Pruning your Dreadlocks

Earlier in my journey I was faced with the need to combine some of my locks. Since I am a do it yourself lock wearer, I am basically learning as I go.  I did some research, a.k.a ...watched youtube and found out how to combine locks.  I even did a video myself because I did not like what I was learning from the videos.

Basically, my main complaint was that when you combine 2 locks together, eventually one of the locks will be cut off as the 2 locks become one. Of course being a newbie, I was more focused on getting my locks to grow, not cut them off!

But, as time goes by on this lock journey you learn and grow, as your hair grows. And, I am realizing that cutting off the weaker lock from a combined lock is a healthy part of the process.  It has taken me several months to get to this place but I have finally arrived.

When I was still fighting it, I tried to sew the locks together. And I think some people may do this. It seemed like a great idea at the time, like I said I did a video and everything. But what I found is that these locks were flat or they looked bulky. And no matter what they weren't going to mesh together at this point. So, I pulled the thread out and wore several "2 headed dragons" on my head.

Yesterday, I finally decided it was time and started to trim off the weaker locks. It was a good feeling. It made me think about pruning. The Google definition says, "Pruning is an essential gardening skill.  When you prune correctly, you encourage healthy growth and flowering...as well as good looks..."  This can definitely be applied to growing our locks.

Pruning dreadlocks is more commonly referring to trimming the ends and excess hairs, but I feel that trimming off weaker locks is also a part of pruning.

Hanging on to things we don't need only hinders our growth and keeps us from experiencing the best we can possibly have. I have always been a person who has a hard time of letting things go. I hang on to things long past the time they hold value to me. This process is teaching me the truth and beauty of pruning out things that no longer belong.