april's shine - day 22/30 - a bath to help you forgive

a bath to forgive: the rose

We all have those kind of days - or weeks - that we feel like this one big world is against us..

And we feel we are small and maybe that we cannot go any more against it all.

So, this is for you. 

If and when you have one of those days, think about coming back here, read this and try it: a bath to forgive.

I know not everybody has a bathtub.

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 Especially here in The Netherlands, most of the people only have showers..
(Why, you ask? Ehm, I believe it started with calvinism.. And it may be related to how many people live here in the NL, on such a small piece of land - that on top of everything is 50% water and under the sea level.)

So if you do not have a bathtub, maybe you have a friend who does - and who would want to lend it to you for a few hours.
And, as sad I am about the fact that we do not all have the perfect water (and I believe that most of our inability to be happy has something to do with how polluted our world is), I believe that water has something magical.. even the tap water..

You need as many candles as you have the patience to light.. (maybe also enough to make it light enough without electric light in the bathroom)..

You also need some essential oils. I recommend:

• rose essential oil: to open your heart and help you release depressive feelings;
• rosemary essential oil: to help you feel loving;
• sandalwood essential oil: to help calm down the nervous system;

(you can use these either in your bath, either with the stones, like I described a few days ago)
If you hate any of these, you may want to choose something that you like..

You will also need an empty paper and a pen (and something to write on that does not cry when wet:-) )

think about a place in the bathroom where you could put fire to your piece of paper (maybe prepare with some other stuff, like not have inflammables nearby and such..) And have a jar with as clean water as possible. It would be lovely to be some living water, like a spring, but look at what is possible for you - and please do not stress about it:-).

Maybe have some lovely (for you!), soft music on (hint: it's not heavy metal:-) ). 
But, this is optional, as I felt in my past, whenever I did this, that I needed to hear only my thoughts..

And you will also need some time alone, maybe take 2 hours.. Mothers, maybe you find somebody to sit with your child or children..

You start by setting an intention. Maybe you have a situation in your mind and heart, maybe you feel it in your body. I mostly felt the stuff like a clutch around my heart, not letting me breathe properly. Some other people feel it like a cramped stomach. We are all individuals and you may start this all by feeling where it is in your body that you feel contracted.

Setting the intention:
Before you even start anything, close your eyes (standing or sitting alone in the bathroom) and imagine a rose. Does not matter which color, whatever you love or whatever comes up into your mind at that moment. Call up onto the rose to help you - and to receive whatever you want to let go of.

Open your eyes, sit down and write a few things about the issue you want to find a solution to, or about the problem you are facing,.Write it in a few simple phrases (I mean, describe the thing but do not write a scary novel about it) (that is why I said, one page:-) )..

At the end, ask the rose (in writing if that does not seem too silly to you) to help you by receiving the negative emotions and energy, to help you forgive and let go if there is someone else involved that you need to forgive, and ask the rose for some advice or idea, to be received while this ritual or soon after. It might be nice to also say thank you at the end of this letter:-)

Start light the candles consciously, one for one , thinking and feeling how the light of the candles takes the place of the negative in the situation you are in. 

When you are ready, prepare your bath and put the (electric) light out.
Laying in the bath, imagine the rose receiving all you have written and taking it in between its petals. Or if it helps you visually, imagine that you yourself put the words and the situation details between its petals. The rose is taking them all in and makes them dissolve into thin air that goes up to the sky and the never ending space. Trust that you will find a way to look at the situation that would bring you more peace and that once the negative heavy edge is taken off and the negative emotion is out of your body, your life will also feel lighter.

Let go of the image of the rose and thank it.

Now imagine that whatever tension you (still) feel in your body, is starting to dissolve in the warm water and starts floating beside you in the bathtub..

Now it is time to get out of the bathtub and watch the water go away, taking your tension away with it.

Dry yourself (be gentle) and stretch a bit. 
Use the energy spray from yesterday's tip or use sage smudge to clean you energy even more. 

Depending on when the next step will be, put your clothes on, or not:-)

Now take your paper, fold it to be smaller and burn it. 
If you are still in the bathroom, do it there, if you are close by some nature or a garden, you might find it nicer to do ithe burning outside (watch out for the wind). 

Put the ashes in the jar with the clean water and whenever, as soon as possible, throw it (with thanks) into a living water (e.g. one that flows) or give it (with thanks) to a big tree's roots, thus back to Mama Earth.

Trust that some answer will come. I hope you feel better now.
love,
ioana