A naked ocean dip in Northern California
In Fort Bragg, CA at the end of a random street that turns towards the ocean there is a small trail that beckons towards the sea shore. It was morning with a full day of driving ahead, so the trail seemed extra inviting. The smell of sage mingled with pine and eucalyptus as I set off to see where the trail led.
The trees cleared and the sun shone warmly on the glassy, expansive Pacific ocean. The trail came to a small wooden staircase going down to a perfect little pebbly cove with thick kelp forest just beyond the rocky headlands. The shoreline here is mostly rocky and often intimidating, but at the center of the beach in this cove was a swath of sand leading into the surprisingly clear water. I couldn’t resist. The sun and the sea had conspired this invitation and I could not turn it down. I stripped off my clothes without time to contemplate how cold the water would be. I walked in up to my thighs before plunging headfirst under the surface. It was cold, but it was perfect, and it was exactly what I needed.
My love affair with the Pacific Ocean runs deep. I hold many dear memories from my childhood of entire days spent at Zuma beach in Malibu- my first time bodysurfing and boogie boarding, my first time swimming with wild dolphins, my first time getting humbled by the power of Mother Nature.
Having a practice or place in your life to help bring you back to center has a whole new significance now that I am walking in the birth world. My awareness of the energy that I hold, project, and receive became heightened as my pregnancy progressed, and the physiological birth process then catapulted me and my perception of energetics to an entirely new plane of existence. Babies and pregnant women are like hydrophilic sponges, absorbing every bit of energy that drips in their vicinity. I now have an incredibly important obligation to regulate my own energetics and consciously avoid projecting my personal experiences and opinions on women I work with- everyone is entitled to their own journey free from outside influence, and I feel honored when a woman grants me the privilege to walk with her during her pregnancy and birth.
My dip in the clear, cold, clean Northern California ocean was my first submersion in salt water since Fiji in April- by far the longest separation from my most centering element. Though it was brief, being held by the Pacific Ocean instantly enlivened my soul. The spontaneity felt significant too- the first time I’ve honored my inner child in quite some time. I want that energy to linger for as long as possible, so I’m writing this here- both to preserve the memory and also as a reminder that meaningful practice need not be lengthy or extravagant if its potency and intention is pure.
Post Pacific Ocean dip bliss
