Into the Water
Photo of Lake Winnipesaukee in Moultonboro, NH
Happy Summer, my friends!
As always, I hope this finds you and yours healthy and safe.
I am doing well at my home in Vermont, enjoying lots of quiet, home projects and sunshine. The Mountain Massage Center at Smuggler’s Notch Resort, where I have worked and also practiced yoga with many of you for years here in Vermont, is closed this summer due to Covid-19. I am so glad once again to be in touch with these journal posts!
For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer Solstice occurred over the weekend, and wow, this is it! Look around, this is the time of fullness, of greenery, of abundance.
The sun is the highest in the sky for the year, and the days the longest. Take time to look around, to breathe in the fresh air, to notice the green grass, the flowers, the warmth, the butterflies….all of nature is celebrating.
One of the best ways I know of to celebrate summer is getting in the water, preferably outside in a lake or stream or sea. What a feeling of jumping in, launching out into the air for a second or two (or stepping in slowly one toe at a time!) and then immersing in the cool waters, enveloping my body and spirit in refreshment. So good for the soul!
Getting in cool or cold water during this season is a primo way to cool down and balance the warmth in our bodies and from the strong sun. In Ayurveda which has revolutionized my self-care practices, it’s all about balance.
And in our self care explorations, there is no one way for everyone. And no perfectionism. Just awareness of what feels right. My belief about self-care is that it is about paying attention to yourself.
So cool the heat. Let go of the stress. Calm the busy mind. Water is one of the ways to do that. See how it feels, and notice, enjoy.
Water is pleasure, and one of the ways we can break out of patriarchal ideology of work, work, work– is to let go of perfectionism and create pleasure. More on pleasure activism coming soon! But for now, I invite you to notice and prioritize what feels easeful, restful and pleasurable.
Toes in the sand. A shady spot to just sit and look around, smelling the fragrance of flowers. A special massage of your body with lightly scented lavender lotion. Drinking a big glass of herbal tea. Going on a vacation to a lake house and relaxing on the dock. Staying home and ignoring the to-do list so you can lay on the floor and stretch or rest. Taking a leisurely walk around the block. What does pleasure look like to you right now?
If you don’t have a pond nearby, consider setting up a cold water outdoor shower! There is something much different about rinsing off outside after a long day of summer gardening rather than going inside for a warm shower.
Here’s how I made an easy outdoor shower that was so inviting, I splashed off 5 times yesterday out there:
- get a couple wooden pallets, one for the floor and one for a side wall, and set them up in a semi-private place next to a tree trunk.
- the sidewall and situating the shower near a tree affords a small amount of privacy.
- get your garden hose and bring it out to the shower area, slinging it over the wall so it points down.
- collect a large bucket with a lid and a dipper and a towel
- disrobe indoors and wrap up with the towel and go outside
- fill the bucket with water and use the dipper to pour cold water over your body, simply delicious!
- take yourself wrapped in the towel to the nearest hammock and put your feet up!
Ahhhh. The simple joys of summer. My granddaughters love getting naked and splashing in their little pool or splash pad. So can we as adults!
With a little ingenuity, with a little sense of adventure, find the ways to enjoy getting into the water. Your body and soul, skin and mood will thank you! And you will be practicing immensely good self care.
Jump in the pond, make an outdoor shower if your yard allows it, put your feet into a stream, drink a cool glass of herbal iced tea.
Mint and rose iced teas are my summer favorites. Just put the leaves or tea bag in a quart jar out in the sun, and come back a couple hours later and pour the tea over ice cubes. A fresh leaf or slice of fruit in the glass is divine.
How about you? Dream right now of how you can bring more pleasure into your day. Stay with your attention on how it feels. What’s your favorite watery pleasure these hot summer days?
With love and care, peace and waves,
Lizabeth