Meditation Practice to Up Your Surf Game

1. Meditation Practice to Up Your Surf Game While surfing does require a solid level of physical vitality, mental strength is the critical factor for taking on the next level of wave. Surfing is in and of itself a moving meditation–we are constantly moving dancing with the sea, intuitively responding to the motions of the ocean, relaxing out of the thoughts and onto them sweet ocean swells. I find when I am frustrated, afraid, or just thinking too much, it can be impossible to catch waves and enjoy the endless bliss that is surfing. Cultivating your own meditation practice on the shores will bring greater clarity and fulfillment to all aspects of life — surfing is no exception!

2. So next time you’re about to paddle out, take an extra moment to try this simple practice — it will shift you out of your head and into your true center, so you can glide onto those waves with a crystal clear calmness. Meditation practice to up your surf game: 1.Relax Your Body oLay down on your back with your spine fully extended. Rest your legs out long, your feet out a bit wider than your hips, toes relaxing away from each other. In yoga, we call this shape shavasana. oRest your right hand on your low belly, your left hand on your heart. Let your elbows relax onto the ground. oClose your eyes. Begin by relaxing all the muscles in your face, especially your jaw and forehead, slowly relaxing and letting go of all the muscles in your body. 2.Deepen Your Breath oOnce you feel your body is completely relaxed, begin to deepen your breath long and smooth, in and out through your nose. oFeel that at the bottom of your inhalation, your belly expands into your right hand first. As the inhalation deepens, your chest expands into your left hand. Than as you begin to exhale, first the chest deflates, than the belly softens. We call this practice the full 4 part yogic breath – the

3. movement of the chest and the belly each make up a half of the inhalation, and a half of your exhalation. Feel your breath move up and down your spine like a seesaw. oContinue to lengthen and deepen your breath, each one a little longer and slower than the last. The deeper, quieter, more subtle your breath, the better. o3. Calm Your Mind As you continue to deepen your breath, notice whatever thoughts are passing through your mind. Without judging what you are thinking about, witness your thoughts for what they are. Bring your awareness to whatever expectation you might have for the approaching surf session. Through the deepening of your breath, see if you can gently let go of the thoughts, let go of the the expectations and just relax into the ever-pulsing wave of the expansion as you inhale, the gentle contraction as you exhale. Continue breathing until you feel you have shifted into your center and are shreddy for the gnar… than keep breathing and shred da gnar.

4. Infinite variations of this practice are available to you at any point in life, and also while surfing – whenever you notice you are distracted or moving out of your center, gently begin to deepen your breath. Let the fresh wave of prana wash through your mind, cleanse the mental space, and come into the sweet ever-presence of the now. Over time, as you continue to practice, you will notice that you are not only catching more waves, but perhaps knowing and loving yourself a bit more, maybe even perceiving your external reality with an increased zest of compassion, grace, light. For the gnar, brah, we do it for the gnar. Always be shreddy, always move toward greater presence in all the micro- motions of life – on the mat, off the mat, in the sea, on the shores… hayetti. And get stoked for the massive swell hitting our coastline in just 3 days! Read more about the interconnections between surfing, yoga and meditation here! Check out our surf coaching package to learn how to surf properly!