Over the past years I became a strong believer that surfing is the cure. Let me be more specific and say that the ocean is the cure. Surfing is merely our way to play with the ocean’s skin and to embark into the wonders of the natural world. Hopeful she’ll reveal some of her mysteries to you and embrace you with her purity.
I myself have experienced her powers in great depth, and I dove deeper into learning about her healing powers. I came across a mountain of experiences from other people, and my faith in the ocean grew even stronger. I felt even more empowered by reading the stories from other people. So, I decided to take a leap of faith, and share my experience with you.
Finding my passion for oceans has helped me tremendously with fighting through mental barriers. However, the biggest help the ocean offered me, was helping me face and overcome my eating disorder.
Throughout my teenage years I’ve had a troubling relationship with eating. Thoughts were always whirling around in my head, about being fat and ugly and not fitting in. Eating, or well; not eating, seemed like the answer to all my problems. I held starvation races against myself and enjoyed the numbness it provided me.
Now that you get the picture I’ll fast forward to when I left for Australia. My dorm was next to the ocean and I found a job at a surf school. Soon without noticing it, I got hooked and spend all my time and energy learning to surf. The problem was though, that I couldn’t keep up with my friends and colleagues. The waves kept washing me back to shore. I didn’t have the physical strength needed to battle the ocean.
One day the ocean decided to break my stubbornness and drag me through the washing machine, smacking the fin of my board right into my knee. Washed back on shore, I laid facing the sun. Crying, being angry at the board, the ocean, but mainly angry with myself. I was too weak. In that moment I gave myself a choice:
Quit surfing and continue the path as is.
Or
Commit to surfing and start eating properly to gain enough strength.
Commit. I started eating that day, more and more. Gaining strength, with the purpose of becoming a ‘good’ surfer. Then came one of the best days of my life, in Gerupuk, Indonesia. With my new board I jumped off the boat and paddled right to the peak. I dropped a wave and kept riding it forever. This was my reward. The ocean showed me I was on the right track and embraced me with a full smile.
Ever since I have been traveling and searching. With ups and downs, but great persistence. I noticed the ocean sends me the lessons I have to learn. When I’m mindful, she’ll send me a dolphin, she’ll send me joy. When I’m not, she’ll make sure I snap out of it, by sending me a set of rinsing waves dragging me under water.
I’m sure this doesn’t apply to just me. I aspire to inspire, share and to guide people towards healing of their own.
May the ocean be with you.