Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Curious Ocean

During a SURF the URGE group in Digby, NS recently we were discussing where people could regularly find a sense of peace and calm. Nature is always a popular response but in this group every person mentioned going to the beach. When we explored what it was about being on the beach that helped us achieve deeper states of relaxation and awareness, one gentleman described his perspective, "when I watch the waves and the water, it is always changing and something about that holds my attention".

Curiosity is half of the mindfulness battle with the other being a non-judgmental perspective. Curiosity is all about being present so that we don't miss the moment. This can be a challenge as we are so used to being externally focussed and stimulated. We may initially become easily bored during a simple SURFing session. As we practice noticing thoughts, feelings and sensations in the mind and body our awareness muscles grow. We are able to perceive more and more subtle movements or waves within. This can ultimately enhance our ability to remain present and curious. Just like watching the ocean or a campfire is dynamic and continuously changing so too is the internal world of our mind and body. There is a curious ocean of thoughts, feelings and sensations to explore....without judgment. More on that later.

Have you given yourself time to SURF today? Let me know how its going.

Aloha,

Steve