Riding the Wave

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Things are constantly in motion. Buoyed by the wave that is the Universe. 

Yesterday I spent hours in the ocean, first with a stand-up paddle board and then a little later floating just at the part where the waves curl and crash. On the deeper, calmer side. 

When on the paddle board, I was in a trance standing on the board looking down at the seafloor or as far as I could see. I saw two different stingrays, a large jelly fish and then tons of schools of fish - always anticipating that this year I’d be the next shark victim. This always passes my mind a couple times of day while here.

At one point, while standing, I fell into the ocean and had a hard time turning over the board and while fighting with the waves. I wasted a ton of energy flailing with my board and trying to get it over. So after a few moments of trying to flip it, I had to pause, take a breath and regain my strength to eventually turn it over.

Later on when floating, I was simply watching the ocean far out into the distance. I’m never bored when here. I love the way the water washes over my skin and a couple of times it pulled me into the wave and I was tossed me a little - it was fun.

I don’t need to tell you how calming and peaceful it is to watch the water come in and go out. 

It got me to thinking about how as the wave of LIFE rises and falls, we’re carried forward, through the different high and low points of life, too. 

Sometimes we’re taken to certain places in life that we don’t want to be in. But as much as we try to fight that current and direction, simply riding the wave will make our lives easier. We must remember that this will pass. It always does.

When you ride a wave you can evolve within that wave, too - you learn more and more how the waves flow. And it starts to become effortless when you do get pulled.

Riding a wave is actually NOT passive either as you’re required to be more aware, focused and awake. You become an active participant with the wave when you decide that stillness is needed so you can be carried without harm to you. Just like in life.

Life is always changing. And as much as you try to resist what’s going on, you won’t win. Or you’ll feel trapped and feel like you have no choice in your destination. But that’s not true because when you’re awake and aware in your life, like feeling when you’re able to touch the ocean floor with your toes, you’ll be able to gain stability to possibly jump over the next wave that comes at you. Or you do the best you can. But resisting the waves is a waste of energy. 

Can you see those waves of life as an opportunity to roll and flow with them?

Riding the wave means you’re carried by it and you can keep your head above the water - no matter where you’re carried. 

It’s hard to trust that the Universe has your back. But that’s our work - to trust it. To let go the urge to fight the flow and be in it with wide eyes. Calm and peaceful and letting wave take you where you need to go. 

-Jess

Jessica Sandhu