Marine Moments

The Beach today

A wide expanse of honey-milk, apricot-tinged skies and reflected sand can make you feel like you are on top of the world! Bathed in the beauty of nature. As the sun sets it is like watching an organic light show. It makes one feel as if they could fly, like the gulls, up, up and away into such beauty and light. However, ones feet are firmly stuck on the hard sand. And we wouldn’t want it any other way – for although the skies can tear our eyes upwards, the earth at our feet is also something to notice and take strength from.

Did you know?

Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction. If object A exerts a force on object B, object B also exerts an equal and opposite force on object A. In other words, forces result from interactions. How is this relevant? Well, it means to me that as I press my weight onto the earth, the earth is pushing back! Isn’t that amazing? It is responding in equal measure. We are not just standing up, we are pushing down onto the earth and the earth is pushing us back, kind of like a nudge, nudge with a good friend, don’t you think? It changes the relationship we can have with the ground, from passive to active, from dominant (man over nature/standing ‘on’) to reciprocal partners together against gravity.

Reflective Moment

Standing tall is a very powerful stance, one I had overlooked for years until I practised yoga. Even then it seemed merely a position from which to get to more exotic and challenging poses. However, the more yoga I do, the more I value ‘tadasana’. The anchoring of the feet into the earth; co-joining in mutual support, is an awesome sensation. It is all about breathing in deeply so there is active lift up the front of the body, reaching up out of our every day slouch to try and ‘dust the cobwebs from the sky’ with the top of our heads. Then an exhale as we feel the energy pull down the back from head, neck, shoulders, and back to the feet. Hands by our sides, palms facing forwards, open to acceptance. Standing tall and feeling strong with our feet to the earth.

It is probably one of the key yoga movements that can be done anywhere. Feeling tired? Sleepy? Stressed? On a crowded platform, in a shop, in a queue? Stand tall. Stop. The earth ‘has your back’ – or feet – same thing. You will always be supported by the earth – it will not judge, remove it’s support, or stop holding you.

Sound of the Sea Today

A mellow hush of waves today as we stand tall, stand strong and stand supported by the natural earth beneath our feet.