Soaring Eagle asked me to post this here after I told him the story on FB. So...because I know in my heart that he is pretty amazing, I decided I would share with y'all! ;o)In the past 5 years I tried 3 times to start dreads by doing the whole back combing method, using rubber bands and wax, and spending a bunch of time with my arms over my head trying to tend to them. All three times I gave up on them and combed them out. (Lost a bunch of hair in the process, too).Two years ago I stopped combing my hair and VOILA! I now have natural, hippie dreads by neglect. For about 18 months my hair just looked like a jumbled up mess. I kept separating them though and wore a lot of hats and scarves. Now they are quite distinct and some are decorated with beads I made. I am even beginning to get some nice compliments on them from some pretty straight folks!Thanks SE for the video about your dreads. Long may they swirl about you! I am ever so much more determined to take care of mine and see what they will look like in another 18 years (at the age of 77!)What do I use for maintenance? You know those little bottles of shampoo you get at hotels? I was a hotel housekeeper during most of the past 2 years and could never bring myself to throw away the partially used bottles. So I stuffed them in my pocket and brought them home. I didn't know if it would work but, hey, free is a very good price! ;o) After a while I noticed the first one forming at the spot where my head rested against the headboard when I read at night. Then another and another and another...I live in Florida so I keep my hair pulled up most of the time. I recently decided that I am going to train my dreads to go back (I like them pulled off my face best). I use a large hair tie or a folded scarf to train them.