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Sometimes We Must Let the Universe Have Its Way
How the waves of the ocean teach me to surrender to the currents of life
Growing up near pristine surf beaches in Australia and regularly swimming in them is a cherished childhood memory and a hobby that’s just as precious to me today. Ever since I can remember, I have loved swimming in the ocean.
But my outlook on the ocean has dramatically changed.
I once saw it as a playground — through a lens of awe and wonder. To some extent, I still do but now I see the ocean as a wise teacher — one that has helped me put important spiritual lessons into practice.
When I swim at beaches with big waves and a lot of energy, I often get dumped by the waves due to their sheer power. When this first happened, I panicked. I thought… “Oh my god, I’m going to drown” and resisted as I was thrashed around like a ragdoll. I fought against the situation that I had no control over because being at the mercy of the circumstance was a terrifying thought.
All I thought about was the danger.
However, as I spent more time in the water, I began to enjoy being thrashed around by the waves because I learned to surrender to them. The more it happened, the more I realized that there was no danger as long as I didn’t fight…