The power of meditation

Paul and I went kyaking yesterday on the delta. This is the first time we've gone to the delta. We set off from Brannan Is. and went nearly 4 miles, at least that's what it looks like we did from looking at the map after we got back home.

It was very windy! It took us about an hour going out. On the way back the tide changed and it took us 4 1/2 hours to get back. The tide and the wind were incredible. No stopping for a rest or taking a break either. It was all we could do with both of us paddling to make any headway against the combined tide and wind.

We have never paddled that long without a break before. But this time we couldn't take a break or we would have been sweept back out on the tide. For me I used this as an opportunity to meditate. I focused on finding the saddles in the waves, kind of like looking for mountain passes. The waves were up to 4 feet high and our kyak is only 22 inches tall. I also imagined that every time I dipped my paddle into the water that the current was helping to push it back and there by speed us onward. As long as I held my meditation I didn't tire. When my meditation was finally broken I went into muscle spasms in my right arm and shoulder and I stopped having fun.

It is amazing to me how much work we did, how much effort we put into getting back to the marina, how sustained an effort we made, and yet how much energy I have today. I do feel as though I went kyaking yesterday, my arms and shoulders and back are tired, but I don't feel as tired as I would have expected after the massive effort I put into it. It just goes to show that strugle is opptional. I didn't strugle I just put energy into getting where I wanted to be. I stayed focused on my goal and maintained a constant effort towards achieving it.

Hmmm, guess I need to put that lesson to work in other areas of my life.

YOU are magical,
Dianne

Magical YOU!