Oh yeah! You read that right. The post is about water and skin. Many times I have marvelled at the sheer joy of the feeling when water flows through the skin. This wonder prompted me to write this post and share the bounty of joy. Well, there is nothing like the sensation of water coming into contact with the skin. How I wished I were a Dolphin or a frog for partaking the pleasure of being in water always.
Just because water makes me thrilled, I like my bathing sessions. A time of dialogue with the self where no one can intrude. Its just water and me. Being in water enables many things to surface: thoughts, sensations and cleansing. Sometimes I take the whole process a bit too far when I want to have it the Zen way. Bathing for the sake of bathing and not allowing any stray thought to venture into the mind. It sure has its joy but sometimes I just cannot bridle the thoughts. This post would not have been here if not for that stray thought which tickled my mind while bathing.
Not bathing alone but any activity that enables me to come into contact with water enthralls me: washing, cleaning, cooking. Water has that lovely quality of at once bringing all your focus to the present moment. One cannot touch water and also think of something else. At least not at the same moment as the first touch occurs. Maybe after the initial touch is over, the next few minutes can give way to meanderings.
I wondered about this affiliation. For those who might wonder about the zodiac connections, I am not a water sign. Water is something that strikes a deep chord within me. Nothing can beat coming home after a hectic day and heading to the bathroom for those sessions that not only clean and refresh but also enable one to get ready for the next part of the plan. A bath can never be compromised with anything and anyone. This affinity definitely gives me reason enough to use it judiciously as I want to have water till I leave this earth.
Your post reminded me of an insightful incident that happened with me.
ReplyDeleteDuring college I used to be a swimming coach, and ended up spending about four hours in the pool everyday. Then 'work' happened and swimming took a back seat.
After a break of about 8 years, I went swimming again one day. To my utter horror, I realized I couldn't complete the length! Every time I would end being out of breath somewhere in middle and then scramble to the nearest side in sheer panic.
I then asked myself some basic questions -
1. Why can't I complete the length? Because I am getting tired halfway.
2. Why is that happening? - Because I am out of breath.
3. And why is that happening? - Because I am unable to coordinate the breathing between each stroke.
4. And why is that happening? -
BECAUSE - I was swimming only to get to the other side!! I had forgotten to enjoy the sensation of being 'in water', feeling the water ripple all over my body, feeling weightless, seeing how the world looks like underwater, and so on.
The next length, I stopped bothering about when I would reach the opposite wall and started enjoying the actual swim instead.
It taught me a practical example of the rule of 5 Whys which is used in Six Sigma technique. It also taught me that the journey is as important, or more, than the goal.
Then you have to read the poem 'Ithaka.' Check this out.http://meanderingsandreflections.blogspot.com/search?q=ithaka
ReplyDeleteTell me how you like the poem.
I think wind does to me what water does to you..the feel of it in my hair is in my mind, the closest to flying that I can come, all by myself..
ReplyDeleteIts one of the reasons I love to ride my bicycle so much! I shud do it more often..
Lovely post, we must take more time to think about and articulate into words, all our sensations..
somehow, people write a lot about what they think and see and hear and talk about..
not too much about what they can feel..strange no?
Quite well said my friend in Blue. We are losing touch with the senses esp hearing, feeling. Thats because we don't observe the beauty in every minute. Stopping for life is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. What say Bluey?
ReplyDeleteWater is really a wonder on earth. its nice to write abt it. water cools our nerves and thats why one starts singing in bath. Moreover our Indian bathrooms are mostly compact and it gives the bass effect when u sing and u feel ur singing in a studio. All ur voice modulations will get a theater effect. the best is drenching in rain. not just to stand in rain. running and playing in rain is a great treat. feeling the soft spray in ur skin when ur really chasing somebody.(real pleasure is when we get it as a by product). the rain gets over and u dry yourself and just come out to feel the fresh smell of wetness in atmosphere and leaves. as tangled up in blue has said now there is less writing about how one feel.
ReplyDeleteI think Italo calvino has written some stories on Taste, smell etc in the collection Under the Jaguar Sun. its nice to watch a movie or read a novel or more fantastic to pray after a bath in rain.
Rightly said my dear friend Johnson. The freshness after the engagement with water is just lovely.
ReplyDeleteJus loved your post coz am a complete water baby.
ReplyDelete