Cold River Plunging With Maine’s ‘Ice Mermaids’/A photographer in Maine has been documenting groups of women who submerge themselves in near-freezing water.

 THERE’S BIG DEMAND FOR SOMETHING THAT “FEELS LIKE RELIGION” BUT WON’T MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GUILTY FOR DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT:  “You know, there are women who seek God and women who seek cold water. And you can be a seeker of cold water in a way that feels like religion.”

"Afterward, intrigued by the experience, I started asking around about other women who seek out cold water."

"I’d started winter surfing a few years ago and understood the ways the water could impact my body and mind, especially when it was cold.... But the process of cold plunging, I found, was its own distinct experience, with its own intention and power.... 'After I get out, I don’t try and rush into my towel or dryrobe....'... 'I don’t practice a formal faith tradition at this point in my life, but being in the water feels more sacred to me than any church service I’ve ever attended.... When I’m stressed... I try to find the nearest window with a view of any water.... I envision myself in the water, feeling the lapping of the waves against my chest, the pressure of my lungs contracting and expanding in protest to the deep cold....'"

From "Cold-Plunging With Maine’s ‘Ice Mermaids’/A photographer in Maine has been documenting groups of women who submerge themselves in near-freezing water. Here’s what she’s seen" (NYT).

I was interested in this concept of "women who seek out cold water."

This post gets my "religion substitutes" tag. You know, there are women who seek God and women who seek cold water. And you can be a seeker of cold water in a way that feels like religion.

Mashable: “There are not many things I dislike more than being watched. So, you can imagine my fury when I walk through my apartment building, visit my friends in suburbia, or go for a jog only to see dozens upon dozens of Ring video doorbell cameras. It makes all of you look silly, posting up tiny video cops on your doors There are plenty of other video doorbells on the market, so it may seem like I’m singling out Ring, the Amazon-owned home security system company. That would be because I am, and for good reason. According to a 2021 report from Business Wire, Ring sold 1.4 million video doorbells in 2020 — that’s as many as SkyBell, Nest, Vivint, and Remo+ combined. I can see why a Ring camera would be appealing. It seems like a smart security idea; you can safely answer the door from anywhere; and it sounds like a great way to keep your packages from being stolen. But the reasons not to buy one are so much more compelling. Let’s take a look…”