ANGEL THERAPY
by Maureen Mann
Practicing Mindfulness by the Ocean
During my vacation this summer, I decided I really wanted to practice “being in the moment”. This translated to an adventure consisting of 1 hour and 45 minutes worth of consecutive moments standing and sitting on a rock by the Atlantic Ocean shore. My goal was to stay put on the rock until the tide came in and completely submerged it. The first time the water touched my feet was like a victory; a new sensation and phase to celebrate. Then as the water began crashing over the rock, wetting my body, I was less thrilled. It was cold! The size and crash patterns of the waves were unpredictable. I reminded myself of other times when I’d bodysurfed these waves. I shifted my mindset to become more attuned to the rhythm of the ocean, as part of the ecosystem versus an obtruded upon and obtrusive observer. With each new phase of the tide rising, there was a new set of circumstances to which I had to adjust and adapt. A few times during the course of my time on the rock I questioned
Star Nations Magazine • October 2020 • 14
why I was doing this. What was I trying to prove? Was my ego dictating my choice to see something through? In the past, I have made decisions from that place, often with undesirable outcomes. This felt different; I knew the feelings in my body that would correspond to my ego’s striving. These bodily sensations were more relaxed and open. I felt like I was meant to stay with this curious venture. I had a sense there was a surprise waiting for me. With each question answered, I would surrender, feeling affirmed. I noticed so much during those 105 minutes. I would vacillate between being acutely aware of the coldness of the water,
Credit: Maureen Mann
I realized early on that despite spending fifty years at the ocean, I really underestimated how slowly the tide comes in. This allowed me to settle into my position on the rock and watch both the water’s edge ahead of me and the deeper ocean beyond it. It took a long time for the water to begin to connect with the rock, then lap and start to pool around it before receding. I observed the collection of stones around the base of the rock as they moved with each wave’s arrival and departure. With the gaining presence of the ocean, the sounds of the surrounding stones grew louder as they crashed into one another.
