Finding My Way to Underwater Clarity

Ever had a day like this?Have you ever had a day like this?
Feeling gray sky, low tide and garbled?
Lacking direction?
Sans focus?

On days like thisOn days like this
I go to the coast
where the fresh water
flows into the saltwater sea.
I try to hydrate my head and my heart.

I breath in

I breathe in.
I breathe up.
I breathe out.

I stand on firm ground,
albeit shifting.

I stretch to the sky

I reach in.
I reach up.
I reach out.

I arrive.

and I have a heart to heart

And I have a heart to heart
talk with myself, who says
I…BELIEVE…in YOU!
You’re on the right track.

I wait for direction

I let my Self point which way to go next.
“Here, go with the flow,
Go join the whole”

Seriously, this way

Seriously, THAT way!
You’re not a salmon.
You can’t swim upstream.
You must go toward the ocean.

Get the green arrow

My soul could feel my self hesitation.
She put on her seashell amulet bracelet
as if pushing up sleeves.
She pulled out the green arrow,
The unmistakable way-pointing sign.

the unmistakable sign

I gazed at the arrow so long and so hard.
I wanted to trust its clear sense of direction.
But it wasn’t quite speaking my language.

And the arrow turned into my heart

My soul had a better idea.
She turned that green arrow into my heart.
The even more unmistakable way-pointing sign.

It pointed the way once again

And my soul pointed the way once again.
This time I heard not only her voice
but my heart as it beat in agreement
Finally understanding the path.

My heart said yes.

We breathed in
We breathed out
We jumped in
to the flow of fresh water.

i entered the flow

Who knows how long it will take to
make it down river,
How many high and low tides.
But I’m determined to go with the flow
toward the big picture ocean.

Call it underwater clarity.

I’m all in.

I know I'll arrive.

Going With the Flow

{Spoiler alert: There’s a movie at the end.}

The first step of an adventure…

The first step of an adventure

combines peril with pause
and a push…

And a push

Your heart pounds a bit
like the waves rolling in

The waves rolling in

You must remember to breathe.

Remember to breathe

Lean in, use your legs
and don’t mind the spectators
sitting like the rocks that they are
wishing they had your verve and your nerve.

7-praying-for-strength

Pray for strength and strong rope.

5-pushing-waves

Hope your ballast means balance

Whirlpools

Wish on the whirlpools
and wait for the waves…

And plunge into the waves
Push! Kick! Jump!
Off you go!

The clouds part

Clouds part.
Sun comes out.

You’re now on your way.

Add some friends.

Pick up some buddies,
Take turns being guide.

Set your course

Set your course
See the sights

Salute the seaweed and mermaids below.

See seaweed    More seaweed

 Enjoy sailing

Engage your reflection
in fun conversation

Who knows what she sees from her side.

Enjoy being afloat

Enjoy being afloat.
Race the clouds.
Race the whales.
Raise your sails, in spirit at least.

Go ashore

Ahoy there!
There’s land.
An uncharted island.

Let's go explore.

Let’s go explore.
Stow your boat.

Say farewell

Say farewell to the shells
who began to get seasick
and are glad to land back on the sand.

So long for now

So long for now.

16-bye-bye

It’s time for adventure on land
(after Old Driftwood tells me a story).

See you next time!

I’ll send a postcard!


P.S. Here’s a glimpse of our ocean adventure in motion.

How it began upon meeting my friend.

 The other day I was down at the beach at low tide.

I’d been talking to seaweed and jellyfish
When I saw him half submerged in the rocks.

Well, not so much submerged as laying there with a mouth full of sand.

Washed up on the beach

So I went over and introduced myself

And asked if he wanted a hand.

So I went over an introduced myself

 I wish I could spell the sound of a shell spitting sand from it’s mouth.
I gave him a shake and he was clearing his throat.

finding-shell3-pst

He coughed and he sputtered and was about to say thanks

when

Oooops!

Ooops

I wish I could spell the sound of a shell hitting sand.  I didn’t mean to drop him.

Slippery little sand feller.

I’m so sorry!

Let’s just a sit a minute.

Ahhhh.

Warm sand. The sound of soft ocean waves.

Shhhh.

There now. That’s better.

Let's just sit a minute

So once we had rested a bit, I suggested we go.

Let me take you up to the stairs
where we can see more of the sights.

Let's go up to the stairs

I know. It’s a great view from here.

Yeah, I come here a lot. I love these old steps.

Tomorrow I’ll introduce you to my friends.

We’re going to have such a good time…

 

A few soul steps to liberate yourself from a life of posing

Do you feel like a windvane
Do you ever feel like  a windvane,
running in vain, going nowhere,
waiting for a gust to change your direction?

Sitting still

Or do you feel like you sit still all day?

Sitting on the sand with a hint of sunshine

Sitting surrounded by infinite grains of sand
casting long shadows with that slight slant of sun.

Stand up and take a step

What will make you stand up and take a first step?

Start walking

And keep going, as awkward as it feels.

Keep going

Even if you have to drag that damn poser post behind you for now…

Take an even bigger step

Take an even bigger step, even if you feel off balance.

Ask for help

You might need to ask for help before the tide gets any higher.
Those willing to help will appear.

Then dance

Which is great cuz  then
you’ll have someone to dance with.

It’s your Liberated Soul Swing!

My soul showed up at low tide

My soul showed up at low tidePerhaps it’s only when you feel deserted by the ocean,
as if the water receded along with your hopes,
and even the moon seems gone…

Reflections of a soul

that your soul shows up with a story,
as upside down as it seems.
Find brimful meaning and truth
while the tidepool steeps her saltwater tears.

Her head in the clouds of low tideSoul wonders
which view you might choose.
“Girl, put your head in the clouds.”