seven repetitions…so much medicine….
Touching home base just this one day before I depart once again. I feel drawn to the page, chock full of expression that begs emptying. Bathing at Harbin Hot Springs echoes, first time teaching there since the 2015 fire. Moving in me. The pools survived the fire and they offer me so much solace. There was time out from soaking to offer Roll & Release one day and, on the other, 5Rhythms. Oh, I miss the Temple and the Conference Center. Instead, for now, a temporary trailer for all the myriad events.
I’ll be back, stay posted. Because if you come when I’m there, I have a standing invitation to join me in a bathing ritual I’ve practiced there countless times. Seven times back and forth between hot and cold—in honor of the cardinal directions, the elements, the rhythms and the chakras. Four maps that intertwine, reflect, illuminate and offer up a unique medicine each time I practice this ritual. Do they match up exactly? Absolutely not. And therein lies the magic of the seven repetitions. Each time I surrender to this, different messages emerge. This time, some bits of what I remember:
Into the hot for muladhara and earth, flow with the ancient wisdom of the north. Receive the gift of feet firm on solid ground. Seal that in the cold, knowing that even this icy plunge cannot shake this deep connection.
Into the hot water pelvic bowl svadistana, feel the connection of the bowl and the root, honor the swirl of emotion and in the cold feel the chaos of creativity bursting beyond the bounds of this bowl.
Into the hot, immerse level with the diaphragm solar plexus manipura. Feel fiery nature, spirit of the south, rhythm of staccato. Launch right into cold and stir the pool into a torrent of passionate energy. Tap into all still yearning to be expressed in this one precious life.
Into the hot, let the incoming water pound directly on to heart anahata. Take deep breath steamy air. Open wide, walk the steps to the cold, face east, drop in, let the heart close. Feel fetal beginning, shapeshift of lyrical, fresh inhale as if for the first time.
Into the hot, right level with visudha throat. Acknowledge the incredible growth opening here, how I listen crystal clearly, the release of the primeval choke hold on my voice. Feel earth center support that freedom. Drop into the cold and, for a moment, there it is: the frozen throat/neck of the past.
Into the hot, face west, let water encircle the temple, ajna chakra. Appreciate the long journey to maturity that opened intuition. Gifts of insight. Stretch to the sky. Descend into cold, let freezing water trickle right onto third eye point. Be ready for more….more dreams, more awareness, more clairvoyance.
Last plunge into the hot, feel as embodied channel between earth and sky, root to crown. Rub crown open to spirit under the hot water. Send prayers out upon the ethers. Appreciate life experience morphed to hard earned wisdom. Take that last dip into cold, let that seal the entirety of this experience. Drop onto the deck in utter stillness.
This. Seven repetitions. So much medicine. Maybe we will do it together some day. Tonight I fly to West Virginia to dance with other teachers from around the globe. Let’s be together when I return.
🙏🏼 Bella