WIPEOUT!!!!

Here in Australia we're rather keen on surfing. It's a major part of our culture. I guess that's not surprising – for two reasons: 1) we live on an island between the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans and most of us cluster within driving distance of the coast. 2) the island we live on can be a pretty harsh place to hang out. We have to learn to live with whatever mother nature dishes out, wherever and whenever.

I'm no sun-bronzed surfie – never was – but I'm sure those who are will attest that you cannot control the ocean. The ocean dictates the terms, and the conditions change moment by moment, wave by wave. The thrill and satisfaction in surfing is learning and playing with ways of working with all that power and energy. And if you wipeout, you learn the lesson, paddle back out and have another go.....

The greatest handicap we face surfing living is the negative image we have of ourself – that hidden dread we won't be with, the dread that drives us, for the most part unseen and unheard, to do what we do, why we do it and how we go about it. It's those parts of ourself that we avoid and deny, those parts that, annoyingly, keep showing up in our faces in the guise of other people we don't like.

My negative self image is of an irresponsible, untrustworthy and dangerous bully. But no-one would take me on like that, so for five decades I pretended to be something other than that. And I was successful – sort of, until I tripped up, and then tripped again, and again, and again. Then I got the message. Something's wrong! That's when I luckily met a fella called Colin Hayes, who to this day still does what ever it takes to get me to experience my negative self-image. You know what I found behind the irresponsible, untrustworthy, dangerous bully? Yes. A merciful, loving, loyal healer. I found who I am, and always have been – naturally and effortlessly.

Living life from your negative self image is a bit like like trying to surf a bombora on a dining table. Elegant and impressive, maybe, but useless for surfing.

[Wipeout – The Surfaris – 2:38]