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Big-Wave Mindfulness: Surfing For A Connection
Surfing is mindfulness in action. Riding the biggest waves is an all-out, fully-present-or-die-trying proposition. Thanks to a persistent case of aquaphobia, I've never tried surfing. However, I've done my share of snowboarding, and I am trying to imagine what it would be like to carve the slopes with several tons of avalanche chasing me down the mountain. First of all, I would have to hike to the top and wait to catch the biggest avalanche, getting pummeled by several in the process. Oh, and then try not to think too much about the abominable snowman poised to take a hunk out of my leg when I least expect it. Yeah. I'm stoked. I don't really "get" surfing, but I stand in awe of it. It's impossible to avoid acknowledging the strength, timing, grace and heart-blazing courage required just to catch those enormous waves, let alone ride them smoothly without wiping out. Whether or not you're into water, "Riding Giants" is a breathtaking film guaranteed to raise your pulse rate. Following the rise of big wave surfing from its ragtag roots in the fifties to the jet-ski boosted endorsement deals of today, "Riding Giants" offers a fascinating look at surf culture in all its guts and glory--not to mention its sun-bleached hair, wave-toned bodies, and plenty of pre-cancerous skin cells. Although several world-class surfers are profiled, the one I find most amazing is Jeff Clark, a 43-year-old native of Half Moon Bay, California who is credited with discovering Mavericks, a notoriously gnarly big wave mecca twenty miles south of San Francisco. Clark spotted the monstrous waves from the cliffs of Half Moon Bay as a teenager. One day, he decided to paddle the half-mile in chilly ocean water to check it out. Never mind that he was too far out for his worried friend--or anyone else--to save him. Forget that these waves would turn out to be so huge that, years later, seasoned pros from Waimea would find them jaw-dropping. Disregard the razor-sharp rocks waiting to chew up anyone unfortunate enough to be slammed to the shore. Clark had his first of many ride-of-your-life experiences that day. He couldn't believe the power of it, the magic, the unimaginable thrill. He went out to surf that incredible vortex every day. Alone. For fifteen years. I'm guessing that his parents were either a) clueless about where he was, or b) powerless to prevent him from returning. He couldn't find anyone insane enough to join him. He wasn't doing it for the attention, for the chicks, for the cameras, or for the money. He was out there getting pounded for the sake of that big ol' grin on his face and the unfathomable sense of connection to something larger than himself. Clark was like some modern day ascetic, putting himself through tortuous rites and death defying acts of faith while living in seclusion. He became one with the water on a daily basis through rigorous attention and exhaustive exploration. I am humbled. I envy him. And I can't stop thinking about how most of us will never have this all-consuming passion or such a magnificent opportunity to experience oneness with anything. Jeff Clark may be crazy. He may be obsessed. But he is a man whose mindfulness has inspired and elevated him--and saved his skin on numerous occasions. We should all be so lucky to discover such a wondrous wave. Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit www.MassageYourMind.com">http://www.MassageYourMind.com
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How to Use the Ebb and Flow of Life to Your Advantage Are you overwhelmed with so many activities you don't know where to start?Are you always in a hurry but seem to get nowhere?Do you find yourself in a state of perpetual over-drive?Do you constantly feel tired?Perhaps it's time to take inventory of your life.But how?Here is an excerpt written in the early 1900's by an author who has very wise words about this modern day problem. Inspired For Women One man can make a difference. I've been saying this and writing around this subject matter for over a decade now. Maybe Im Amazed at the Way you Love Me all the Time In Corrogue I am amazedI rise by the light of heaven to continue this amazing journey into love. There is no other journey quite like this. Your World Your Way - Trusting Yourself In Business "It doesn't interest me who you are, or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back. Put To The Sword Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 23, 2002My girlfriend has an aggressive sense of humor. She teases and likes to parry put-downs. Your James Bond Fantasies Become Real The problem with this is that fantasies usually don't come by chance. You have to plan them yourself. Important Things to Know / Remember About Life I love you not because who you are, but because who I am when I am with you There is no one in this world that worth your tears, and if they are, they will never make you cry. If someone loves you not in the way you would like to, it does not mean that they don not love you in their own way A good friend is the one that will hold your hand and will touch your heart. How to Get Over Emotional Misery Whether it's a holiday, anniversary, birthday or a time in your life where the rug of life itself seems to have been ripped out from beneath your feet, and you feel the kind of depression where you pray to not wake up, take heart. I have been there, and have learned how to come out of it to the other side of beaming joy, and want to pass this information on to you. Blessings and Art of Living My perception is that universe infinitely blesses us every moment. Why we do not acknowledge is that we are not consciously aware of it. Numbers Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 19, 2003I'm currently in the classic older man and younger woman relationship. I'm 50 years old, Nancy is 30, and we are both divorced. Fear Factor What is it that stops you from jumping off a 5 story building, is it the fear of falling, the sudden stop at the bottom or knowing that you cannot fly?As a youngster you lay in bed at night fearing to let you leg or arm drop over the side of the bed lest the bed monster gets you. You knew there was a monster in your closet waiting to attack you the moment you built up enough courage to move out of your position. How to Conquer Fears and Worries "More than any other time in history, mankind face a crossroad. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, and the other, to total extinction. False Start Direct Answers - Column for the week of July 7, 2003.I was married three months ago, and I think I may have married the wrong woman. I Dont Like This You always do this wrong, how many times would I have to tell as to how to do the thing right, don't you understand to what I say, I am talking to you, are you listening to what I am saying. It would have been much better if I would have done that myself. What Legacy Are We Leaving Our Children? Children can seem exhausting, annoying, wonderful, loud and funny all at the same time. They are a lot of work especially in the beginning years but what we need to realize is that they are our future so what we do with them in the early to teen years is important because they will become the leaders while we behold the golden years. Labor That Works Miracles (excerpted from The Challenge to Succeed series)Two thousand years ago on April 15th one of Jesus' disciples came to him and said it was time to pay taxes (that's how I know it was around April 15th), but they had no money. In response to his disciple's statement Jesus said "no problem". The Road Not Taken Direct Answers - Column for the week of November 24, 2003My husband cheated on me for maybe five years, and yes, I really had no idea. The person he cheated with is a policewoman on his job. Pay It Forward My friend Hugh Jeffries died. He was a wealthy man. Silence Inside Silence means no voice input of any sort. What happens when there is silence? We cannot hear anything from the outside, but the voices inside are what we hear pretty clearly. The Miracle of Personal Development One day Mr. Shoaff said, "Jim, if you want to be wealthy and happy, learn this lesson well: Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job.
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