SEPTEMBER 3, 2009
Life is full of discomforts and we all want skills or strategies for moving away from them. An unquiet mind is typically the source for this discomfort. So what is needed, is a way to quiet the mind.
But, how ...
I can't think of a better teacher than a surfboard and the ocean for learning the advantages of holding still while experiencing discomfort. Learning the principles of surfing requires you to overcome a long list of obstacles. This is not something that happens over night. Surfing takes a lot of time and dedication. To put it bluntly, surfing literally takes years.
It has taken me over five years to scratch the surface and get the hang out it. The discomfort is still apart of the picture and will always be, but I am moving towards a place where the agony no longer bothers me. I still have a long way to go, but with continued practice, surfing will not only teach me to enter the water in a pleasant, relaxed state, it will teach me to relax into life.
In the words of Jon Kabat-Zinn:
"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.
