Yoga and The Ocean
Ahimsa (non-violence) is one of the most important principles on the eight-limbed path of yoga and concerns us surfers as well. Why? The ocean is a place of calm and peace and it should stay that way. In the high-season line-ups can get pretty full, which leads to conflict and competition every once in a while. We should all try to treat each other with friendliness and respect, regardless of our origins and regardless of our surfing skills. We have more in common than what separates us, so let’s celebrate the moments spent together in the ocean and share the exhilaration that comes from nailing that ride. Ahimsa also applies to our relationship with our own bodies: accepting our limits, avoiding over-ambitiousness by finding joy in continuous small progress, and realizing when the forces of nature at work in the water are greater than our own, in order to avoid injury. Finally, Ahimsa plays a role in our treatment of nature. We surfers love the ocean and, as a consequence, are very connected to and keenly aware of changes in it. That is why we should strive to preserve these areas by keeping the water and beaches free of plastics and trash, starting with ourselves by minimizing our own waste production.