Coping with the Cold

Shawn Jr
Coping with Capitalism

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Embracing healing

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Every morning at dawn, I wade into the cold of the Pacific Ocean. The frigid water meets my skin and reminds me of just how cold life can be. I notice my breathing. Am I even breathing? Where in my body do I feel tense? Why am I even doing this?

What started as a simple practice to aid in muscle recovery has become a daily practice of healing. Over the past six months, these morning plunges have taught me how to embrace discomfort, both in the water and in life. The ocean has become my teacher and it’s shown me that when I surrender to the moment, no matter how painful it may be, it can lead to unexpected healing and strength.

From cold showers to the ocean

Before I embraced the ocean, I began with cold showers. It felt like a small step toward facing discomfort that I’ve typically avoided. My earliest memories include peeking down icy white Alaskan mountains, yet I’ve always avoided the cold. A year ago, I found myself sitting on the side of the Yuba river, incapable of enduring the glacier water that flowed within it. The only time I remember actually embracing the cold was as a child to escape the suffocating humidity of a typical Georgia summer day. My brother, friends, and I would spend…

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