Watsu

Roger welcomes me with a smile and a glass of water. Well the glass is made of metal, aluminum probably, as many dishes are here in India, but has a fancy rim to it, with three rings around the top.
We leave the main house, a beautiful white structure, a bit Indian, but with some Guggenheim museum affects, and light blue trim.
We head down to the Watsu pool. On the way we pass the area that he uses for dance parties, one of his great hobbies. “Now I am trying to master tango”, he tells me. “I love it, but have some difficulty with the structure. I am more used to free form dancing”. I remember learning to dance salsa in Cuba, and for the first time had to learn to keep my torso steady, move my legs in the right form of steps. It was indeed difficult for me. My body wanted to melt into the music, flow with its own rhythm. I understood that it shall happen later, when the form becomes part of me, but did not have enough curiosity to stick with it. I think that what attracted me most to it, is the partner dancing, how close two people share space, moving closer and away, touching, and looking into each other creating a new harmony.

The pool is chemical free, with warm water, blue with all white around. The place has a clean and safe feeling, as white walls and a black fabric awning like those used for green houses, close the area.

Watsu is a treatment, like a massage or a healing treatment that is done in the water.
After Roger kindly explains all that I should expect, we are both in the water, and I surrender.
I float in his hands, letting him take me around. I close my eyes, diving inside. I feel the body move, twisting, legs held up, arching of the back. I am held close like a child or let loose and floating about. Always I feel secure with him guiding the way.

After sometime of this soft relaxing floating, I get the nose clip. Now is underwater time. At Moments, feeling like a dolphin, eyes closed yet a deep blue surrounds me.
Then I am curled into a ball, and moved underwater like a baby in the womb. The sound of underwater, the warm touch holding me in mid water, really create the experience of being in the womb. Deep purple fills my mind, my essence. I become it, seeing nothing more.
Later when Roger will ask me how it was, my first words will be “rebirth”.
My breath seemed to slow down, felt like I could live underwater. Spinning, moved about, rolled around, flipped and let go, floating head down, almost like being dead.

It was hard to come out of the pool, even when the session was over. Such calmness, and a smile that just got glued on, felt very blissful.

This was a dance in the water. Roger leading, somewhat free form, intuitive, yet there are many techniques involved as well, a tango in which I get to surrender to Rogers lead.

I mounted my scooter, letting the wind blow my wet hair dry, caressing my body as I smiled towards the world with joy.