Random information: my husband likes long hair, and I prefer my hair
shorter, and so we compromise, I get to dye it if I grow it out.
Okay, it's kind of an in joke, he would let me do whatever I like,
though he will definitely complain louder the shorter my hair gets.
I don't like the longer hair, mainly because it is a hassle. I love
that when I have short hair I can pretty much towel it off and it is
dry, I don't have to 'do' anything with it, it doesn't get in my face
(or give me a headache when I put it up). I do miss having the
ability to fidget with it, or to try fancy things (for me fancy is
braiding it!) when it is short, but if it were just me I'd keep it
short. However I know hubby loves it long, so right now it's just
past my shoulders. I'm thinking about dying it blue!
But back to the topic at hand, one of the things that I groan at with
longer hair is that it takes more time every day to maintain.
Brushing, washing, drying...I have to schedule my bathing around how
long it will take my hair to dry. So I must shower at least 2 hours
before I want to sleep, preferably more. Yes, I do own a hairdryer,
but I hate using it and only do when it is absolutely necessary. And
just the process of washing it takes longer. And I noticed, while I
was washing up one day, that I sometimes sort of dread shower time,
because it feels like such a monotony.
Which gave me a moment of weirdness. I view bathing as one of the
best ways to prep for ritual. A ritual bath really does put me in
the right headspace, as well as getting rid of random stuff from
regular life that may be going around in my head. I am also a big
fan of baths in general, and anytime I find myself feeling really
ragged or off balance, I turn to a soak in the tub to restore my
equilibrium. Even showering (though not as good in my book as a
bath) can be a big aid. A really hot shower is my go-to for
headaches that just won't go away.
So why is it that the shower isn't looked upon more as a daily
personal ritual? I have done some work with daily showering before,
and it is definitely something I would like to work more with. I
have read a lot of lovely bath and shower cleansing visualizations,
and don't see why they should be reserved for just ritual prep.
Every day we pick up junk from the world around us: physical,
mental, emotional and spiritual. We know that it is important to
wash off the dirt, so why not take that time where we are already
focused on cleansing to really give the rest of our self the same
service.
Water is definitely where I turn for cleansing. One of the first
things I do when I come home after being out of the house is wash my
hands. Sometimes I know I have touched things that might be
physically dirty (especially at the grocery store or thrift stores),
but even when I haven't I still feel like I need to run them under
water and wash away anything I might have come into contact with. I
wash my face upon rising and before I go to bed, in as icy cold water
as I can get to come out of the tap. In the morning it definitely
invigorates me and gets me going, but at night it serves to wash away
the cares of the day and go to sleep with a clean slate.
When we stand under the water in the shower, we can easily envision
any negativity that might be clinging to us being sucked down the
drain. Take that time to go over your day, and think about what
happened to you. If you got into a fight with someone at work, or
got cut off and yelled at by some random person while driving, think
about it and focus on how it makes you feel. Be with those feelings
for a moment, and try to see where on your body they are clinging.
And then let them be washed away by the water. If they are
particularly stubborn, you can scrub them away as you soap up.
Another thing I like to do is to charge my soap (and
shampoo/conditioner). Whatever I feel I may need in the next day, or
just blessings I might want in my life. While holding the soap in
your hands, focus on the energy you want to bring into your life. Or
you can use the soap as a form of shielding (which I do a lot,
especially when I know I am going to be in a lot of public places the
next day), infusing it with a protective energy. As you wash, feel
the energy soaking into your body, and covering every inch of you.
Finally, take a moment to just stand under the water and breath.
Sometimes I like to duck my head under the shower and let it fall on
me like rain. Sometimes I prefer to have it hit the back of my neck.
Take several deep breaths and let yourself really be in this moment
of stillness and relaxation. I am a big fan of stillness, sometimes
it seems like my life is just busy moment after busy moment (and how
frustrating is that when you look back at your 'busy' day and realize
you did a lot of movement but didn't get a lot done!). Taking some
time every day to just enjoy the moment can be very rejuvenating.
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