Soaking in
There's something calming about being submerged. It holds, it hugs, water, it consumes us. Entering a body of the liquid feels like your form is entering into a new state of being. In water we can feel ourselves becoming totally embedded to the environment we preside in. When we bathe our pores slowly open to swell from it's surroundings. We absorb the water, while we are absorbed into the water.
The Gilf Kebir is a sandstone plateau tucked into the southwest corner of Egypt. In this expansive landscape of drifting sands, dry dirt and soaring temperatures we find the cave of swimmer. Etched onto the archaic walls we see six human figures taking a dip. This ancient art is our first evidence for human's love of plunging into the deep. Approximately 420 million years ago, our common ancestor left its liquid home for greener pastures and for at least 9000 we've been trying to jump back in.
The love to flood ourselves with water is a love that is universal. Every culture has adopted specific meanings and practices when it comes to water. For the catholic faith water has a cleansing property. The purifying powers water has during baptism is the same water has during the purging floods of the first testament. It washes away the foul allowing us to start anew. Zen Buddhism sees flowing water as the impermanence of all things, while still water symbioses meditative insights. Water is universal in geographical prevalence but unique in cultural interpretation.
I've been finding myself in baths more. Its a nice way for the muscles to soak up magnesium and a nice way for the brain to soak up some stillness. It's nice to join the deluge once in a while. Brining oneself in warm, salty water always feels nice.
When a foreigner quizzed the Roman Emperor why he took the trouble to bathe once a day he replied "Because I do not have the time to bathe twice a day". There aren't many things in life I can relate to a Roman Emperor but that statement is one of them.
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