Taking a shower always takes me to a place of gratitude. For water, plentiful and hot, for the fancy jets, almost as good as a massage, for the surround sound that shields from all else, for the freedom to splash to my heart's content, for the pleasure of body, being cleansed, well . . .
I tell myself, I am so lucky! Mind takes it from there, and away into world of random thoughts. What happened, I wonder, and think once more about the autonomous nature of habitual mind. Back to now, and the joy of observing connection between ordering thoughts, and actions, and sensations in the body. Got to shave, lather cream, grab razor with right hand, contact with right ankle, feeling contact, move razor up, away, down, up again, . . . Fascinating!
Oh! noticing feeling of cold, and not liking, wanting warmer water. Wish indulged with one small turn of knob to the left. Liking, really liking, super hot shower. For a while. Until heat gets to be too much, and I start wishing for colder water this time. Wish indulged with one small turn of know to right. Oh! too cold. Got to adjust a bit, back to left. Not too much. Right there, perfect! . . . For a while . . . Wise mind steps in. This is ridiculous. There is no such thing as perfect temperature, is there? No, but perfect window into temporary nature of happiness from sensual pleasures? Yes.
And then the end. Stepping out into relative coldness of bathroom. With desiring mind wondering for a second, whether to like or not like the coolness.
Joy of mind, cleansed by the penetrating rays of mindfulness.
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I too am totally attached to hot water, and I am ever grateful for it!
ReplyDeleteI love this, and love showers just like you do. Your description reminded me of our cat, Sheba, taking pleasure in petting. It's Not Enough Petting, Not Enough, More, More, and then suddenly, Too Much Petting, Too Much, and she flees. This is not at all complicated to her, I think.
ReplyDeleteYes, cats, humans, we are all enslaved to earthly pleasures . . . The difference between cats and humans, is cats do not have added layer of complexity from busy mind and its running commentary of added suffering. The flip side of course is our privilege of mindfulness, and hence ability to transcend our desires.
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