Beneath the waves

Some of my fondest childhood memories were at the beach.

When I was little, my Dad would put me on his shoulders when we were in the ocean, and a big wave would come. � �

He was German and didn’t know how to swim, so he would just stand and get battered by the breakers while I stayed safe on his shoulders. � �

From the height of his shoulders, I could see it was calm beyond the breakers, but getting beyond them was just too frightening for me as I watched those big waves crash down. � �

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I remember a particular family holiday when my brother taught me to go under the big waves.� �We were at Straddie and Cylinder Beach was at its finest.

I was frightened but also sick of being battered by the waves as I was getting too big for Dad’s shoulders. � �

My brother held my hand, we took a deep breath, and we went under the wave together. � �

We sat on the ocean floor as the wave broke over us. � �

It was calm. It was still. � �

Then, when the wave passed, we pushed up from the sand and rose to the surface to experience the calm beyond the breakers. � �

And from then on, my experience of swimming in the ocean became exhilarating rather than terrifying. � �

I developed my own agency to handle the waves that rolled in, rather than relying on others for protection. � �

Before I knew how to duck beneath the waves, I remained stuck in the wash zone as each wave knocked me off my feet.

Once I knew how to navigate the waves, I was able to experience the calm beyond the breakers.

Our thoughts are much like the waves in the ocean.

They can easily overwhelm us if we don’t know how to handle them. � �

These thought waves, known as citta vritti in Sanskrit, are our mental clutter.

Beneath the waves of our mind is stillness.

Consciousness.

Bliss.

Meditation teaches us to go beneath the waves to find the calm place beneath.

Now, after a long hiatus, I’m pleased to announce that Meditation classes are back.

I can hold your hand,  teach you how to breathe and guide you to that place of deep calm beneath the waves of our mind.

If you’ve ever wanted to try meditation but found it too hard, too boring, or you just couldn’t stop thinking, then I can show you a way to meditate that’s easy and doable.

Meditation is the next evolution beyond the physical yoga poses. So if you want to:

• breathe better

• clear the mental clutter

• explore the space beneath your thoughts

• connect to something deeper

• and raise the collective consciousness

Then join me for Breathe + Meditate this week.

We don’t practise meditation to become good meditators.

We meditate to get better at life.

And a calm mind makes everything easier.

We have the choice to be battered by the waves of our minds, or we can find the calm beyond.