Last week when I returned from my New York trip I soon noticed the water in my house wasn’t getting hot, the dryer didn’t work, and the gas stove wouldn’t come on. I called my roommate, who is out of town, and he said that I needed to check the propane tank. Yep, sure enough, it was empty. Damn!! Because it was the weekend I couldn’t reach anyone at the propane company to schedule a delivery. At that point I knew I was doomed to cold water and foods from the microwave for the weekend.
I held out as long as I could but finally decided that I was just dirty and smelly enough to be forced to attempt a shower. I turned on the water and cranked it all the way over to the hot side hoping that I would somehow get lucky and find whatever hot water might be left…there was none. Only ice cold mountain water came spraying out. Oh my! I tiptoed my way in struggling to try to stay out of the water and somehow get clean at the same time. I let out a few loud "whooop whoooop" noises and a few curse words as I tried to wash as quickly as possible.
Here’s the strange thing…after a minute or so I realized that it actually felt good. Don’t get me wrong, I still moved quickly but it really did have an amazing feeling to it. Then, as I stepped out, began to dry off, and I noticed I actually felt really alive and surprisingly warm. I was fully awake and 100% in the present moment.
Later the same day I was sifting through my emails and I happened upon a newsletter from YogaMint. The first article that I opened in the newsletter was this one:
The idea of a cold shower is anathema in the West. In the realm of popular ideas, it is generally only thought of as a means of cooling off overzealous sexual desire. But the reality is most people in the world shower without the luxury of hot water.
There is something natural about this. When devotees bathe in the Ganges early in the morning, the river is ice cold. The result is not only cleanliness, but also a refreshment of spirit. The cold water against the skin draws the flow of blood to the extremities and stimulates the nervous and immune systems. These benefits are increased when you massage yourself beforehand with almond oil and vigorously towel off afterward.
Ishnaan, or conscious bathing, is very therapeutic, but it’s also practical, especially in the approaching winter months. The increased blood flow warms the body, and the sensitized nerves make you aware of the body’s natural, radiant heat. So be brave and try it. You’ll warm up to it soon. (access the article here)
I can’t remember the last time I took a cold shower and I certainly can’t remember the last time I read an article about the benefits of one. Strange this all happened in the same day. At any rate, once the propane is here I don’t know how often I’ll be subjecting myself to that icy water but I will sure give it a shot. It truly felt awesome!
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