The Shower Artist

 I admit, I like to get creative in the shower… and no, not necessarily along the lines you are just starting to think about!

I have noticed that once I immerse myself in warm, running water, my mind begins to relax and become dreamy. In this meditative state, inner doors open and new connections are made in my thought patterns. Usually, I am not inspired to start singing at that point and if you happen to be close by, you will be grateful for my silence. Instead, I either play with some new insights in my head – often opening the shower door to grab a little note pad that is close by just for those occasions – or I start to draw.

I am fortunate to have a glassed–in shower stall, offering me 2 fresh canvasses every day. Once they are nicely fogged-up, I take both hands and – depending on the mood – draw with 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 fingers some patterns and shapes on the shower door. As I am using both hands simultaneously, I am creating beautiful symmetrical patterns. Sometimes I add big arm movements and sometimes I am more focused on my hands or fingers.

The beauty of this process is that the drawings are very short-lived – not enough time to look in detail and get caught in judgment. I can go over it again and again. Fresh starts every few seconds! Love that!

It is a beautiful way of allowing myself to get into the flow of the day. Moving my body freely allows me to be more creative throughout the day. I am less tied into yesterday and can allow myself to change perspective. I have taken a bit of time for myself and expressed myself in my unique way. My body feels looser, my mind is open and my emotions are balanced: the perfect place for some spiritual guidance to drop in or just simply feel refreshed internally.

You do not have to come up with new patterns every time you draw. Sometimes there is a deeper relaxation and connection to the world around us that occurs when we repeat patterns. Rudolf Steiner brought attention to that process with his Form Drawings: exploring straight and curved lines, connecting to and playing with the Yin and Yang of life, starting with the simple and moving into the complex.

If you do not have glass shower doors, you can also do this on tiled walls or the mirror. If you are not using a Squeegee after you are complete, you may even find the last pattern re-appearing magically as the surface fogs up again. Personally, I like a clean slate!

So, go ahead and be creative in the shower. And, yes, you can sing if you are so moved….