Dancing With Water

What gives you Joy?!
What experience consistently feeds your Spirit and soothes your Soul?
For me, one of the most powerful, is being with water.
Being in, on or next to water.

Kauai Ocean

What gives you Joy?! What experience consistently feeds your Spirit and soothes your Soul? For me, one of the most powerful, is being with water. Being in, on or next to water. In his brilliant work ‘Blue Mind’, author Wallace J Nichols explores our relationship with water through neuroscience and psychology, nature and conservation. He invites us to consider, the powerful healing and inspiration, that mindfully being with water offers us. I loved the book yet I need no convincing. The oceans, rivers, creeks and lakes are where I am drawn to center, heal, reflect and hear my own voice of wisdom.

For the last month I have been at my second home of Kauai where my daily dance is with Mama Pacific. Every morning I wake, practice silent meditation then go for a morning walk along the ocean. I walk 2 miles to a turn around point, do some yoga than walk 2 miles back. I also call this ‘walking with whales’ as every morning the Humpbacks are just off shore. I always spend at least a half hour often longer at the turn around point. I have a perfect rock ‘pillow’ that allows me to watch the ocean while I stretch & breathe. 
This walk is at the core of my day.

The turn around place of my daily walk

I can watch the ocean for hours. It is one of the most profound ‘eyes open’ meditations I practice. I love watching and being with the life of the ocean the birds, sea critters and saltwater mammals. The Humpback Whales are here in the Hawaii winter waters, this morning I saw them spouting, tail slapping, pectoral fin waving, clear to the tail breeching and their graceful arch backed sounding (from where they get their name). I have watched marine mammals my entire life and I can say… I never loose the sensation of absolute delight. It always feels like a magical moment of Grace.

I have tried a few times to catch a breech photo. I will see a breech and bring out my iPhone and aim it at where the breech was… And wait. I swear they know and get camera shy. And after a short bit of time, I remind myself the true lesson: Be. Here. Now. Be in the moment with Gratitude. I do not try to ‘capture’ the moment any more… The beautiful dance remains in my Heart.       

Hawaiian Monk Seal at Turtle Beach, one of my swimming places.

Every afternoon I go to a swimming beach, which one depends on the weather and ocean conditions. I first came to Kauai 35 years ago, on the 60 foot Schooner, ‘Mistral’, sailing from Oahu. It was summer and we sailed into Hanalei Bay on the north shore. We dropped anchor and I looked at the long white sand beach and the mountains full of waterfalls, above it… And felt at hOMe. A couple people took our only dingy to shore to run errands and after a couple hours I grew restless with a desire to explore, the Island was calling. So I took a surfboard and paddled into the beach. 

In other words, the first time I set foot on Kauai, I swam to her. I have been swimming in her waters ever since. It is hard to describe my sensual joy of ocean swimming. My favorite place to swim is just past the break of the waves, in the rolling deep. I love being in the dark blue deeper water. I also like when a large set will break where I swim… I dive my head and roll through the breaking wave. This is my ocean yoga. This is my dance with Divine Ocean.

Where ocean and beach meet

And while I crave the saltwater on my skin, I will also say I like a fresh water rinse after I swim in the ocean. Many of my favorite swim beaches have showers and that cool rinse 
is the perfect ending to my ocean dance. 

Water… Tumbling, raining, rolling, waves, 
dropping… Flowing. 
From saltwater we emerge for first breath. 
I will return to the embrace of the ocean always. 

Leaving the ocean is a feeling I also savor… Body surfing a wave close to shore then waiting… For the perfect timing… Where a wave can lift me up, and set me on my feet, to make a perfect walk out of the saltwater. I will say that it does not always work that way, although being ungracefully dropped (or slammed) 
into the sand… 
Reminds me of who is really in charge.

The freshwater shower at Turtle Beach

The cure for everything is saltwater... Tears, sweat or the Sea.
Isak Dinesen

Swimming in an underground river in a cenote (cave). Tulum, Mexico

And what gives you Joy? 
What feeds your Spirit 
and soothes your Soul? 
Do you seek that experience regularly? Say yes to that yearning. 
It is where the peace of your Heart lives.