A COLLECTION OF ARTICLES

PART III
Swimming upon a Weightless Environment
Meditative Moments
Calming Mind, Body & Soul

There are lessons that we can learn from NATURE pertaining to the quality of life, the value of each breath and living in the Moment - if you listen you will see. I've been listening, observing, and learning from Nature throughout my life.

The sea has been my companion and mentor for the greater part of my life. For 4 decades days and nights drifting between the Hawaiian Islands in my Eskimo Sea Kayak while North Pacific Humpback whales lie by my side. And environment which calms the mind and body, conducive to living within a weightless environment.

Whales raise their 12-15 foot pectoral fins high into the atmosphere. With long high strokes I to reach out to the heavens. With a deep breath I fill my lungs to near capacity.

A long high stroke and slow side-to-side twisting of my body, I swim with the ever-flowing movement of the . Slow kicking from side to side allows me to keep my body parallel. In the same manner in which the flukes of the whale create the long slow swooping movement not only up and down but from side to side enabling them to ride the currents of the sea using little energy.

Whales are extremely flexible –with lateral flexibility they are able to turn their bodies into a perfect U shape.

I too from my waist down slowly twist my body with each stroke, allowing more flexibility through out my spine. LESSONS FROM NATURE.

The rhythm of my stroke depends on the current or surface movement. I reach out and push down and back using the density of the sea (which is 800 times as dense as the air in our atmosphere) allowing me the up-lift with each stroke, somewhat like marine mammals such as (dolphins/whales) which arch their backs bringing the blow hole above the surface for that all important breath of air. This allows me added time to inhale more deeply.

I wear soft gel earplugs; exhaling from both nose and mouth underwater, bubbles create an echoing sound, I inhale only on my right side.

Through periods of my swim I close my eyes, meditating on my breathing. I feel as though I'm being held by a higher entity. I find myself falling into somewhat of a catnap, however fully aware of my surroundings.

Nature never sleeps. Nature has to be aware of its surroundings 24 hours a day. It is believed the whale while one hemisphere of the brain is resting the other hemisphere is aware of its surroundings) Catnaps. With eyes closed I tend to focus on a moment in time with the infinite. With closed eyes, perhaps while one half of my brain is resting, I too am aware of wind, sea conditions and currents... A catnap, while being aware of my surroundings. All I have to do is breathe.

During the winter months I have spent up to a week at sea in my Eskimo Kayak, eating and sleeping. After a period of time I never sleep, but take catnaps. During this restful period, I too am aware of a sea breeze, changes in the manner in which my kayak is drifting, and the singing and breathing of whales. I am always aware of environment.

My swim takes me out to sea as I reach out into the blue abyss of the infinite. For nearly 1 hour I am in a magical moment.

Swimming is truly a form of exercise; however for me it's a Way of Life, a meditative experience, of living truly in the Moment. A form of ZEN, being encompassed within the rhythm of the sea.

Sailing the world's oceans for many years, on fairly calm days, thousands of miles from land, I'll swim alongside the boat. With the slow moving huge open ocean ground swells, one realizes just how insignificant we as humans really are.

THE SEA:

(Joshua Slocum –The first to sail solo around the world – 1895-1898 writes "To cross the Pacific Ocean, on his 36 foot sloop, even under the most favorable circumstances, brings you close to nature, and you realize the vastness of the sea. I was in harmony now with my surroundings, and was carried on a vast stream where I felt the buoyancy of HIS HAND who made all the worlds, I sailed alone with God".

The Last of the Cape Horner's – With the gale blown out, the ship was almost steering herself, gently swaying through the water, her sails a pattern of sun and shadow until the night came, and before long 55,000 Square feet of white canvas was gleaming in the bright moon light while the wind scarcely rustled overhead, and the whole silent machinery of the dialing ship passed slowly down the Baltic Sea"

Four decades ago along with and escort boat I swam the 10-mile Auau channel, which flows between the Hawaiian Islands of Maui and Lanai. A weightless environment -- living in the Moment -- only feelings can describe this 8-9 hour swimming experience of looking into the abyss of blue indigo. Turquoise rays of sun light surround me. I feel as though I am truly in the arms of a higher entity. THE SEA, ALONE – NEVER ALONE

The Pacific Ocean: Green, blue, turquoise, ultramarine, saffron, stretching 9,600 miles from the Bering Sea, to the Antarctic. 64 million square miles – 25% larger than the entire landmass of planet Earth with an average depth of 2 miles. A swimming pool where I would never have to make a turn. Twice, some 4 decades I swam (with an escort boat) the 10 mile Auau from Lanai to Maui. A 9 hour swim.

Today at 76 years of age as of Nov. 2, 2021, I swim about 4-5 miles a week. A log was kept in which I swam around 250 miles in 2020.

If I were to swim over a reef, my focus would then be on the reef and its life. My purpose is deep meditation, (deep breathing) freeing the mind from thought. The further from shore the more at peace I feel.

HOWEVER: There is life within sand bottom. From time to time I view tracks made by crabs that bury themselves within the sand. Groves of polyps which grow in abundance during the winter months, when sea temperatures are cooler. Cooler waters more oxygen more life and I believe bottom dwelling fish or crabs feed on these polyps.

SAND BOTTOM: The formation of the sand close to shore is formed like waves due to the back and forth movement of the shore break. As I move further into the depths the bottom flattens out reflecting soft light and shadows as clouds pass overhead. I can estimate how far into the channel I am by the formation of the sand.

While swimming at times I think of myself as the Southern Albatross with its 10 to 12 foot wing spans riding the thermals of the Southern Ocean. I too ride upon the thermals (currents of the sea. the depth of the sea floor becomes more distant, I too am gaining altitude, now 100 feet above the sea floor upon a weightless environment.

What I really enjoy are my midnight full moon swims. The moon high in the sky reflects a soft halo of light that surrounds me.

During my swim I may repeat different mantras (positive 2-3 word thoughts).

(I find that I am able to breathe a lot deeper than I could possibly breathe while on land due to (I believe) weightlessness. Calming the mind and body).

Whether you weigh 40 pounds or 40 tons in the sea you are gravity free. A Gravity free environment creates a slower heart rate, less strain on the heart, and relaxed breathing conducive to a very fragile existence.

Early morning swims, the sun rising over the 5000 foot high West Maui Mountains, a feeling of swimming next to an uninhabited island.

Depending on the whale species their heartbeat ranges between 10-30 beats per minute, where as we ourselves about 60 beats per minute. This along with being weightless creates a very fragile existence – a true indication of all life on this planet.

Whales take in more than 90% of their lung capacity with each breath; we take only a third of our capacity.

During the winter months after my swim, I lie on my back and listen to the mating songs of N. Pacific Humpback whales echoing through the world's largest echo chamber THE SEA. Another magical moment, taking time for nature, my Mentor.

Occasionally I have a blanket of spinner dolphins surrounding me. Several times a dolphin directly beneath faces me in a vertical position and will echolocate. I feel the sound wave enter my body. Sound is used by marine mammals as we use X-ray, by reading heart beat, muscle tension, in locating food, mates and migration routes.

March 3, 2020 2:30 AM I wake from a sound sleep feeling as though I was in the presence of whales.

March 4^th--My early morning swim – I'm far offshore -- As I look down a yearling North Pacific Humpback whale appears only and arms length away.

I again come up to breathe; then exhale, and "No Whale". As I continue through my swim, I think? Was this a dream/illusion??? From last night?

Minutes later, the yearling appears again only a few feet from my right side, and I know I am not dreaming. Together we swim.

The yearling and I swim together. When the yearling begins to head out to sea, "I", feel as though my time has come and I begin to follow as perhaps it's time for me to go home – The Infinite Sea.

Is it a higher conscience that continually speaks to us? I am a true believer -- thoughts just do not pop into our minds – but are built on a foundation.(Cause & Effect) My inner conscience repeats and repeats -- saying to me "No No, No not yet, turn around, turn around --Reluctantly I slowly turn for the shoreline.

One of the most beautiful species of the sea is the Moon Jellyfish. So beautiful – surrounded by the blue abyss eas -- it moves slowly, as if floating on a cloud, not a worry in the world, perhaps it's because Jellyfish have no brain. The Moon Jellyfish looks to be made up of a string of transparent silk pearls, nearly. Moving slowly, within a weightless environment – Nature once again takes a hold of living in the moment.

"Nature contains a spiritual mystery" words by David McCullough – Historian.

Some time ago after my swim, a lady compliments me by saying, "You must flow through life as you flow with the sea".

"If you have always had a special feeling for the mountains, or the sea, you may be certain you brought that attachment from another life." Paramahansa Yogananda – Man's Eternal Quest

It's a Magic Carpet Ride

There are many lessons of life that we can learn from nature

"If only we would listen, we would see"

I am continually reminded of -- no matter what the day brings, the blessing of each breath of life -- each and every day is a blessing. LIFE - a Wake up Call of which each and every one of us, each and every day should be grateful.

To treat each moment as if it's the most important thing in the universe, while also knowing it's no more important than the moment that comes next.

A very personal thought:

The SEA has been my companion. My life with the sea - nature, "My Mentor".

Now 76 years old, Nov. 2, 2021 during my swims I feel with each stroke - I'm going home. Filling my lungs to near capacity I look above to the blue never ending Universe. I exhale looking into the depths of a deep blue indigo sea encompassed by rays of soft streams of sunlight... Heaven and Sea where there is no end. Into the infinite.

My ashes to be placed in the sea, during the winter months when North Pacific Whales are singing. My soul to the Heavens. I will be going home, into the infinite Sea and Heavens. Never to be alone. Namaste

ZEN – Becoming a part of the sea – lost within its realm of a

Thousand and one dreams

Is truly a spiritual moment

Thousands of miles from land, open ocean ground swells move silently, without interruption – no boundaries, they circle the globe of planet Earth on and infinite journey for our Journey is our Destination.

The Sea's constant movement, unending energy, strength, calmness, spaciousness and secrets of the abyss are mystifying – A time in which the mind wonders, allowing peace, silence and stillness within.

Gazing upon the horizon, sea and heavens come together on a never-ending journey. My thoughts go far beyond, and I too, long for that feeling of the infinite, as the universe – where there is no end.

I am never alone on my long swims far from shore. Just God, myself and a small pouch of Mom's ashes that I carry in my trunks as I swim upon the world's largest body of water in a weightless environment. With each stroke I feel I am going home, and as close to heaven as possible while here on earth.