Some of my most profound memories come from growing up on the Gulf coast of Florida, from my times basking in the sun and in the warm salty ocean. I was blessed to live right on the beach for most of my youth. Amidst the tropical breezes and sunsets, I would sculpt labyrinths and sandcastles on her shores. When it was windy, I would fly my kite and go body surfing on her wild waves. Many weekends, I would swim until sundown, and let the waves play with me, and sometimes I would just surrender and let them take me where they wanted to. My inner child would call out to the dolphins (that I secretly wished to ride), and I would spend days catching clams, sea shells (and even squids!)… and then go home to make collages, mesmerized by the shells that I found.

I remember swimming miles one day with my grandmother~ I felt both totally scared and exhilarated by our mission~ seeing the schools of fish and sharks who swam beneath me. Something else I will never forget is that when I was ill, my mother would wrap me in a blanket, and take me out to the ocean to have me breathe in the sweet salty air.

Somewhere in her, she knew beyond all things, that the Earth is a healer, and that I needed her.

 

La Mer, the ocean was more than a friend to me, she is my Mother.

She was always there to listen to me, in times when I needed to be alone and to dream, dance, and sing by the shore. Her waves always seemed to greet me playfully and make my spirits rise, as she called me into places deeper within while I played like a mermaid in her vastness. And in this way, She taught me many things.

She taught me to listen.

And she taught me to be patient, and if I was, that I may find a treasure, like a shell that I had never seen or discovered before.

She taught me to trust.

And she showed me that sometimes the current can get rough, so I need to always tune in and pay attention. She showed me that she was a force to be respected, and one who also had the power to heal my soul.

She taught me to find my rhythm, and to do so I needed to learn to tune in & surrender to what is.

Those who know the ocean, also know that her tides and currents are different every single day. She lives with the moon, as she embodies the rhythms and cycles of the seasons of time. Her moods change, and she is different every single day.

Today, as I no longer live near her, it is my devoted practice to find and nurture my daily rhythms, and to find the sea in my heart through communing with water in my weekly ritual bath time. (This is an art that I am eager to share more about!)

Learn more about the healing effects of bathing with sea salt in next my blog post Salt: the Soul of the Earth

 

The Shakti Shoppe: Herb & Sea Salt bath blends where inspired by my experiences with the ocean as a child, and the healing I have found with incorporating sea salt baths into my ‘self care’ practice. People travel the world over to find the therapeutic effects from the sea… from the Dead Sea to the Atlantic, to the Mediterranean and beyond.

It is my joy to bring these magical salts to your home (and bathtub), so you too can find your inner Mer, wherever you are! 

What are your stories with La Mer? Do you find that she is a powerful healer for you?

Have you tried the Shakti Shoppe: Herb & Sea Salt Bath Blends? If so, what was your experience?

Please share your love in the comments below!