Some believe that yoga originated for healing warriors and that all forms of martial arts came from yoga. Photos: McGill (L), Heff (R)
As a kid growing up on Kauai, we went to the beach every day, and the ocean provided a deep connection to Hawaiian culture. Surfing was like dancing on the water: a place of play, an expression, art in motion, renewal, and the well of youth. Just as yoga is a way of living: a dance, art in motion, a place to renew the spirit, an endless well of youth and enlightenment.
Lately, I have been learning about the balance between the concept of “the warrior” and healing. Some believe that yoga originated for healing warriors and that all forms of martial arts came from yoga. As a warrior, if you planned to fight, you had to be able to heal. I’ve felt a similar connection today with surfing – particularly when dealing with big waves and barrel riding.
In big waves, barrels, and shallow reefs, we learn a way of flowing with the ocean and understanding its power. We learn its rhythm. We dance with it, and sometimes we fight for our lives and get injured by big waves and their associated hazards. As a result, we need to learn to heal ourselves. Yoga is just that for a surfer.
We are warriors who dance on the waves. To be able to endure the stresses associated with surfing, one must create youth and longevity in the body, mind, and spirit. Otherwise we will not be able to continue surfing. There will simply be too much abuse on the body over time. I want to be able to surf until I pass on to the next life. Finding balance with yoga brings flow into my life: consciousness, breath, patience, endurance, power, grace, and intuition. It’s possible that it can do the same for you.
Get more yoga and surf tips from Rochelle at SurfIntoYoga.com.
