Our dive instructor said scuba was like yoga and meditation.
Joseph and I followed up on our Barcelona experience of shark diving with an open water dive in Maui. We are gearing up in a parking lot because we are going to walk into the ocean from the beach. We still made it to a depth of 30 feet and saw some fish native to Hawai’i.
In videos, Joseph has blue fins, the instructor has white sleeves and Jason (another participant) has black and yellow fins. After a short course at the dive office, we donned our scuba gear and floated out to sea. At the bottom, our instructor had us demonstrate some skills. We had to clear our regulator, clear our mask and recover our regulator. Then we were off exploring the reef!
Joseph was a natural. The water was so clear! The fish and eels and such we saw did not always show up on video, sadly. We saw spiny lobsters and urchin. The Hawai’i state fish was present and accounted for haha! Quite a variety could be seen. Here Joseph gives a wave.
Our instructor was correct. Scuba is yoga or meditation. This was my first open dive and when I reached the bottom for the first time I felt anxiety. Once we began exploring, all that worry melted away. Replaced by simple breathing and amazement at the underwater beauty.
I remember as a pilgrim letting my body do what it was meant to do… walk with my pack toward a sacred place… and my worries and weariness melted away. It was cleansing and peaceful. My soul renewed.
Not everyone finds scuba to be renewing. A participant in our group gave up before we descended. This was our instructor’s passion and it renewed her soul. It is a joy to be in the presence of people who live their passion. Contagious?
Here is a pic of Joseph and I (in yellow fins). And some more video. Buen Camino!
Sacred Stirrings 