For my 27th birthday (01/16/1997), my girlfriend surprised me with a piercing, she paid for me to have my belly button pierced. This was my first piercing and I was pleasantly surprised, by the lack of pain and the wonderful euphoria. Her plan was to get a piercing herself on the same day,to express our unity. She had planned on getting, one conch piercing (one ear). The artist Bill, asked her to think about it. He told her that if she even thought the she might ever, want a pair in the future, to absolutely do it now, together ( and he would do it for 1/2 off). We went outside to sort out our thoughts. By chance a fellow with large gauge conch piercing happened to walk by and into the shop. He wore fat, large gauge metal hoops, closed with a rudraksha (Indian seed, considered holy). As soon as I saw it,I wanted that too!. I was still under the euphoric juice of piercing, I told my girl, we should both get, both ears done large,... now.
At A Glance Author Bird Contact Bird@bme.anon When Ten years ago or more Artist Bill, Jaguar Studio Nomad Location San Francisco, California This studio that we were pierced at, is no longer active. It was a wonderful place. As piercing places went in San Francisco, this studio was expressly interested in connecting with lineages of shamanic wisdom and practice. This was in striking contrast to studios like Gauntlet, or in other words, studios that were very clean, sterile, and resembled up-scale hair salons, specializing in surgical steel. The tone at Nomad, was obviously a tribal note. I believe that they had an aviary in the shop, and the atmosphere was, close to the Earth; and on street level. The walls were covered in murals of jungle scenery. The atmosphere for me, conspired to activate my connections to a grounded center. The staff had a very warm, welcoming, and compassionate vibe. They were neither pretentious nor exclusive.
The staff seemed happy for us to be giving ourselves an opportunity for a very personal, shared experience. The staff very thoroughly inspired my trust and my intuition realized that this shop on this day, held a very special potential, for a powerful initiation. Our man Bill, was impressive to look at, if not intimidating. He was very tall, Bald, shaved eyebrows etc, etc, and the glint of light that shown in his eyes, was pure like a wild animal. He seemed a good gate keeper, challenging us to be within our true intention. I believe that he has a spiritual connection to the jaguar. I looked into the black mirror of a jaguar's eyes, the day he pierced us. My girl and I each played didgeridoo for the other, while the other was pierced. My girl went first. All I saw during her turn, was her feet jerk at the initial push. I was playing the didgeridoo and holding a clear mind. I wasn't interested in Bills job. I was interested in opening to possibility. In hind sight, I wish I would have seen My girls piercing done, so I would have reference for my own, but we cant have everything.
Just before I was pierced, Bill whispered something into my ear. The little phrase connected me to an expansive sense of self. I laid on my side, and waited. When Bill pushed through the initial push, I saw a blinding flash of white light. All of my senses were engulfed into this flash-bang light. Bill had shoved some sort of instrument in through the cartilage in the center of my ear. There was a pause and then Bill screwed on an extension, he added 2 more extensions and then slipped in a plastic plug. I never even saw the tools.
Not only did the piercing not hurt initially, the conch piercing got me very high from a natural rush of endorphins. I felt fabulous. As we walked home the endorphins began to wear-off. My girl had already had hers done for about 20minutes, when she started asking me if mine hurt? I said nope don't feel a thing! Her pain started to increase, and me, still none? Then it hit me. Once my lag time wore out, I caught right up to her level of pain. Our ears were throbbing.
On the very night of our piercing, we were making a party. We lived in a warehouse and made underground trance parties, with a large group of friends. The party started shortly after the piercing. 16 hours of full power, techno sound system.I don't think rubbing salt into the wounds could have accentuated the stimulation any more, than those thumping bass-bins did.
The piercing took about a year to heal completely. It was fun healing alongside my girl.
The following year, her and I traveled all over Asia. At one point we visited a Nath ashram of sadhus, in Pushkar India. This is one of the oldest continuous lineages of holy men in India. These sadhus wear large flat hoops through the center of their ears. These sadhus they seemed mildly amused with our piercing. Some were along the way, I learned that the Nath sadhus use the piercing to solidify their vow of sainthood/monk.
Indian medicine like Chinese medicine, sees the body as having meridians and markers/critical points. In India they see the inside of the ear as a having a connection to, "the mystery of life". They see the inside/conch part of the ear as "The Fetus". Some folks have joked with me that it seemed strange for a couple to get the piercing, "because it helps
strengthen the sadhus resolve to be celibate". I find that to be a base notion. Obviously the fetus and the "mystery of life" are far deeper then celibacy. In India they also joke that if the piercing artist hits the mark, your vow as a sadhu will be strengthened, but it he is just slightly off, your penis will suffer permanent erectile dysfunction. "Thank you Bill for hitting the mark"
This piercing has served to remind me that my brothers and sisters here are always with me; inside and are as important to me as my flesh. This piercing helps to keep me mind-full, that I serve a higher function of "myself" and that I want to constantly strive for deeper compassion and deeper liberation.
The only thing Cornier then believing your own cover story, is forgetting that this is all a giveaway.
These piercings were large to begin with about 8 millimeters. I've stretched it three more times since, 1st-5/16, 2nd-3/8, then to 7/16.
The reason for stretching each time was practicality (and a little vanity). Tap plastics carries mostly standard sizes of plastic, hence 5/16, 3/8, 7/16. 7/16ths however, was for the love of a pair of crystal hoops, my ultimate goal (since first seeing the dude with big metal hoops closed with rudraksha.) It took 10 years to reach the goal. I like that,10 being the number of completion, right? I am content at this size.
Having this done was one of the happiest choices I've ever made.
Peace