“Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.”

―Gautama Buddha

Over the weekend, I decided that it was time to shed the old, external layers of my physical body. To shear off the superficial calluses that I’ve been dragging around— not to say that I don’t love my hair, my life, my experiences, my energetic baggage, but I’m teetering on the edge of having to sacrifice experiences for cool points by maintaining my dreadlock hairstyle. 

Many years ago, one of my mentors asked me if I had considered cutting off my hair, insisting that it’s not a suggestion, just a question; and as I vented about how much work it’s become to manage recently, I felt her support as I began to move into the headspace of this transition. 

Tonight, under the dark moonless sky, I lit a sunset fire and Sarah did the honors of trimming my first lock while Ari & Brian attended us. I apologized that this transition will be a badly smelling one and tossed the lock into the fire. We cut and burned one strand, I intend on making this transition slow and smooth. 

———

One week later and five fires deep, I feel lighter, clearer and more free. With each clip, the weight of my collected burdens releases like breaching from an underwater abyss— its momentary and momentous and I’m eager to chop it all off, but also honoring the slow, smooth, steady intention. I have an appointment for a scalp tattoo and have been asked to save a couple locks to burn at sacred, ceremonial fires after the new year.