The sacred shower

[thelerner]

I find the morning shower to be a unique time to practice.  It's early morning, our minds are clear, we are given often rare privacy and are in a unique echo chamber engulfed in the element of fluid change. 

 

Hopefully most people feel the power here, even if they have no practice.  With one we can make it sacred time.  I have a chant, really a canticle since its not only 'sung' but there's specific imagery which moves the attention inside and outside the body, as well as progressively more difficult levels of performing it. 

 

Really any singing from rock to opera has a purging/clearing affect in the shower.  More so if it has longer vowel sounds, which gets closer to classical kotodama (sacred sounds).  Thus an easy spiritual/physical act.

 

We can go deeper by flipping the dial.  I mean literally turning it to cold.  Here we face discomfort, even an illusory sense of pain.  Yet we can accept it, the benefits of facing our discomfort/fear is stimulation that enhances our wakefulness and immune system.  <note imo cold showers best done slowly, warm, cold, warm, working up gradually>

[AussieTrees]

Wim Hoffians retreat,a cold shower.

[daimai]

Was gonna say this, you beat me to it.

 

*Hoff

 

 

 

edit:

 

I've been doing the WHM for almost half a year now, consistently and it was definitely one very good decision or me.

 

Shen moves with blood, so the shower method will have you moving in and out of your body, energetically, if you are sensitive to it.

 

Wim Hoffians retreat,a cold shower.

Edited April 14, 2017 by daimai

[Seatle185]

Iv been taking cold showers for years, before i started i would always feel lazy and unmotivated for the duration of the day. I was so suprised how rejuvinating a cold shower can be, it increases circulation, motivation, and confidence for me. Some people who are into chinese medicine say a cold shower is the worst thing to take because the cold can penetrate stagnate but iv never had a problem, only benefits. Another thing i think is, it seems the more natual thing to do is bathe in cool water, it seems kind of rare to find a hot water source without electricity but i dont know.

 

Yes i feel the shower is extremely beneficial. What you say about the echo really resonates with me. Another thing i was reading is that since a shower is like a mini waterfall it produces a lot of negative ions so that could also take part in the healing. Water by itself, even without soap is really cleansing and is beneficial to the skin i think. Cleanliness is next to godliness..

[thelerner]

I rarely use soap or shampoo.  Instead I thoroughly rub and scrub myself and my crannies in the shower. 

 

I massage my scalp, run my hands repeatedly up and down my torso.  I think my hair and scalp look better for it.  I used to have dandruff, but using cold water and much fewer shampoos (once or twice a month) have knocked it out, better then any medicated shampoo I've ever used. 

 

Course, this is me.  Your mileage will vary.

[Seatle185]

Thats good, i feel the self massage in itself can be good for you. I agree soap isnt always needed. In the winter months i dont use it as much. But in the very hot and humid summers in south texas i usually come home drenched in sweat. I use a small amount of all natural soap in that case. It works!

 

A shower is cleansing on so many levels for me too. The physical obviously but the energetic shift is powerful, even more so if you state your prayers or intentions that you want to cleanse of all the negativity you may have picked up at work or wherever! Its one of the quickest ways to balance me weather im overly energetic or lazy and unmotivated. Its fascinating.

[silent thunder]

submerssion in cold, flowing mountain run off water

cleanses the spirit, not just the body

 

when we retire and leave the big city

I will settle near a mountain river

[beingnature]

To me taking a cold shower is one of the best way of transforming "negativity" (cold, resistance) into "positivity" (warmth, energy) through acceptance and not resisting in daily life.I know you can do it in any other normal daily life activity but with a cold shower its so simple and physical i hope you know what i mean, i cant really express it what i really like is to go outside and just breath intuitively until i fet qarm again.i also experienced kind of the wim hof method when i did swim in river on a day that was not to warm i just did standing meditation afterwards and my breathing became like tummo breathing and after like 20 minutes i felt just great.that was an experience

[Rakiel]

i do the dry brushing first all over, then maybe a little oil; then the cold shower. Have been taking them for more than 2 years.

[Seatle185]

i do the dry brushing first all over, then maybe a little oil; then the cold shower. Have been taking them for more than 2 years.

Thanks for your input, i havent ever tried dry brushing but its something i could probably benefit from. Do you use sesame oil before the shower?

Edited April 17, 2017 by Seatle185

[Rakiel]

Thanks for your input, i havent ever tried dry brushing but its something i could probably benefit from. Do you use sesame oil before the shower?

 

almond oil

[thelerner]

That reminds me.  I haven't used them in a while, but Salt Rubs; Sea or Kosher salt often in almond oil, make for nice showers.  Rubbing the oily salt vigorously on your skin, wakes you up (especially if you have a sore) and is uniquely cleansing.  Plus it's always nice to get anointed   . 

 

You shower it off afterwards, but the oil sticks on your body, moisturizing it for awhile.  Not a bad idea to warn the next person  what you've done.  The floor gets slippery.   

[Peramadi]

I have been taking cold showers for over a year now.  Where I live, winter time air temps go to mid-teens but water temp will be around 34-38 F.  Feels wonderful and energetic.  After shower heartbeat comes down to lower 50's and stays that way for hours in the morning.

 

Nothing like it.

[Peramadi]

i do the dry brushing first all over, then maybe a little oil; then the cold shower. Have been taking them for more than 2 years.

 

Thanks.  What kind of brush do you use?  Meaning, can you buy them on Amazon?

[thelerner]

I've heard loofahs work well for dry brushing.  I think Daniel Reid recommended them for such in one of his Tao books.  Also use a light touch, and keep the loofah dry and clean.