“Life is Like Surfing”

“Life is Like Surfing”

I started learning to surf last year, something I have always wanted to do. Since I was about four years old and lived next to the beach in Queensland, I loved it; the sand, the wind, the salty water and the sound of the waves breaking, like a soothing song and hum, buzzing and calming. My favourite thing at that time in my life, was getting up really early and dragging any adult I could to the beach. I would get dunked so much. Being that I was so little and had never been taught to swim.

Me at the beach when I was two with my elder sister.

My first lesson was really fun, I fell off the board so much and I laughed a lot but I always got back up and didn’t want to stop practising and learning. In our lives we have many challenges and are faced with new things we don’t at first, know the perfect way to do it but as we give things a go and give ourselves the time to learn, we soon see that we really could do it and really it just takes a bit of practice, commitment and a good attitude. The instructor that day had a great way of teaching, he never would criticise only ever say what he noticed and suggested to test something slightly different, until when I mastered that guidance and could do something new he would gradually add something to test how it felt. When I was learning it reminded me of life, as the wave’s crash and knocks us down or we lose balance, it becomes an analogy for life’s ups and downs, challenges and lessons. If we give up on anything we stop ourselves from learning and growing, yes we can test something new and move the goal in a different direction or even let it go and start again.

I further learnt more of what I find valuable in life, as my lessons went on, with the different instructors different learning styles, the attitude I took with me and the resonance I had with my teacher and their methods of guiding, it taught me a lot about what I aspire to; as a Coach, Healer, Speaker, Leader and Influencer of our youth. As I fell off my surf board, what was I thinking? How was I taking the instructions? How was I adapting to the different weather and current of the waves? These are much needed skills and focus on awareness, are paramount in achieving a standing position in a moving and unpredictable ground and also in these same circumstances in life, which are daily things to face. From my second instructor the biggest thing I learnt was how my demeanour and attitude immediately influences others and how our projection of where fault is to be placed, can aid us in achieving our task or delay and prevent us from achieving it.

Before my third lesson I really connected with the ocean, I watched the waves early in the morning while sitting next to the ocean. I was inspired while feeling connected, like I was communicating with the water as a being, a powerful and masterful being, we are connected to the earth and the elements, the water runs through our veins. As I felt such a respect and reverence. Another post I wrote about the Elements and Water 

This morning I began to write and this was the poem that followed:

For all the seas:

Seas of me and seas of you.   All connected to the seas of blue. Waves crashing like the sands of time.  Rhyming and flowing peaceful mime.

 Feeling freely through and beyond. Nature always such a bond. Caressing gently to and fro. Inspired moment to let it all go.

Sometimes still and sometimes chaos. Always rhythmic, place to know. Soothing, stroking never coaxing. Freedom felt through depth non hoaxing.

Poetic harmony. Running through me.That gypsy air, So free to care. Blowing, showing rapid sowing. Seeding inward motion knowing.

Ups and downs in space and time. Never committing a single crime. Simple brilliance of pure bliss.

Choices made never to miss. Keep it near to remember the path. Truth spread widely, happiness, laugh.

© 2016 Cynthia Jauch

Other Poetry By Me

As my lessons went on each instructor was different, at first this frustrated me as I really like the style of my first teacher, he was in my impression a great leader and guide but each new lesson I had not only a different guide but also a different surfboard to get used to. After thinking about this situation as all lessons have passed I see the immense blessing in the change, for one I know I thrive on challenge and pushing my limits to new heights and two it gave me a true reflection of how to use these skills in life, we never know who we will meet in day to day life, what the weather will, bring, what challenges and opportunities will come. Through everything the consistent message and meaning for success is to “go with the flow”, really, as we move without resistance adapting to changes in nature and our lives, like the waves in the ocean, we learn that we have all we need at any moment in time, that we learn quickly and we can grow through adversity and challenge, we can get back on that surf board and test out what we did before in a different way or the in an altered way from the awareness we gained from the last fall or the wave.

At my final lesson I was in a bigger group and it was with people I knew, I was one of the people who had practised the most and when I was challenged with the new board and three different chiefs telling me each time to change my way, going against my previous learning and also what my body felt was right, I got so frustrated and down hearted. I felt like a failure, and soon I realized how in life when we live how others tell us and we listen to all the advice, laws, rules and guides of others we stop living and when we fail or fall, we don’t know what to do, because we don’t even know what we were doing from following everyone else. When we get up, dust ourselves off we must go back, with the knowledge and wisdom from our own experience, as we are the ones who bares the cost of our choices and actions, we bare the heaviest burden to our own lives. If you want to stand up and surf with ease, trust your intuition, believe in yourself, ask you as the authority of your life.

What will keep you balanced and standing strong?

What will get you through the waves?

What will help you want to get back out there when you fall?

Going back to that four year old me, I remember my fierce determination to just be in the water, flowing with the waves, trusting the flow, loving them with all my heart. I wasn’t angry when I got dunked, I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. I was simply enjoying the ups and downs, the ride of life, the waves and motion, the adventure and excitement. After my last lesson I was determined to stand up and to be able to use my own surf board, so I paddled out further on my own, even though I was told that my surf board isn’t the best for beginners. I really wanted to feel what it was like to be out in the ocean, connected and free. There was a longing to have that healing and powerful energy of the water all around and the abundant expanse of the life it brings. After some time and not much luck, a few life guards went by in a rescue boat, they asked if I was OK and recommended going somewhere closer to the land, as there was a lot of rough rips at the moment. I said I would go back and in my attempts learnt that the waves had other ideas. Eventually the life guards came back and told me they were taking me in, which I agreed to. I thought it funny, I was content though, that I gave it my best and got to use my own intuition. There was a lot of near moments of standing up and succeeding and for that I was happy. I learnt a few extra things from that though, that we can tackle life how we tackle small situations, the challenges and words of others, our faith in ourself and our confidence in our ability to give new things a go. 

“A Video on Water and how it absorbs intention”

No matter what life throws at you, go into your heart, connect with your inner child and surf through the flows of life’s cycles. A post I wrote about the cycles in life

🙏😊❤Infinite Blessings-Namaste🙏😊❤

“Be Real – Be True – Be Honest – BE YOU.”

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