Marine Moments

The beach today

Look at how the wind is ruffling the water on the beach, pushing it back inland so that between tides the sea never leaves the sand to dry. Look at how those people are leaning into the force of the gale to make head way. It is a dark winter afternoon when the sun itself seems to be sheltering from the battering wind behind the big black clouds. Perhaps not an auspicious start for positive mindfulness – but lets look harder and we will find the silver lining behind the storm.

Two brave kite surfers are harnessing the power that howls around us! Let’s also harness that wild power. The temptation is to hide, shelter, tense against the wind, fend it off and shrink into a shell until the storm has passed. But why not make use of the occasion? What can we also let loose into that wind, what do we want rid of, what do we want to blow away to leave us calm and free?

Did you know?

The wind has many symbolic connotations, both positive and negative, usually depending upon the direction and strength of the wind. The wind (as in T S Elliot’s Wastelands) can mean a ‘nothingness’ and ’emptiness’ whereas it can also be the messenger of divine intervention, and it is the vital breath of the universe (Cooper, 192).

Wind often represents the fleeting and transient, the elusive and the intangible. In the Bible, God’s ruah (wind, spirit, breath) moved upon the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). It is with the sound of a wind that announces the arrival of the Holy Spirit appears in the upper room to the apostles (Acts).

The wind blows where it will and is the epitome of ‘freedom’ and the embodiment of an uncontrollable force; and when it roars in your ears and up your nose it provides a wonderful force to shout and scream against, the ideal punchbag!

Reflective Moment

Walking along the beach in a strong wind I could really sense the power, of being bullied, picked up, prodded and pulled by an invisible force. In one direction the wind pushed each leg, increasing the pace and length of stride, determining the speed of progress along the sand. In the other direction, it howled and pushed, pummelled and drove against progress, as if trying to prevent return.

However, I may have struggled against its physical force, but I harnessed the power to exercise my psyche. I let all the unsettling, unhappy and worrying thoughts come to mind, and then pushed them out into the flow of air rushing against me. They were snatched away, flew high, and were lost in the grey skies above, gone into the background crash of waves and the howl of the wind, diluted into the atmosphere to mere drops of rain that fell every now and then onto my face.

The strength and noise of the wind made the experience much more satisfying; matching the anguish, pain and anger of the associated feelings I was tossing out into the storm: like smashing plates onto a stone floor or throwing glass bottles against a wall, they shattered and crashed, and then were gone in the load din that they deserved.

It is one thing to let go of feelings and thoughts that no longer serve you on a fine day or in a calm environment, but this was so much more fun and gave a real fizzle of exhilaration – like screaming or jumping up and down, the storm replicated the fuss, drama and noise of disaster, chaos and all senses of overwhelming anxiety in glorious symphony!

I highly recommend it: the next time a gale or strong wind rips around the chimney pots, get out in it and hurl away your unwanted worries, fears and cares into the melee, and see for yourself. Let the wind blow, let it cleanse, release and leave you lighter and calmer once the storm has taken away what you throw into it.

The sound of the sea today

Maybe not so much the sea, as the wind!

This is a short burst of sound to give you a glimpse of the storm. Listen to it and think about what you would throw away into the wind and let it be snatched away from you, gone forever.