." What a wonderful thought to keep in mind.

As we go through life, we can try to learn more each day about who we really are. Part of this process involves reflecting on what our insecurities are and where they came from. As we become aware of them, we can work on letting them go and allowing the best parts of ourselves to shine.

Ida Rentoul Outhwaite's illustrations are just extraordinary. Born in Australia in 1888, she showed a gift for drawing at a very young age and was said to have copied images from the walls of her nursery. Her mother, Annie, and her father, a professor at the University of Melbourne, decided against enrolling her in art school as they wanted her brilliant imagination to have free rein.

Most of Ida's drawings are of fairies floating on air. They are delicate, ethereal and perhaps too romantic for some tastes. But when we look at them, what we see is freedom: freedom from the lack of faith in ourselves that holds us back. These images show us what it feels like to let go of old fears and move forward with a lighter spirit and a belief in all that we are.

Begin working with your insecurities and letting them go. Trust that it will be okay to open new doors, take some risks and allow yourself to be all that you can be.

We all need to allow ourselves to show the world all that we are. And allow ourselves the freedom to feel like we're floating on air as we go through life.

By Ida Rentoul Outhwaite