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 Blipstir
Human
Registered: 05/05/14
Posts: 437
Loc: CO Mountains
Last seen: 2 days, 6 hours
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 Dreadlocks and what they can mean. 
#25935324 - 04/15/19 12:19 AM (5 years, 3 days ago) |
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goOod EvEning my beautiful fellow borts, goood evening to all you individual rays of beauty.
Now how does a "hairstyle" cultivate growth within a human being? Sounds like "Hippy-nonsense" to a lot of people.
I have had dreadlocks now for 5 years and would like to share with you what I have be able to comprehend so far on why I was motivated to dread my hair in the first place, the immediate changes in social dynamics with strangers, and what mental, emotional and spiritual significance I have found. I'll try to make this short too.
I was 19 and more or less going through an existential crisis for a couple years. Well after a very powerful mushroom experience I found a few answers that I didn't know I was looking for which kicked off a new beginning for me (sounds glorious and nice but there was a lot of internal work / meditation being done for integration process which took years.) about 6 months after this experience I kind of just woke up one day and decided I needed to dread my hair. I wasn't too sure why at this point but I was compelled to do so.
After sometime passed and I got use to having and caring for my dreads the first Thing I picked up on was my "white privilege" was revoked. This privilege was a huge blockade that before I wasn't even aware of or the fact that it was holding me back in taking another step into better awareness of my self. This realization came early on in the integration process and at this point my it felt like ego didn't even rebuild 5% of itself yet...if that makes sense...This is the most apparent change that happened that I can put into words, the daily small interactions echo with similar changes.
after 5 years with my dreads they have become a part of me, hah I mean they are a part of me but I mean on deeper level, part of my identity or soul. I have found that for me my dreadlocks are an act of self disciple, a symbol for a pursuit of larger self awareness, a statement that refuses and defies cultural conditioning.
When I look at them It reminds me to not get complacent out of comfort and routine, It reminds me to challenge my own beliefs and to adapt, I feel proud of my dreadlocks and how they been able to help cultivate positive change with in me.
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 Eminence
Registered: 07/25/10
Posts: 16,627
Loc: Richmond, VA 
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Blipstir]
#25935345 - 04/15/19 12:49 AM (5 years, 3 days ago) |
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That sounds really, really stupid dude. It's just matted knotted hair. Quit worrying about the white privilege bullshit and wear them if you want, don't wear them if you don't. God..this site is full of screw balls
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XnMe
Somth'n of a Somth'n
Registered: 06/23/16
Posts: 1,284
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Eminence] 2
#25935401 - 04/15/19 03:04 AM (5 years, 3 days ago) |
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Way to be a Dick E. 
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 Thanks too all
Best Tek List, click it
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Blipstir
Human
Registered: 05/05/14
Posts: 437
Loc: CO Mountains
Last seen: 2 days, 6 hours
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Eminence] 1
#25935647 - 04/15/19 08:42 AM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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Quote:
Eminence said:
That sounds really, really stupid dude. It's just matted knotted hair. Quit worrying about the white privilege bullshit and wear them if you want, don't wear them if you don't. God..this site is full of screw balls
well clearly your all knowing and wiser than all of us here at the shroomery.
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killingravensun
destroying angel
Registered: 04/03/19
Posts: 738
Loc: cult of the sun machine
Last seen: 4 years, 6 months
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Eminence] 1
#25935648 - 04/15/19 08:43 AM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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Quote:
Eminence said:
That sounds really, really stupid dude.
sounds like you have never had dreads, my experience is the same as OP, i had dreads for years(natural dreads not "dreaded" on purpose, they were knarly) and was acutely aware of the way people viewed me differently, my obvious white privilege was gone, the guys at the auto parts store started ignoring me to help others, other service businesses were similar and i would rarely get asked "can i help you?", i was mistaken for a homeless person several times even though i was wearing nice clothes, some people would imply i was a racist because they thought only black people should have dreads
then i had to change my lifestyle, a big beard and dreads were a dangerous liability, so i reluctantly cut it all off, i was clean shaven and bald, i looked like a typical white male skinhead, and guess what, i was back on top, all my white privilege returned, i was absolutely disgusted by the community, i went from being an ignorable dirty hippie to "hey man, how can i help you?"
when i could i grew them back and now i am back on the shit list, its not as bad as before, some people are more tolerant, but i get a lot of snarky staring still
Quote:
Eminence said:
It's just matted knotted hair.
sure sure, our society doesnt judge based on looks 
Quote:
Eminence said:
God..this site is full of screw balls
yeah you are
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evil always wins, good can only do good, evil will lie and cheat until it fools good into doing evil
freedom is the ability to take wrong action, right actions are constrained by nature
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Gr8tful
Goddess
Registered: 04/05/19
Posts: 40
Last seen: 2 years, 9 months
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: XnMe]
#25935659 - 04/15/19 08:53 AM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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Thank you for sharing your experience with locked hair.
I haven't brushed my hair for over a decade now; however, I do not use the word dreadlocks to describe my matted, locked hair. This is because of the whole cultural appropriation thing. It was spawned as a racist word against Rastafarian folk, who then chose to embrace it. Because I'm white, I don't truly understand what it means to have dreads and can lay no claim to the word. Some folks believe white people shouldn't lock their hair at all and that we're racist if we do. However, I'm pretty sure banning white people from locking their hair isn't gonna change any perceptions or help this issue, so I wear my hair with pride and use it to open up discussion about race, religion, & spirituality.
In today's PC culture, it's been a bit of a struggle to keep my locks with pride. The reason I originally stopped brushing was largely due to to my childhood abuse. I had thick curly hair that tangles easily, & was abused in various ways using a hairbrush. I was also sick of trying to live up to the typical beauty ideal that women deal with. Life is easier without having to deal with dying and styling my hair.... or being hit on by douchebags (who now recognize my hippy ways and stay the hell away for the most).
I can relate to being treated differently with locked hair vs normal. Before locking my hair, I was fat for a while. Lost a significant amount of weight and started getting a lot of attention from the kinda people who used to be total dicks to me before. People were a lot nicer to skinny me, & it pissed me off. Now that I'm locked, I get treated more like I'm fat again.... but I'm also hot as hell for my age & seem to cause some intimidation, which is perfect & works well for me these days ♡
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yeah
Registered: 02/08/09
Posts: 3,729
Last seen: 1 month, 25 days
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Gr8tful]
#25935666 - 04/15/19 08:55 AM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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idk why I'm posting this because this site is fucking kooky they say you should shower while sitting down and chant mantras in your head all day or at least when it's not out loud
https://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritual-living/trends-behaviour-influenced-negative-energies/how-to-not-get-dreadlocks/
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Eminence
Registered: 07/25/10
Posts: 16,627
Loc: Richmond, VA
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Gr8tful] 2
#25935734 - 04/15/19 09:50 AM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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Too bad you and many people don't know, that dread locks were never exclusive to those rastafarians. Celts and Indians and other people have been wearing them for a long time. It's you guys that are letting yourselves cave into these dumb cultural appropriation intimidation tactics. How often do you guys call out cultural appropriation for a black woman wearing blonde straight hair wigs? Probably never lol
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Edited by Eminence (04/15/19 10:04 AM)
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Eminence
Registered: 07/25/10
Posts: 16,627
Loc: Richmond, VA
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If you can't have "white privilege" as a white male with dreadlocks..maybe you should consider that maybe it wasn't anything to do with "white privilege" and more to do with the fact that lots of people see dread locks as simply a dirty and not very attractive hair style. I didn't realize not being mistaken for a homeless person was part of this white privilege.
I never had dread locks, but I had pretty long hair when I was younger, and even just that was enough to notice a difference in people in how people perceived me.
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Gr8tful
Goddess
Registered: 04/05/19
Posts: 40
Last seen: 2 years, 9 months
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Eminence]
#25935875 - 04/15/19 11:01 AM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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Quote:
Eminence said:
Too bad you and many people don't know, that dread locks were never exclusive to those rastafarians. Celts and Indians and other people have been wearing them for a long time. It's you guys that are letting yourselves cave into these dumb cultural appropriation intimidation tactics. How often do you guys call out cultural appropriation for a black woman wearing blonde straight hair wigs? Probably never lol
Uhm, you're the misinformed one here. The term dreadlocks IS exclusive to Rastafarian culture. No one else used that term to describe their plated, matted, roped hair. It was spawned as a racist word against Rastafarian, but they have embraced it. It's not a phrase for me to use.
And it's stupid to think you'd lose your white priveledge by locking hair. That's bullshit. Perceptions of you have changed, but the priveledge remains. Black chicks with hair like me aren't usually considered to be spiritual ethereal hippy goddesses the way us whiste chicks w locks are. And reverse racism isn't a thing, which is why I'd never call out a poc for anything they do w their hair.
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Eminence
Registered: 07/25/10
Posts: 16,627
Loc: Richmond, VA
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Gr8tful]
#25935895 - 04/15/19 11:10 AM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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Fine, Rastafarians weren't the only ones who wore what people call dreadlocks then. The name doesn't change the hair style. And you're right, racism is racism. Reverse racism is a stupid term that's only recently been invented in marxist college classes to give a pass for non whites to be racist against whites. Most likely if you're verbally attacked by a black person for how you wear your hair, that person is racist as well. Not every black person gives a damn about white people wearing them. Most probably don't. Just like most white and Asian people don't really give a damn about black women wearing fake European/Asian hair, as comical as it is. I think white people care more about this shit than anyone does, I've never gotten so much as a funny look by talking to a black guy about his dread locks. If you're so concerned with it, just the cut things off. I'm sorry you've been shamed into submission, but I'm not buyin it. Never will. That's all I got to say here 
Also, "ethereal goddess"? That's how you describe yourself? I've never heard of white chicks with dreads described in that fashion. 
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Edited by Eminence (04/15/19 11:24 AM)
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killingravensun
destroying angel
Registered: 04/03/19
Posts: 738
Loc: cult of the sun machine
Last seen: 4 years, 6 months
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Eminence]
#25936309 - 04/15/19 02:21 PM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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Quote:
Eminence said:
If you can't have "white privilege" as a white male with dreadlocks..maybe you should consider that maybe it wasn't anything to do with "white privilege" and more to do with the fact that lots of people see dread locks as simply a dirty and not very attractive hair style. I didn't realize not being mistaken for a homeless person was part of this white privilege.
doubtful, my appearance wasnt dirty, it was quite clean, as a practicing essene i was often dressed in all white, i let my hair go naturally and that is what happened, i vowed not to shave or style my hair, and to be clear... everyone who gave me grief was a white person, the many black people i knew and saw regular couldnt care less, it was only the white people who seem to think i had abandoned my race, that i was a walking cultural degradation, more than once i had to have a public conversation with a white stranger about what i was doing, some of them thinking i was being disrespectful to blacks, so yeah, sometimes i was deprived of my white privilege because i was no longer white in some peoples eyes, simple bigotry, just like the morons here that keep trying to peg everyone as either "conservative" or "progressive" or whatever lable du jour that feels good
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evil always wins, good can only do good, evil will lie and cheat until it fools good into doing evil
freedom is the ability to take wrong action, right actions are constrained by nature
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Jokeshopbeard
Humble Student
Registered: 11/30/11
Posts: 26,088
Loc: Deep in the system
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Quote:
killingravensun said:
i had dreads for years(natural dreads not "dreaded" on purpose, they were knarly) and was acutely aware of the way people viewed me differently,
I noticed this very much after having long hair all through my twenties. When I shaved it off I could tell overnight how differently people behaved around me.
It was actually the opposite for me though; probably due to the fact that I'm covered in tattoos, have earnings and well developed muscles.
People were much softer towards me/less nervous around me when I had long hair on top.
As a skinhead it was like I became scary overnight.
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Let it be seen that you are nothing. And in knowing that you are nothing... there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to gain. What can happen to you? Something can happen to the body, but it will either heal or it won't. What's the big deal? Let life knock you to bits. Let life take you apart. Let life destroy you. It will only destroy what you are not.
--Jac O'keeffe
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killingravensun
destroying angel
Registered: 04/03/19
Posts: 738
Loc: cult of the sun machine
Last seen: 4 years, 6 months
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Jokeshopbeard]
#25936408 - 04/15/19 03:11 PM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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not sure you can compare "long hair" to dreads, visually they are very different, in the west people with long hair are hippies, pacifists, cool people who are laid back, and in the past having long hair as a man wasnt unusual, but dreads have always been associated with "the other", a savage tribal thing, a symbol of someone outside your society, of people who are heathens and should be shunned
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evil always wins, good can only do good, evil will lie and cheat until it fools good into doing evil
freedom is the ability to take wrong action, right actions are constrained by nature
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Mental Slavery
Eternally Confused
Registered: 08/03/14
Posts: 828
Last seen: 1 month, 1 day
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Blipstir]
#25937196 - 04/15/19 11:01 PM (5 years, 2 days ago) |
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technically you still have white privilege (pros and cons that shift and vary depending on the situational context that come with being white), but you have lost a certain privilege due to the negative associations and judgements that come with your hair
anyways, if you feel dreads have been positive, power to you
ive also heard of people dreading their hair in order to create larger channels for prana to flow along, which can then be used for various esoteric practices
Edited by Mental Slavery (04/15/19 11:04 PM)
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Tulipslave
Homo sapiens sapiens, lol
Registered: 07/25/17
Posts: 11,742
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Blipstir]
#25939031 - 04/16/19 10:34 PM (5 years, 1 day ago) |
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Quote:
Blipstir said:
goOod EvEning my beautiful fellow borts, goood evening to all you individual rays of beauty.
Now how does a "hairstyle" cultivate growth within a human being? Sounds like "Hippy-nonsense" to a lot of people.
I have had dreadlocks now for 5 years and would like to share with you what I have be able to comprehend so far on why I was motivated to dread my hair in the first place, the immediate changes in social dynamics with strangers, and what mental, emotional and spiritual significance I have found. I'll try to make this short too.
I was 19 and more or less going through an existential crisis for a couple years. Well after a very powerful mushroom experience I found a few answers that I didn't know I was looking for which kicked off a new beginning for me (sounds glorious and nice but there was a lot of internal work / meditation being done for integration process which took years.) about 6 months after this experience I kind of just woke up one day and decided I needed to dread my hair. I wasn't too sure why at this point but I was compelled to do so.
After sometime passed and I got use to having and caring for my dreads the first Thing I picked up on was my "white privilege" was revoked. This privilege was a huge blockade that before I wasn't even aware of or the fact that it was holding me back in taking another step into better awareness of my self. This realization came early on in the integration process and at this point my it felt like ego didn't even rebuild 5% of itself yet...if that makes sense...This is the most apparent change that happened that I can put into words, the daily small interactions echo with similar changes.
after 5 years with my dreads they have become a part of me, hah I mean they are a part of me but I mean on deeper level, part of my identity or soul. I have found that for me my dreadlocks are an act of self disciple, a symbol for a pursuit of larger self awareness, a statement that refuses and defies cultural conditioning.
When I look at them It reminds me to not get complacent out of comfort and routine, It reminds me to challenge my own beliefs and to adapt, I feel proud of my dreadlocks and how they been able to help cultivate positive change with in me.
who says they have to mean anything?
why can't hair just do what the hair wants and let it be at that?
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Mental Slavery
Eternally Confused
Registered: 08/03/14
Posts: 828
Last seen: 1 month, 1 day
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Tulipslave] 1
#25939956 - 04/17/19 01:17 PM (5 years, 15 hours ago) |
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Quote:
Tulipslave said:
who says they have to mean anything?
why can't hair just do what the hair wants and let it be at that?
i dont think anyone is saying they have to mean anything, just that op finds that they do for him when he takes on certain views and attitudes. He has integrated the dreads into his world view and finds that the dreads and their maintenance act as a sort of spiritual and philosophical practice and also give rise to other practices and routes of meaning
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Tulipslave
Homo sapiens sapiens, lol
Registered: 07/25/17
Posts: 11,742
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Quote:
Mental Slavery said:
Quote:
Tulipslave said:
who says they have to mean anything?
why can't hair just do what the hair wants and let it be at that?
i dont think anyone is saying they have to mean anything, just that op finds that they do for him when he takes on certain views and attitudes. He has integrated the dreads into his world view and finds that the dreads and their maintenance act as a sort of spiritual and philosophical practice and also give rise to other practices and routes of meaning
if i was the op, i'd be questioning/searching why i felt/believed those things.
-- coming from someone who has dreadlocks
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Huehuecoyotl
Fading Slowly
Registered: 06/13/04
Posts: 10,689
Loc: On the Border
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Re: Dreadlocks and what they can mean. [Re: Blipstir] 1
#25944790 - 04/19/19 11:18 PM (4 years, 11 months ago) |
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Let me tell you about hairstyle. I live about a mile from the Mexican border. I spend a lot of time in Mexico. In Mexico while the people are liberal...they are rural liberal...in other words funny hair styles alienate them...make them suspicious. Then crossing into the US guarantees a search.
My daughter, God love her...a hippy to the core..crossed all hippied out with dreads...not an issue with me. On the way back yours truly...biggest freak ever lived...sporting military cut hair and conservative clothing was merely wished a good day. My daughter was detained and searched. She came out of the border crossing very indignant and complaining. I told her being an individual is not in your appearance but in your mind. Sometimes looking like a cop pays off...lol. Be yourself...but don't draw attention to yourself as rebellious...BE rebellious...but don't let the man know. Better yet...like myself...be the man!
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"A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible fashions." ― Carlos Castaneda
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