Suzanne’s Personal Quote and Blog for 8/3/2022

Quote

I am so grateful for the teachers that held such kindness and care.

I am grateful for the opportunity to wonder and stare.

At the explosion of ideas that went through my mind.

Ideas that were designed to help me process and find.

Find the answers to what I might decide to seek.

Find the thoughts that would help me reach for a peak.

We are here to expand what we think we know.

We are here to get ourselves to do more than the status quo.

Live a life that goes beyond doing just barely enough.

Take a moment to skinny dip in the buff.

Laugh and love so that you overfill your cup.

Always go forward and make yourself get up.

Don’t wait for life … go after it.

Challenge yourself and learn to have grace and grit.
Pour yourself into this life.
Learn to connect with nature and wildlife.

Find those places that you need to stretch.
Gather paper and pencils and learn to sketch.

Too often life passes us by.

And often too late … we realize our own lie.

~Suzanne Wagner~

Blog

Orr Hot Springs was amazing yesterday. It was a Monday and so there were no crowds. It was practically empty and so peaceful. The day decided to be cloudy and cool … a great relief from the summertime heat.

There is nothing like being in and out of hot and cooler water. The skin becomes soft, the mind quiets, and the body relaxes.

I think hot springs or saunas were what taught me to slow down and just be.

My first attempt was when I lived in Berlin Germany. Some of the women were going to a spa for the day to relax and invited me.

I had never been to a spa or taken a day to relax and just hang out with others. I think I must have been 18 years old at the time. One of the dancers was from northern California and recognized that she probably needed to tell me that all the spas in Germany were what they called “FKK” or “Freikörper-Kultur” which translated to mean “free body culture; naturism/nudism”.
That meant that the spas were nude and co-ed.
She wanted me to know and be prepared because it was considered completely normal in Germany and throughout much of Europe.
I thought about it and decided, “When in Rome ….!”

It was such a freeing experience to feel comfortable, relaxed, open, and connected to others without the pretense of social norms.

As a dancer, we are more used to being naked or nearly naked around others. So, it is not as big of a leap as it might be for others. After all, tights and leotards don’t leave much to the imagination. Many of the straight men discovered dance in College, and their mindset was; “Where are all the pretty girls! In the dance departments of course! And not only that but they are hardly wearing any clothes and you get to pick them up!”

As a dancer … costume designers were always pulling and tugging on costumes while you were in a fitting and there was no time really for modesty when there are deadlines, and one needs to get up on the stage.
I am grateful that I have learned how to just relax, let go, not judge, and allow others to be who they are in such contexts.

It was a fabulous day at Orr. I had not been since before the pandemic. Many of the hot springs closed down because of Covid or greatly restricted their numbers that were allowed in.

Even with my healthy diet and organic food, I could feel my body let go of toxins and that can make one exhausted as the body dumps what is no longer necessary and the body (in a relaxed state) finally can release what is it needs to let go of.
This morning, I am still feeling that a bit. An indicator that I probably need to do that more often than I have been doing.

Okay, body … duly noted!

Life is to be lived and enjoyed.

Never miss an opportunity to do just that.

Thank you to those that came with me to the hot springs yesterday.

It was a lovely and refreshing day!

~Suzanne Wagner~