History Lessons and Halotherapy

Today I went to an exhibit about the history of Marin City, how it came to be and evolved over the first 20 years of its existence. 2022 is the 80th anniversary of the start of Marin City, beginning as a housing development for workers in the Marinship facilities during World War II. While I knew about the history of the original housing for ship builders during World War II, I didn’t realize those buildings were relocated or razed to make way for low income housing because of the extensive redlining in Marin. I was also totally clueless about African-American shipbuilders being stonewalled from working at Marinship by the IBB, and the resulting course that went all the way to the California Supreme Court with a decision that came out in early 1945 not long before the war was over. There were also displays of clothes and household items that people had back in the 40s, I think it’s probably one of the first times I have seen mannequins with black skin. How sad is that.

I’m trying out different ways of learning about myself, especially moving away from the verbal and visual modes that I use most often. So, this evening I went to a sound bath in a Himalayan salt room, during the sound bath we did simple yoga stretches and facial massage. It was a very different experience using most of my senses at once, except for sight, which is my most dominant sense. The sound waves of the singing bowls, the taste of the salt (the walls of the room are made of salt and salt is also diffused through the room), intentional breathing, moving my body slowly. It was just what I needed – very different from my usual reading, writing and walking. It took me longer than usual to fall asleep, I think because my body was still processing the experience.