Locked in Love, Braided in Bliss

On Feb. 18th of 2011 I met a man whom I loved instantly and deeply and together we created dreadlocks on our heads. We called them Love Locks, for Love is nothing to dread :) So, my locks will be two in February 2013. This Beloved of mine is now with another, and I am also with another (a beautiful creature named Noah). After seeing a sister of mine with some beautiful braids in her hair, I asked her who created such art and she referred me to Amma in San Fransisco. I have been wanting to re-create my dreads but feeling a little overwhelmed about how. Amma to the rescue! I went to the yarn store and selected three different woolen styles. I took public transportation all the way to the city from Santa Cruz. I walked many blocks and saw many diverse people on my way to the African Braiding Salon on Taylor street. Inside I was greeted by Amma and Flo, two beautiful African women whom I totally fell in love with. Amma washed and nurtured my scalp, the proceeded to separate and tighten up all 44 of my love-locks. Wow. Having my locks worked on like that for five hours was actually quite painful and the whole time I had my yak bone mala in my hand chanting different Buddhist, Hindi and Gurmuki mantras. Ad guray nameh. Jugad guray nameh. Sat guray nameh. Siri guru devey nameh. Sat Nam. Namyoho rengekyo. Om namo shivaya. Ek ong kar. etc.... I needed it. I needed a little pain to ease the pain of any healing wounds in my heart. I needed someone elses hands to work my locks out, work his magic out of my hair, snip and clip, twist and tie, wash and dry. Amma was my like my Momma. I felt like a little girl getting my hair done by The Divine Mother. 'Beauty has a price', she said. It's true. It took all day. I took two buses and a the train there and two buses and the train back. Don't even ask me what it cost. I am so grateful for the abundance of resources I have that enable me to express my impulsive creative nature. I am grateful to all who support my crafts, trades, and talents. I am honored to share gifts and promote others art. My hair is a representation of this. BE THE FREE YOU! Be expressive. Sing it, wing it, and most of all BRING it...ON! This is the message I want to convey with my love locks. LOVE YOURSELF enough to transform into the perfect you. What does your perfect self say, wear, do, laugh at, talk about, associate with? I envisioned my perfect self and what she looked like and these locks are it. This is my dedication to loving my art, my path and my perfect self. Thank you for reading. I hope you feel as inspired as I do! Namaste. www.thehealtyhooper.com