Earlier this week in the shower, I was racking my brain on what I could possibly write for my blog that tied into themes of phenomenology. I had been looking for a topic for a while but I felt as though all of the topics I had brainstormed were not good enough then boom💥, it came to me. Honestly, it was kind of an Eureka moment. As mundane and repetitive as showering can be to some, I usually get enlightened with the best ideas when 100-degree water is sprinkled on me. Since showering is something I do every day (except on the rare occasion when I go camping), it is a mindless activity that I ABSOLUTELY love. Sue me, I’m a shower enthusiast.
Daniel Zender
I stopped scrubbing my body and thought to myself, “How do I know how to shower?” I remember taking baths as a kid but who taught me how to ensure that I actually clean myself in the shower rather than just letting the water drip on me? There was a time during my pre-teen days when showering and homework were the two most tedious tasks that I could do and I would simply stand in hot water for 5 minutes and call it an “efficient shower”. I believe the answer to these questions is that I had multiple resources that informed me how to shower which I applied either consciously or unconsciously. This then led me to ask myself, “Do I have a specific routine in the shower that I utilize every time I shower, and if so what is it?”
This question prompted me to observe myself every time I stepped foot into a shower henceforth. It was a very surreal feeling as I was so used to showering without thinking much about the showering part. The quick answer is yes, I do have a routine that I follow aimlessly every time I shower without fail. It took a lot of concentration for me to pay attention to where I was gliding my loofah and how long I spent scrubbing each part of my body. I felt like a voyeur to my own flesh; paying too much attention to agonizing detail. I would be lying if I said that there weren’t some points of these various showers where I fell back into the groove of letting my body clean itself without my brain being truly present. I have to admit, that it takes an immense amount of brain power to observe experiences while still being or participating in them.
I find it hilarious how my “shower thoughts” manifested into thoughts about showers. I highly recommend this exercise to everyone as it shifted my understanding of self which is always important.
Unruly Bodies 
I enjoyed reading your post so much that the next time I showered, I thought about your post. Showering is a way for me to decompress after a busy day. As the water hits my body, it makes me conscious of my existence. The water’s pressure and temperature make me aware of what my body tells me in a way that I cannot hear during the day. It also gives me time to think about where I am in life and what I want. Needless to say, showering is a very phenomenological physical and mental experience.
I simply have to agree with your title. I think showers are good for decompressing your day. Me personally I am a night showerer and I find that creating a relaxing zone while showering is very releasing. I take my showers in pitch black and throw on my sad playlist but this is comforting to me. If I ever feel the need to let out an emotion, I let it out in the shower. Cleaning is also a nice feeling. After a long day a shower and the idea that you wiping the day behind you makes me feel good. Showers are also a good time to really think about situations and reflect on your day. Most times for me showers are my last thing before going to bed so it feels good not to have that weighing on you in your sleep. Once you get out you feel so refreshed as well.
Showering is so amazing when you just need to be in autopilot for a little while. You’ve got me thinking now, and I absolutely do have a routine in the shower, but you’re right, it takes no thought whatsoever. My mind knows what is long enough to scrub my body, and what is too short. My mind knows how many squirts of body wash should go on the loofa, and how much shampoo should fill my palm. My mind knows just when I feel like I’ve got the perfect rinse, sometimes there is nothing left to rinse, but the rinse just doesn’t feel right enough to stop yet. All while not thinking about it at all.. It is genuinely like my mind is not controlling me, and it is fully my body in that moment. It’s honestly an amazing way to decompress.
I really enjoyed reading this post because I have never thought about the idea of showering, but now I have. I feel like we are so molded into our everyday routine that we do not realize what we are doing, and we just do it. Then when you think of things you have been doing since childhood or like all of your life you start to think, how did I learn to do this? When it comes to showers, we develop a routine that we probably stick with forever, since it is like muscle memory. I am a routine person and love a routine, so showers are relaxing for me because I follow a routine that is the same every time I shower.