21 Day Pure Water Journey: day 8
The sunshine was out today and it felt so good. The last few days were totally overcast, so I was very determined to soak up every moment of this warmth while it was available. My water journey yesterday hadn’t worked out so well with the turbulent waters. I was really looking forward to having a relaxed and fully immersed experience today.
Focus mixed with the joy of sunlight on my body was what propelled me with confidence into the waters and submerged myself for the longest time yet. I remained under water up to my chin breathing and focusing on the purity of Her, the purity of me, pristine origins (yes I could finally focus on this imagery as I had intended to!)
All this time I was struggling with survival and catching my breath in our icy waters, I could barely think of any pure thoughts. Now the tides are turning finally and it feels so good.
My intention was to make these cold water immersions a daily ceremony, one where I could connect with the purity of our beloved waters, while waking up the memory of purity within me. That is what living imagery does, we mirror living images and inspired thoughts to and through one another:
I see the pristine origins in you, you see it in me.
I see the purity of our ocean, She mirrors purity back to me.
Our oceans will not only share powerful medicine that can restore vitality to the body, She will also show us our limits and fears over and over again until we can trust and simply ‘be’ with them. Today I let myself be with Her, watching sunrays dancing off Her surface, feeling reverence and grace. Walking out of ice cold waters and then standing on the ocean shore with sunlight warming me………….this is one of the best sensations I’ve experienced in my life. An elderly couple walked by with eyes downcast, making sure not to look my way (maybe they thought I was crazy for immersing into our waters in the dead of winter?) I made sure to smile and say hi, they replied a quick hi back. It’s not the first time someone has walked past one of these water immersions, and the reactions vary every single time, from either applause and encouragement to zero acknowledgment. This way of life can be a hard thought to wrap our heads around in our cozy, comfortable culture. I have compassion, because I was one of those people at one point.
Back to nature means returning back to ourselves.
I’m feeling vitally alive again
that’s what nature provides.
Although my mind continues to fight these daily journeys
my body now craves them
and I’m humbled beyond words to have united
with such a treasured, precious, pure friend (thank you ocean)
Yes! I actually start to feel thirsty. But not a thirst that drinking water will satisfy. To drink water in moments like these would almost make me feel bloated, my feet want the icy water, then my legs, then my torso, then my shoulders, then my hair, and not until I reach the top of me, has this new-found thirst ever been satisfied.