[Hunny]

I just wanted to say a simple thing that really seems to help me.

I've wanted to mention it for several days, it won't leave my thoughts.

I love to do dishes by hand. I find it very calming. Something about putting my hands in clean, warm, soapy water causes me just feel soothed. I'm not kidding, you likely won't get too many Drs giving out this 'important information'

It is a soothing and by the way a very practical thing to do.

I hope this helps and is meant for someone out there.

I can relate Hunny and thank you for sharing this . You have incorporated most of your senses while washing the dishes and are in the present moment. The present moment is soo precious as that is all we have. I needed to be reminded of living in the present moment today, so I have much gratitude that you posted this.

Today, I designed a window box. I poured in the moist dirt and designed & arranged impatiens/ begonias/petunias then filled in the dirt around them. I sat back and admired the outcome. Since it's nearing dusk, this is when petunias omit a wonderful fragrance and it took me back to my grandmother's favorite white petunias at our cape home.

[pegasus]

It's called 'grounding' a technique that brings us back to where we should be. Thanks for sharing.

[Hunny]

There is actually a little flutter in my ears, probably something neurological going on. It is not a sound. It's hard to explain. It has a very slight physical sensation to it.

It is probably explainable neurophysiologically as in the bigger picture in regards to the brain and nerves. if I was hooked up to some assessing device during dishwashing it might show something but barring all that 'fufurough' I just like it! Then I use some nice soothing cream on my hands because the water dries them out. Hope you find it a likable thing to do too.

As children we had to take turns washing and drying the dishes. Everyone wanted to wash not dry. I think it had something to do with hands in the water, I'm pretty sure. You have to watch out for the sharp knives though and be gentle with the glassware. I don't have room for a dishwasher and even if I did I wouldn't want one. Had one in the past and it was okay but not the same effects. It would be nice to have one sometimes though.

Hope you have fun doing dishes by hand, like I do.

[Night*Blossum]

Aww, I like doing them by hand also :] I make sure not one speck of food in on those dishes. ^_^ Nice of you to share this also. However, I find coloring to be more calming and soothing for me. Maybe because it reminds my of childhood experiences when I colored in a coloring book :]

[Korin]

I like doing up the dishes too. And having a nice hand cream and massaging my hands afterwards feels so soothing. I knit and crochet so my fingers get stiff and ache a bit sometimes. The warm water helps as does the hand massage.

Here’s something else you might like to try. A foot massage. Soaking your feet in a basin of warm water and then drying them and then slowly rub on some foot cream.

[zooropa]

I also enjoy doing dishes by hand, and find it very grounding! It is also soothing to the OCD part of me that likes getting things *perfectly* clean.

thanks for posting this

As a child, I was forever walking in pebbled streams catching pollywogs, frogs and turtles. While my sisters busied themselves splashing in the lake, I busied myself in the bubbling brook. I remember the feel of coolness on my feet and hearing the sounds the bubbling brook produced as it slowly flowed along. Sometimes I put smooth stones I keep just for this purpose in a basin of cool water. I move my feet over the smooth stones and swish the cool water around and then I am transported back to a happier time.

Originally Posted by Korin

I like doing up the dishes too. And having a nice hand cream and massaging my hands afterwards feels so soothing. I knit and crochet so my fingers get stiff and ache a bit sometimes. The warm water helps as does the hand massage.

Here’s something else you might like to try. A foot massage. Soaking your feet in a basin of warm water and then drying them and then slowly rub on some foot cream.

[Korin]

I can remember going paddling barefoot in the sea. Maybe that’s why a foot bath is so comforting.

The sea can be very healing and energizing. Walking along the beach and when the tide rolls in, letting the coolness lap over my feet. Were you on a raft or innertube when you were paddling?

Originally Posted by Korin

I can remember going paddling barefoot in the sea. Maybe that’s why a foot bath is so comforting.

[Hunny]

I went right into the house and washed out my humungous blue plastic bowl with the curvey ridges on the bottom and filled it with warm almost hot water and sudsy soap. I took it out side and put it right in front of one of the lawn chairs, the kind you can sink back into. I wrapped a cozy blue towel around the outside of the bowl so I could put my feet on either side of it and dry them off.

It felt so good to sit in the warm sun and sit back and relax with my feet scrunching on the bottom of the curvey ridges. The scent from the suds was mild and pleasant. My feet were so sore from walking yesterday and puttering around today. The waters soothed and the dry towel was just the right roughness to rub them on.

I think I can obtain some smooth rock from the craft store. I'll get them tomorrow, maybe... dreaming of more happy feet days...la la la

[Korin]

The rocks/pebbles sound like a cool idea.
I'm going to try that.

Korin ~ I shopped for the smooth pebbles in a craft store. They have a large variation of sizes and shapes. I selected the ones that were brown/white/beige in color and flat in shape as that most resembled my childhood memories. But the stones can come in various colors and other shapes as well too. Sometimes I fill up my bathtub about an inch and put them around in the tub and sit on a footstool and just let the feeling of the coolness and the stones relax me. I feel my stress level coming way down. Hope you find this helps you as well

Originally Posted by Korin

The rocks/pebbles sound like a cool idea.
I'm going to try that.