Dreads and my reasons for getting them

Hello everyone, I'm relatively new so I just figured I'd add a post to the forums involving the reason I became fascination in dreads and how this fascination turned into something so much greater. I am also curious as to reasons why some of you all decided to start dreads whether it be spiritual, aesthetic reasons,cultural ones, or maybe some mix of the three.

Anyway, the first time I became interested in dreads I saw some man on tv who had locks and pondered about this interesting looking hairstyle. My mom after seeing my piqued interest had told me that they were "Dirty and nasty". This statement led me to doing research on dreadlocks. It took me from one site to another and even to friends and family just to see what their take on dreadlocks was. After I had found all of this research I then hit the realization that Locks were like any other hairstyle only cooler. At which point I had taken a little while to do more research before making my decision to finally get them. There was only one big problem at this time though... my hair consisted solely of stubble. My next challenge was to grow my hair out long enough to get knotted and tangled. I grew out my hair for about a year and a half. Afterwards, I had my lovely girlfriend section my hair, then a week later I started to create my locks. This is what led me here today two weeks later.

If anyone else would be willing to share their story with me I will look forward to reading it and seeing just what made you get dreads and the journey you took to get where you are today.
updated by @dillon-n: 01/13/15 09:07:07PM

well

1st set

met an old rasta and well at the time ..80s all around me was dumb drunk punks and skinheads anger violence stupidity drug abiuse and this rasta just seemed the oposite of all that so i asked him bi]=out his dreads (1st dreads id ever seen i gues) and he just said to lose the comb so i did

those dreads pulled up into 3 congos a beavertail and 2 horns haha

year later was pressured into yuppifying myself so off came the dreads on went a tie and went from feeling free and easy to a slave of the system with constant headaches and misery

luckily when i graduated from computer programing (mainframes what a pain) luckily i bri=oke my back at my grduation so was saved from that corporate hell

so next thing u]i did was started flyig gliders and letting my very very short hair grow couople months later im at a rainbow gathering in the mountains in a very spiritualy high place i traded for a few beads at trade circle stuck em in the back (only part long enough) and that dreade in days maybe a week

when i left the gathering i already felt more myself free again and the rest of te head dreaded as it grew from there

but this time i seperated em for many years but stopped 4 years ago let em congo outa control agaun and just started seperating again the other day

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I had shaved my head in 96 because my hair was so damaged from dyeing it and all the other chemical treatments such as relaxers,curling irons,and blow dryers all from the 1980's.

For a while I wore an afro and as my hair grew I got tired of combing my fro because it just didn't seem as natural as I wanted to be. I then decided to do two-strand twist all over my head and I have left it alone and let them grow freeform style from there. I seperated them in the beginning of the journey but as the years went by I stopped.. Now it has been 14yrs since I started and still love my locks dearly!

My dreadlock journey is a journey I embarked upon in search of being more and of my natural self and being loving my hair for how it naturally wants to be instead of abusing it with a comb,brush,harsh chemicals,curling irons,blow dryers you name it. All of the commercial products I put aside in exchange I use fresh rosemary,peppermint and sage rinses. And once a week I do an bs rinse and an acv rinse.

You will find a wealth of information here to help you on your dready journey. And feel free to ask any questions you'd like. There are many helpful people here at your disposal. Soaring Eagle is a great man to ask all of your dready needs. Just have fun!!!

Welcome to this site, Dillon.

Like Trina I found the 80s hard on hair, but didn't make the switch to natural till a few years ago. I let my layered cut grow out, along with the dye and all the awful things my hair had endured. WheneverI sawpeople with dreadlocks I admired their dreads, but alwaysthought my type of hair wouldn't lock up, that it wouldn't suit me, I was too old, blah, blah. I was also concerned about appropriating a black people's Rastafari style.Then I read on the internet that deadlocks are found in all cultures. Also, of all the people with dreadlocks that I'd seen, no one looked wrong. If some dreads looked 'better' than others, that was only my opinion.

But for me it's not just about finding a hairstyle, it's also about simplifying my life and living naturally as much as possible. I shouldn't assume, but I think that's true for a lot of members here. Why else do we take the time and trouble to grow our hair first (if necessary), and in some cases worry our family and friends and risk our employment options? It can't be for vanity, because the whole process of getting dreadlocks the natural way challenges that.Maybe that's it - meeting a challenge. Sometimes accepting freedom can the the biggest challenge, and deadlocks can be part of that.

I hope that makes sense - sometimes I just ramble on a lot. I'm glad to have found this site and been saved from more hair torture (wax, crotchet etc). Thanks, Soaring Eagle, for sharing your expertise.

Wow, you guys have very interesting stories to tell. Thank you all I feel like I could learn so much from all of you