Shower Meditations: Awaken Your Creativity

Some of my best ideas and epiphanies have been conceived during a steamy hot shower. But why is that? Why then? Is it the water? Prior to my hyper awareness of our elements, I had no idea that I was practicing mindfulness when I intentionally sat under the shower head to breathe.

When we shower our bodies are relaxed, thus triggering dopamine flow. If we acknowledge that our the creativity comes from the level of dopamine that is released in our brain while we shower, then it all makes sense. The more dopamine we release, the more creative we are.  Showering also cancels out all the noise around us and makes room for thoughts that previously didn't make it to surface to rise up.

Author Jonah Lehrer says:

When our minds are at ease–when those alpha waves are rippling through the brain–we’re more likely to direct the spotlight of attention inward, toward that stream of remote associations emanating from the right hemisphere. In contrast, when we are diligently focused, our attention tends to be directed outward, toward the details of the problems we’re trying to solve. While this pattern of attention is necessary when solving problems analytically, it actually prevents us from detecting the connections that lead to insights. ‘That’s why so many insights happen during warm showers,’. ‘For many people, it’s the most relaxing part of the day.’ It’s not until we’re being massaged by warm water, unable to check our e-mail, that we’re finally able to hear the quiet voices in the backs of our heads telling us about the insight. The answers have been there all along–we just weren’t listening.”

Pretty much, a relaxed state of mind + no distractions + dopamine= creative ideas in the shower.

Here is a all-over shower meditation that I really enjoyed and that should add to your personal shower experience for a stronger connection with self and your chakras.

Shower Meditation:

1. After you complete your shower, increase temperature of water to as warm as you can stand and still be comfortable.

2. Move forward until completely submerged, stand with arms at your sides and close your eyes, concentrate on your breathing. If face is forward, you should have no trouble breathing through your mouth under shower stream. Hold about 30 seconds…

3. Once breathing is steady, begin to move fingertips slowly up the sides of your body. Concentrate on the feel of your touch, NOT how your body feels to your fingertips. Give thanks for your living body. Continue until arms are above head. Hold about 30 seconds.

4. With arms overhead, lean back slightly until head and face are clear of water flow and stream is only on your chest. Give thanks for what this area does for you each day; the heart that pumps your blood, the breath in your lungs, the bones and muscles that support you and give you strength. Hold about 30 seconds.

5. Lower arms to your sides. Lean back until shower stream is only on your abdomen. Give thanks for what this area does for you each day; the processes and filtration that make use of the things you take into your body, the miracle of the reproductive system. The core muscles that support and give strength. Hold about 30 seconds.

6. Turn, face away from the shower stream. Extend arms out in front of you and support yourself against the shower wall (if shower is too large, use hands on hips). Posture should resemble a standing wall push up. Spread feet shoulder width apart, bend slightly at the hip until you feel the stream only on your lower back. Let your abdomen release. Feel the soothing warmth of the stream on your lower back. Hold about 30 seconds.

7. Maintain posture in slight bent position. Now begin to slowly move upper body backward and forward, feeling stream move up and down your entire back. Think of a tree in a gentle breeze. Give thanks for your back; its ability to bend and straighten, giving you strength and support. Continue for about 30 seconds…

8. Straighten and turn to face shower stream. Submerge entirely. Move only your head using a long, slow up and down ‘yes’ motion. As you do, feel the water moving over your face in a line from neck to top of head. As your head moves down, imagine the line is removing negative thoughts, while as your head moves up your mind is opening to all of the potential contained within the universe. Give thanks for the miracle of your mind, thought, and its power to heal. Give thanks for your face and its ability to reveal your goodness to others. Repeat for about 30 seconds…

9. Facing forward as you started, step back out of shower stream, stand with arms at your sides and open your eyes. You should feel a sense of center, calm, and rejuvenation!

From now on give thanks to our water, our earth, the universe and the power that created it and sustains it. I hope this makes you appreciate your shower time as much as I do.

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