Then you probably know, showering is amazing.
I mean, most people have showers in their homes in this country. Let’s stop and appreciate that. At any time, you can choose to step into a tub (or behind a glass rectangle if you’re really ballin’) and on demand, fresh clean water, adjusted to the temperature of your preference, will spray forcefully yet gently over your naked body. What a luxury! As you move and twist and turn, this stream of pleasure hits different areas of your skin. Shoulders, back of the neck, chest, belly, face…
And the sounds! After you’ve reveled in the physical sensations, if you bring your attention to the sounds in the shower, it’s incredible! The symphony of different pitches and rhythms! The water drumming down on your skull, and cascading over your ears, and dripping off your elbows. It’s kind of crazy how intense it can be, if you’re really there. If you’re paying attention to the here and now.
Often we are not really there in the shower. Physically we are in the there in the shower, but mentally we are somewhere far away, lost in thought. Going over all the things we have to do that day, replaying the previous day, or maybe (my personal habit) in a fantasy world, playing out every possible outcome of every possible action and rehearsing conversations that are unlikely to ever happen.
Showering is probably one of the most intense daily sensory experiences and one of my favourite places to practise Mindfulness. It can seem so mundane but when we pay focused attention, it can really be intensely pleasurable. Don’t get me started on exfoliating and lotion.
When we are really present, it’s hard to be in a bad mood. Because we’re not in our head anymore (where bad moods reside). We are fully in our body, and this is a powerful shift.
It makes us feel vibrantly alive. Light, peaceful, happy. Maybe a little silly and giggly, with a childlike sense of wonder and awe.
And it certainly makes us feel deeply grateful for simple, daily experiences. It helps us draw more pleasure from the small things. And these moments, one after another, all added up, make up our life.
Side note: If you’ve ever experienced virtual reality, it can be really fun to do even mundane things in the virtual world, like walk down a busy downtown street, and look up at skyscrapers and birds flying overhead. I think part of the reason why it’s so fun and enjoyable is because we are seeing things as if for the first time, fully paying attention to the sights, sounds, and sensations. We are not in our thoughts, but in the moment. And we can bring this same attention, playfulness, and sense of wonder, to our regular reality. Sometimes I like to pretend that this is all just another virtual reality game I’ve slipped into. And that shift creates a spaciousness, helps me take things less seriously, and makes things more fun.
After all, this, wherever you are right now, is just another sensory experience. This is all just a ride we’re on for some time. So let’s play the game and enjoy!