Saturday 27 December 2014

The NEW new years resolution,

Take a look at the list below and just for a minute think about how much time you spend on each in a week.

  • Family & Friends
  • Career
  • Finances 
  • Travel
  • Entertainment
  • Culture
  • Hobbies 
  • Exercise

Done that? Ok now look at the next list and do the same. 

  • Meditation
  • Contemplation
  • Gratitude 
  • Self awareness 
  • Mindfulness 
  • Spiritual pursuits (retreats, church etc, etc). 
  • Compassion 
If your anything like me, your priorities lie with that first list and barely any time gets dedicated to the second - am I right? 

The reason I'm highlighting this to you, is because as one year ends and another starts there tends to be this mass exodus for fitness, diets and a sudden sense that it is imperative to improve all the external factors in your life. 

I love nothing more than starting a fresh page in my diary and writing down all my projects and hopes for the new year, its incredibly carthic and I think an excellent step in trying to make dreams a reality. 

What I tend to always neglect though is this simple theory: 

Cultivate your internal landscape through tending to your spiritual practice, nurturing mindfulness, compassion and investing in regular meditation. Do this and like flowers in a garden your dreams will have an environment in which to grow. 

(I'm quite proud of that metaphor)! I'm starting to realize that by focusing my attention inwards I'll have greater clarity and will be better able to scope out opportunities and truly follow my dreams. 

I too hope for fulfillment in my career, to continue to flourish in a loving relationship, to surf and surround myself with great people, plants, pets and the beautiful outdoors. Those things will come but first I'm saying hell yeah to meditation, reflection, gratitude and compassion! 

Until next time 

Stay strong and surf well 
Love 




Tuesday 23 December 2014

For the love of water.

Ok so it wasn't a surf trip, but hey it wasn't about me it was his birthday! And anyway, even a salty surfer chick like myself could appreciate the beautiful scenery of the Lake District (even if it is fresh water). 

It was wonderful visiting the Lakes with Mr Sunny, it had been my home for three years while I studied, so it was nice returning to some of my old haunts. We did get to see some places that I actually haven't been to like Aira Force the beautiful waterfall just outside of Keswick. 

Here we stumbled upon a fallen log which had thousands of coins hammered into it, a living archive of the walkers who've visited. It was so beautiful and it was nice for Ollie and I to leave our own little momentum (5p)!! 






     















  





























Hopefully now that life is starting to get back to normal I can start organizing a few more surf trips. 2014 has been the year of love and I've been massively grateful for that distraction. 2015 shall be the year of action and that'll start with some more surf trips pronto! I'm starting to feel like a cactus I've had so little surf this year!  

In case in all the festivities I get distracted and forget to say it: 

MERRY CHRISTMAS WATER BABIES & LAND LUBBERS! 

Hope you have an awesome festive period, thank you for reading this here blog, it's been RAD!!

Until next time,
Stay strong and surf well
Love









Thursday 18 December 2014

Tonglen.

    

Two weaknesses leaning together constitute a strength. therefore the one half of the world leaning against the other half becomes firm.' - Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) 

Why am I sending you a big kiss today world? Because the news lately is utterly terrifying with horrors happening against innocent people. In our grief for those victims its hard to comprehend suffering or begin to understand it. It is here I retreat to Buddhist teachings of absorbing negativity and sending out healing. I don't pretend to be able to solve the world's problems, but despite the shame, drudgery and broken dreams it is still a beautiful place, good exists and as Ghandi rightly said we must be the change we wish to see.

In Buddhism there is a practice of transforming pain called Tonglen, it allows us to help heal suffering in the world, transforming it through positive loving thoughts. After spending most of Tuesday sobbing after hearing about the sieges in Australia, Pakistan  and the awful, awful suffering endured by Kenyan street children at the mercy of quite frankly an evil man, I was feeling both furiously angry and frustrated. I was so troubled I couldn't sleep so sat on the floor of my bedroom reading books. 

I recalled an extract written by the Dalai lama on the subject of the Chinese. For many years the Chinese had been killing and trying to wipe out Buddhism in Tibet, behavior which should have elicited anger and hatred from the Dalai Lama. Instead he saw his enemies as an opportunity to learn of tolerance and visualized the Chinese during their decision making processes. He sent them healing and positive thoughts so they perhaps might act more compassionately when making choices about Tibet. 

In my little attic room in my parents house, I tried to visualize the Kenyan street children and the victims of the sieges sending them all the love and healing my heart possesses. Of course this alone is not enough to help, we must act practically and behave with compassion but as Confucius rightly said; 

'First there must be order and harmony within your own mind. Then this order will spread to your family, then to the community and finally your entire kingdom. Only then can you have peace and harmony.' (Confucius 551-479BCE)

I'm sharing an apple with Bruh bunny as we speak and reflecting on what I can do in the parameters of my own life to try and make positive ripples out into the world. I'll let you know what I come up with...

Until next time, 
Stay strong and surf well
Love




Monday 15 December 2014

A little lack luster.

I have been massively uninspired lately, which is quite the conundrum when trying to write engaging material for a blog. Much like trying to stroke a nervous dog the more you force and cajole inspiration, the more it shies away from your outstretched hand.

After a bit of yoga and a lot of sivasana (aren't we all there for the relaxation), the reason I'm so lack luster became blatantly obvious:

I'm a surfer, writing a surf blog who hasn't been in the water for months. 

No wonder I have no opinion on the winter swell, can't review latest surf products or discuss hidden away breaks. My life has literally had nothing to do with surfing other than the constant dull ache of yearning I keep caged away in my heart.  

Oh gosh how terribly melodramatic! Regular readers of this here blog will know I don't like writing too many invites to pity parties so that's where the moaning will stop. Realizing I'm not going to have much opportunity to surf this side of Christmas I revisited some old loves of mine that have been with me since childhood, the idea being not to force inspiration but to be reminded of wonderful things. 

1. I packed a rucksack, borrowed the dog and got a thermos of mint tea ready then went walking out in the countryside. 



 
I got on the train for an hour or so to Malvern Hills with Jack the family dog. This is the closest thing to wilderness on my door step, I love how it reminds me of the Lake District, the place I called home for three years whilst studying. I was born city but I'm a country girl at heart. 

2. My go to place for respite is on my yoga mat. This is mostly because I get a lot of solace out of my practice but its also because my yoga mat is more readily available than a surfboard and waves! 





3. I return to old haunts, look at old photos and remember the hippie girl who dared to dream. I embrace change and I am grateful I've evolved over time (I'm more than grateful I've left behind the dodgy fashion sense and teenage acne....which lasted until last year), but I enjoy nostalgia and looking back at how far I've come. Sometimes being reminded of past things you loved helps you shape the way forward. I loved/love animals so here's a few pictures from my past which help remind me to live compassionately (be ready for a few laughs)! 

     
This little box room was my dorm room in Uni, the first space I had living independently. Its not exactly going to win any design awards but I still look at this little room with fondness (it also hid a pet rat named Fagin who I loved more than words can say)! 


Obviously I didn't get the heads up that turquoise yoga pants, bandannas and walking boots were never going to be a good look but this photo makes me smile anyway. It was the first time I went to Africa, I'd found a street dog in Gambia I liked and was giving him a scratch much to the horror of my travel companions! 
Gosh I miss those hills, here I am borrowing yet another dog in the Lake District. There are the walking boots again but at least they're in the right environment here. I think the only thing that makes me feel as free as I did in that picture is being on my surfboard. 




    
























My hair is lighter than it was in this pic but the smile is the same. Every time I surf this is how I feel, just completely elated. This photo was taken in Brittany France right before I tried surfing for the first time- It was love at first sight...

4. When I'm struggling to find inspiration I look to creative people, it may not be obvious right away but I'm a MASSIVE Beyonce fan. I don't pretend to think that the sun shines out of her backside celebrities have become property of the public rather than human beings, she is a flawed person like the rest of us, but I love her drive, her commitment to her family and her loyalty to gender equality. I've been captivated by her recent film project Yours & Mine recently, she totally encapsulates how I feel about feminism and how I want to balance career and family. 

 

5. Lastly I look at, talk to and love him. 


Often its terrifying writing about love, especially on such a public platform as this, but I've come to realize I needn't be overwhelmed or afraid of saying I'm in love. Mr Sunny is one of my biggest sources of inspiration and as Beyonce so rightly says, success is not real unless shared, men and women balance each other out, we need one another and admitting that is no weakness. We are social apes, we were born for each other and I write with a heart brimming with happiness that I've been blessed with him for however long I'm given. 

Anywho. Have I bored you silly yet? Well at least you've had a few minutes procrastination from whatever it is you were supposed to be doing. Funnily enough I've been massively inspired writing this post (and talking to my friend and surf comrade) about sustainability and biodiversity. Another massive part of my life was conservation so I think I might start incorporating that into my blog. Watch this space. 

Until next time,
Stay strong, surf well
Love




Monday 8 December 2014

'Meh maid'

It would be easy as a yogini to accentuate the good in my life in order to promote a positive facade. This however is not reality. Just like everybody else I have my 'meh' days, where I wake up and find fault with my world and by my world, I of course mean the small parameters of my life. 

Sometimes things don't go your way, people won't act or behave how you want them to or your job will create difficulties. As a land locked surfer the daily grind of reliving the fact that I'm not surfing is a constant dig in the ribs, (especially when your Northern surfer friends are getting great swell...its like constantly not being invited to a party).   
























It is a privilege to be able to moan about your lot, of having your basic human rights met to such an extent you can find reasons in others areas to not be happy. This is where the yoga/surf philosophy comes in, if we create positive grooves for ourselves, i.e. a routine which is positive and provides opportunities to be grateful these patterns will become permanent and as a result, we'll live more fulfilled lives purely because we'll be able to see our own privileges. 

Today I was beating myself up for not eating as healthily as I should, for still not being in my own place, for not having a 'career' as such and for still not being able to get a friend for Bruh bunny -a pretty extensive list of invites for my pity party. I then got on my yoga mat, meditated before going for a run in the winter sunshine. None of these earlier worries have been resolved (although I did have a cup of green tea so that counts as being healthy right)?! What's changed is my attitude towards them. We can indulge in feeling 'meh' about some things in our lives but dwelling there isn't good for anyone. 

If your feeling more 'meh maid' than anything else then I shall tell you the secret. 

Go meditate. 
























 
Whether its in lotus style up a Himalayan mountain, walking your dog, running towards the sea, sat astride your surfboard or just taking a few mindful breaths in on the morning commute. Look inwards and find sense in the gentle inhalation and exhalation of your breath.

Until next time 

Stay strong, surf well
Love





Tuesday 2 December 2014

Hola from Nicaragua!

One of the best side affects from blogging is the opportunities it provides to talk to really great people. One of those said people is the lovely Cameo who contacted me all the way from Nicaragua, her endlessly sunny emails provided moments for us to share our collective love of surfing and the positive impact it has on people around us. She's doing great work out there and wanted to tell you a little about it. 

I don't know about you but I love a surf article so without much further ado, here is Cameo in her own words! 








"Hola from Nicaragua, Central America! On September 23, 2014, I left the cold

east coast of Massachusetts and moved down to sunny Granada in hopes of 

creating a recreation program with the non-profit organization, Amped for 

Education. Amped creates educational opportunities for the underprivileged 

students of Pantanel (a small, impoverished community 5 minutes outside of 

Granada). We want to encourage students to continue learning and to help them 

understand that education is incredibly valuable, no matter where you are in the 

world. 

Since making the trek down here two months ago, a lot has happened. I have 

made charming new friends, I have encouraged children to learn, my Spanish 

has improved, and I even learned to surf! Although I am still a beginner, I have 

had the opportunity to learn at some pretty amazing surf spots. San Juan Del 

Sur, is a popular surf spot in Nicaragua and is about a two hour “chicken” bus 

ride from my home base. The town is lively, the beaches are beautiful, and the 

waves are perfect for beginners or experts. Playa Maderas is the beach we 

usually pick to surf. It’s a 25-minute rickety shuttle ride to get there from town but 

the waves are always worth it. If you have your board with you, you can strap it to 

the top of the shuttle or there are board rentals right on the beach.  

If you’re looking for a more secluded spot to surf, Playa Gigante is the place to 

be. The town is quiet and there are beaches and beaches to choose from. If 

you’re lucky enough to come down during the low season, one particular beach, 

has very few people and you can basically have the beach, and the waves to 

yourself. Either way, whichever surf spot you choose, you will have an ear to ear 

smile across your face the whole ride. 

The best parts about Nicaragua are the food, the prices, and the 85 degree 

water. There are street vendors at every corner selling enchiladas, empanadas, 

tacos, and plantain chips. Any of those snacks will cost you 10-20 cordobas 

(about 50 cents - $1). The markets are an amazing place to be as well. You can 

buy pounds and pounds of fruits and veggies for under $10 in the market. This 

place is a hidden gem and I am incredibly grateful to call it my current home. 

Never regret taking that leap of faith to move and experience something new, it 

will always be worth it! :)

To learn more about Amped for Education or to find out how you can join us on a 
trip, visit www.ampedforeducation.org.

Isn't she wonderful! I hope she becomes a regular feature on this blog, Cameo we love you! 

Until next time,
Stay strong and surf well
Love