One of the biggest highlights of this extended recuperation has been the time to read. I'm been going through a pile of books, which you can see in my "LibraryThing" feature to the right.
Right now I'm reading something a book that weaves together a number of topics that are fascinating to me - baths, water, spiritualilty, herbalism, and traditional medicine. The book is titled:
Spiritual Bathing: Healing traditions and rituals from around the world. It is a beautiful coffee-table book (only in paperback) full of lucious photos of pools, water, flowers and people..It is fascinating to see how different religious traditions (whether monotheistic or not) all incorporate the concept of the sacred water and cleansing. Rosita Arvigo, one of the authors and an herbalist) provides "recipes" for bathing rituals that reflect everything from the Jewish mikvah to Mayan baths.
Right now I can't take a proper bath, but take a shower in a chair with my foot propped out of the tub. I have a new appreciation for being able to submerge your whole body in water...whether in a bathtub, sea, or jacuzzi. Submerging my body in water happens to be one of my favorite things in the world. Hot springs, ocean, public pools - I love water.
This book is giving me lots of ideas for future baths that incorporate healing, and spirituality....using flowers and herbs from the garden come spring and summer (some from those seeds I just ordered!). After a long winter and a healing foot, these baths will be just what I need....
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