Tingle up your spine

I snuck out of the house like a ninja! It’s a glorious win that I have every so often, the win of skilfully exiting a silent home without waking any sleeping children. It’s the dance of the midnight thief, it’s art in motion. So much at risk!! One misplaced step on a creaky floorboard and its over. This morning was seamless, up and out, speeding down the moonlit road that leads to my beloved ocean. No one in the carpark, and no one in the waves, only me and the fish. 

Surfing alone is an absolute joy but it can also be a little intimidating. The only way I feel comfortable when I’m bobbing around before sun up is connecting with how my body feels. It’s almost a guarantee that when I see fish splash around me or mysterious shadow under the surface that my mind will jump to the conclusion that I’m about to get eaten. If I listened to this mind of mine every time I was alone in the ocean I would never last long enough to make it a worthwhile surf. 

I once chatted to a surfer from Western Australia about surfing after there had been numerous shark attacks “You really have to listen to your intuition, that feeling that tells you to ‘get out now'. It’s different to the voice that is always scared of stuff; It’s the inner feeling, that tingle up your spine that precedes the voice that says its no longer safe”  

Today I was surrounded by a bait ball, my mind was screaming get out but there was no tingle of fear up my spine, I felt good. So I enjoyed a long surf and pacified my mind with wave riding and sun gazing, trusting in this body of mine that is highly sensitive to its immediate environment  “Shut up and enjoy yourself” says the heart to the mind.