Sitting on my surfboard, I feel the current pulling me slowly northward. I listen to the peak of the wave colliding with the water below and breathe in sweet, salty sea air blowing back at me off the rolling waters. Every paddle out, it is my intention to close my mind to the external world outside the water and go internally, bringing my surfing practice back to feelings, movement, and above all: mindfulness.
Too often the lineup feels aggressive, competitive, and disconnected from the purpose most of us paddle out to begin with. Surfing is a time when i can quiet the mind from the hustle and bustle of day to day life and return to play, to releasing any tension I may carry, and rely on my instinctual actions to move through the water. A successful session to me is one where I feel I was completely present. I wasn’t worrying about what I need to do later in the day because I was truly taking in my surroundings, feeling grateful for the opportunity to get wet, and focused on the task at hand.
From time to time I find myself getting sucked in to the vibes of those around me or just can’t seem to leave the trials of the day on the beach. When my surfing practice becomes less about enjoying the moments I have in the water and more about what is going on in my head, I go back to these simple practices to bring me back to my mindful surfing.
Shake it Up
A large part of my surfing practice has been working on getting over the fear of bigger waves. I know I have the skills to ride them but my mind races a mile a minute with doubt as the sets roll in. When the mind won’t stop or its shouting doubts at me I like to give it a little tumble.
Sometimes I need to bring myself back to the present moment and prove to myself that it’s really not as bad as I think. Whether it’s a close out or an open wave, I go for the next big one I see. This breaks the ice, so to speak, and I remember I’m just falling in water and we always come back up.
Focus on Beauty
Anger can be a big hurdle in my mindful surfing practice, sometimes it is directed at myself, sometimes another surfer in the water, or I can even bring the anger into the water with me. It is important to stop surfing for a moment, stop looking for the next wave to catch and breathe deeply. Slowly, bringing all my focus to simply breathing, listening to the sounds, and feeling the water. I look straight at the horizon and try to fathom where I am at that moment, all the beautiful nature moving around me, and smile. As I smile, the anger starts to melt away when I realize how many amazing things are around and what seemed so important just moments before seems silly.
Play!
Paddling back out from my third wipeout of the day, I am definitely feeling frustrated with my abilities. Overall, this surf session has felt more like a chore than a time to have fun in the water. When I think about it, I didn’t enter the water with the intention to just have fun, but with expectations that every wave should be perfectly executed. I will never be a professional surfer, so why is my intention for surfing anything else other than just having fun with what the waves are doing and my body allows me to do that day? When I release the pressure of perfection and just play in the water, my practice always comes back to mindfulness.
Chica Brava Surf Instructor
Kim Leckey