I Learned a New Trick!

I was soaking in the hot tub at Esalen, the big one furthest out on the cliff over the Pacific, which I recommend, when I noticed this overly tan, really walnut sunburnt kinda older gentleman in a little clawfoot tub beside the big hot one I was in. 

After a few minutes he stepped out of his tub, sloshing water all over the deck, and stepped into mine, sinking down into the tub silently, big smile on his face.  He was as far from me as possible, and not making eye contact.  We could have sat there sharing space silently forever.

Instead I asked him, “Is that a cold plunge?”

“Yes!” He said, “It’s fantastic you must try it!”

I bristled at the pressure.  I think of myself as a non-cold person.  I do not like being cold.  At all.  I said, “I don’t know, I know many people love the cold plunge but I hate being cold, it’s not for me.”

“Ok,” he said, big smile.  And he went into the little cold tub again, submerging this time.

I sat there feeling the hot water surround me, the balmy breeze kiss my face, soaking in the blue blue sky, the white fluffy clouds, marveling at the hawks, maybe eagles flying about, sounds of ocean waves crashing on rocky shores below and I thought, “Fuck it.  I’m doing this.”

The man exited the cold plunge and entered our hot tub again, silently, without making eye contact, giving me space.  I stood up.

“I’m going for it,” I said.  “I’m not thinking about it.”

“Don’t think about it!” He cheered me on as I exited the hottub.  “Don’t think about it — Get all the way in you won’t feel the cold,” he coached.

I squatted in the tub, half-in, half-out, gripping the sides.  I thought, “Don’t think about it go all the way in you won’t feel the cold,” and I eased in all the way  with a big exhale.  Whooooo.  I felt the cold.

And then I was breathing in the cold little tub for one, with the same sky and ocean and hawk eagles and wind but everything was brighter and more beautiful and more alive.  And I was a cold plunger!!!  I relaxed into the cold, breathing, and let it permeate my core, get into my underarms and between my toes, not  bracing against it, letting it all the way in.

Then, I got out and stepped back into the big hot tub, eased down and felt the tingle reward, the rush of blood and lifeforce flow like a hit of something priceless.

“Thank you for the push,” I said to the man, who smiled, and left me to enjoy the tubs on my own.

I repeated the plunge process three more times, each time feeling more natural and joyful.

Then I went to lunch feeling alive, accomplished, and slightly swagger-y.  It’s exciting to realize that even after all this time on the path there are new things to learn and try and enjoy, and old ideas about what I like and don’t like or who I am or am not to discard.  I’m gonna keep going.

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