Chasing Waves and Finding Inner Peace: My Intertwined Love for Surfing, Yoga, and Travel

Surfing, yoga, and travel are three activities that are often loved and practiced by people who share a common appreciation for an active lifestyle, exploration, and connection with nature. All three activities offer unique physical and mental benefits, and when practiced together, can create a synergistic effect that enhances the overall experience.

Surfing is a popular activity for travelers, as it provides the opportunity to explore new destinations and experience different cultures. Surfing also offers a unique perspective of the ocean and its surrounding environment, as well as a chance to connect with local communities and fellow surfers. Traveling to surf destinations can also help to improve surfing skills, as different waves and conditions offer new challenges and opportunities to learn.

As someone who's always been drawn to the ocean, I discovered my love for surfing very late in life. There's nothing quite like the rush of catching a wave and feeling the power of the ocean beneath you. But over time, I also came to appreciate the meditative and calming aspects of surfing, and how it helped me to connect with nature, healing, and finding inner peace.

A couple of years and many surf & yoga retreats later, I rediscovered and committed to yoga. I was so inspired to become a surf & yoga teacher, and yoga quickly became a complementary practice to my love for surfing. Yoga and surfing may seem like very different activities, but in many ways, they share a lot of similarities. Both require a focus on the breath, the body, and being present in the moment. Both can also be very physically demanding, and require a balance of strength, flexibility, and mental focus.

Yoga is a portable practice that can be done anywhere, making it a great complement to travel. Practicing yoga while traveling can help to reduce stress and jet lag, improve flexibility and circulation, and provide a sense of grounding and balance while on the road. Yoga retreats and workshops in exotic locations offer an opportunity to deepen your practice, connect with other like-minded individuals, and explore new cultures and environments.

One of the things I love most about yoga is the way it helps me to stay centered and calm, even when facing challenging situations. This has been especially helpful in my surfing practice, where the ocean can be unpredictable and sometimes overwhelming. By cultivating a sense of inner peace and calmness through yoga, I feel more equipped to handle whatever the ocean throws my way. Like walking on sharp reef with a heavy longboard on my head for what seems like miles refusing to wear reef boots then finally caved in after my feet got shredded just to get to the surf spot or having no choice but to learn fast to do a turning maneuver to avoid a big rock jutting out of the ocean or jumping off a boat into the deep blue sea with no land in sight...very scary at the time but I chuckle thinking now wondering where I ever got the courage to do all those things in a foreign country

At the same time, surfing has also helped me to deepen my yoga practice. There's nothing quite like being out on the ocean, surrounded by the elements, to make you feel fully present in the moment. Surfing has taught me to embrace impermanence, to go with the flow, and to stay grounded even when the waves are crashing around me. These are all lessons that I try to bring to my yoga practice as well, helping me to stay focused and present even when things get challenging.

Surfing, yoga, and travel can complement and benefit each other in many ways. Each activity offers unique physical and mental benefits that can enhance the overall experience, and practicing them together can create a synergistic effect that deepens the connection with nature, the present moment, and oneself. Whether you're a surfer, yogi, traveler, or all of the above, embracing these activities can lead to a richer, more fulfilling life.

My love for surfing, yoga, and travel has helped me to find a sense of balance and inner peace in my life. Whether I'm out on the water, or on my mat, or in a foreign country, these practices help me to connect with my body, my breath, and the present moment. They remind me to step out of my comfort zone and be grateful for the beauty of nature, for my fellow surfers, yogis, travelers, many many teachers & mentors, local people in the places I've traveled to, and to find joy in every place, every wave, every pose, and every breath.