water: shower
most americans don't go down to the river much anymore. we are away from the source of water.
in honduras, when i wanted to bathe, i went to the river in mocoron, or otherwise carried water from the well to pour on myself.i think showering is one of the most spiritual times in the course of daily life. being near water, warmth, (probably) alone, touching our bodies, being connected with how we're feeling.you would fill large buckets in a small shed or shack of room with water carried from somewhere else, then, with a small bowl, you'd wet your body and soap and then rinse.
very intimate.
the shower in raista was outdoor, by the sea: breezes, open air, pouring bowls of water on myself from well-drawn water in blue barrells.
in america we have brought the river/source to our homes.
i like to shower in the dark, lights out, maybe candles. but absolute blackness is preferable.i like my water hot, as hot as i can stand, and then a little hotter. i like the purging heat, enough to make me feel woozy and sweat a little
and then to finish off, no matter how long or short a shower, i like to resolve with a freezing rinse. i'll tell you, in the mountains, or in the winter, you can get a headache quick from the ice water coming out.
water temperature is a chance to push myself and make the showering state increasingly altered.
i've heard nicholas negroponte, at mit, has six shower heads. someday i'll have me a shower like that maybe.
i think about expressive showering being water wasteful, but it seems like water is inherently recyclable. i don't take real long showers more than once every once in a while anyways.
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