The Deep Dive

The water below me is clear and inviting, so deliciously inviting.? The sun plays across its surface making the sea almost translucent, in its varying shades of blue.? Rocks beneath my feet hold the heat of a bright sun. Warm winds carry the song of gulls and with a deep breath I spring forward; high into the air. My body momentarily arcs through the bright sky and then begins its descent, downward, towards that mysterious ocean. From this vantage point the water now looks dark and mysterious. It’s impossible to discern what I am going to find there.? There is no going back now, no clambering back up sharp rocks to stand above those blue waters, no second guessing. I have committed and soon the cool waters swallow me into their unfathomable depths. For better or worse, its time to swim, and discover.?

The scene above is from the beginning of this week.? An amazing way to begin a Monday; any day for that matter. There was a lot to be discovered in those waters.? Climbing out on to the rocks and drying in the Sun was a meditation in and of itself. As I often do, what happens in the natural world brings reflection, and here we are again.

Diving into those waters is a wonderful allegory for doing the work.? I am talking about the work on yourself.? Just like the ocean I found myself standing above, the surface of our being can be very comfortable, alluring, even intoxicating.? We can go through life only gauging our health and well-being from the world around us.? The opinions of others, our material success, how our romantic life looks, are we attractive enough, our popularity, and so on.? The real work, however, happens within.

Transformation happens when we commit; dive in.? If we wish to truly transform and become the best version of ourselves, the most authentic version, then we must take the plunge.? There can be no hesitation.? One most throw themselves from the safety and comfort of the external and plunge into the depths of their inner world. All flotation devices must be left behind, the ledge you leaped from must be inaccessible from the waters below.? You must swim, investigate, and discover your authentic self within the inner sea of authentic being.

Just like today, everything looked so beautiful from above. In the water, however, it was a different story.? Parts of the underwater rock formations where barren; lifeless.? In other places trash was found across the bottom of the ocean. Some areas hummed with the beauty and serenity of life in balance.? Diving into yourself is no different.? The beautiful, peaceful, magical parts encountered should be enjoyed and a good reminder of what is possible.? They should not, however, become a trap that keeps you avoiding the trash and barren areas of your inner sea.?

To truly go deep one must first let go of their illusions.? There must also be a release from the stories both given to us and created by us.? We must free ourselves from the external stage of life, and we must do all of this willingly. Then the anchors holding us apart from our true self are freed and we can dive in without hindrance.? The greatest journey anyone might undertake begins.

The dark areas, the places where trash is found, the lifeless spaces, are where one must focus their attention.? It can be scary and very uncomfortable. These moments of uncertainty are when you look at the magical places and spaces within. They become a tangible reminder of what you are working towards. A reminder to yourself that cleaning out the trash, bringing life back to spaces that have been barren too long, is why you jumped in to begin with.? ?

There are many ways to dive in.? Each of us must find the path that is in alignment with our goals and needs.? Practices can range from meditation, qigong, yoga, breathwork, prayer, sound therapy, traditional psychology, or a combination.? There are an infinite number of ways to do the work, to begin the process of personal transformation.? The key is taking that first step, or leap, and diving in.? You can do it. You are the only one who can do it. True transformational alchemy is an inside job and nobody has the capacity of doing that job better than you.?