A brief look into the wholistic benefits a consistent surfing ritual can provide and its value in the modern world.
For decades the overwhelming consensus in popular media, self-help books, and the public consciousness has been that life moves faster than ever and it's only getting faster. Although this may be true, especially amidst our increasingly digitized and isolated existences that can make falling into pessimism and dejectedness more and more appealing, there are more readily available, easily accessible, and incredibly beneficial ways to slow down, have fun, and find a reprieve from our fast paced world than at any other point in time.
Surfing is an excellent example of just that. Surfing offers countless health benefits for both mind and body. Obvious improvements to general health include increased arm-strength, cardio, lung health, and luscious post-surf hair. On top of these however, surfing offers potent mental and spiritual benefits. Surfing is an opportunity to exist instantaneously,
unencumbered by the past or future, purely as a point in space and time existing perfectly in the moment and moving with incredible velocity into the next moment and the next and so on. This state of being, experiencing life simultaneously as frame by frame and entirely continuous is incredibly liberating and with enough repetition and practice can extend out of the water and into your life.
When you build a consistent daily ritual of anything, taking time to do something right just for the pleasure of doing, your analytical mind shuts off and you can develop a rhythm that moves you forward and keeps you steady. Surfing just happens to be an exceedingly good practice to make a daily ritual out of. Not only are you active in both mind and body, you are simultaneously empowered and humbled, in awe of your own ability to harness the waves
and cowed by the ocean’s frightening power. That indelible impression stays with you long after you leave the churn of the surf, acting as a daily reminder that we exist always as both powerful individuals and impossibly small constituents of a cosmic whole.
The bottom line however is that surfing is fun. It is fun exercise. It is fun meditation. It is fun reflection. It is fun religion. No matter what anyone else says, surfers know that fun is important and surfing is most definitely fun. You don’t have to get too caught up on skill level or technique as long as you’re being safe, respectful, and having a good time. Get out there and surf! Yew!
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