Though I haven’t exactly sailed the ocean blue, lately the concept of sailing has been a bit of a daily mantra. As Alan Watts said, “Life is most skillfully lived when one sails a boat rather than rowing it.” This concept has been described by many philosophers and Eastern religions over the years, and has a relevant sentiment in today’s fast-paced world. In yoga and meditation, this concept is also explored in many ways, allowing one to feel more at peace in the flow of life, rather than working against it.
Consider a time when you’ve purposely dug your heals in, deciding to row against the current, instead of going with the flow. There can be times where this is necessary or gets you where you want to go, but for the most part, it tends to make life more difficult, and get you fired up longer than the moment calls for. In contrast, consider a time when you’ve purposely taken a breath or a pause, and decided to not fight that battle, or to approach it from a different angle. Typically, we tend to feel a sense of relief, and it’s easier to carry on regardless of the outcome when we approach it from this way.
This idea of approaching life as a sailboat instead of a rowboat goes beyond just going where the wind takes you. A skilled sailor can still use the wind to get in the direction they desire, yet they do this with less energy than a rowboat would require.
Try it for a day! When something comes up that is aggravating or not getting you where you want, take a pause and consider how you can overcome it in a way that doesn’t exacerbate the situation or your feelings around it. You may be surprised to see how this shift in perspective can make your life easier!
As I mentioned, this concept is also taught and practiced in yoga. When teaching meditation, I like to remind people that our minds are meant to wander. Often times people say that they aren’t good at meditation or that it isn’t for them, because their mind won’t stop thinking. But that’s like asking a boat not to rise and fall with the waves. In meditation, like in sailing, if one wishes to stay in relatively the same place, we use an anchor. Each time a thought arises, you come back to an anchor such as focusing on the breath, scanning the body, or noticing the sounds surrounding you. The mind naturally wanders, and the practice of mindfulness is to notice the thoughts and come back to the anchor, training the brain to stay present. Over time, this also strengthens the ability to take a pause and consider perspective in daily life.
So next time you find yourself rowing against the rapids, consider some of these tricks and perspectives to see if you can sail through them instead!
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