Seas of Manifestation

I could swim before I could walk. Some of my earliest memories are with my dad in a pool, showing me how to blow bubbles. A few years later, I would be moving fluidly and weightlessly, picturing myself with a whale’s tail propelling me forward. My love for the water has always been deep, but as time passed I became less inclined to leave the grounding earth and submerge. This appreciation for land took on a whole new meaning with a terrifying yet enlightening experience…

Aquila and I got married August 21^st 2010. What a wedding it was! I was floating the whole night, enjoying the incredible music, dancing and feasting. Thanks to the generous gifts of friends and family, we were able to leave our cushy Canadian lives, and take three months to travel on a “honeymoon”. Carpe Diem!

We chose to go to India – a land of duality and contradiction; immense beauty and tragedy in the same breath. The social rules we are familiar with in the West do not apply in the East, yet despite the ocean of language and cultural barriers the human connection persists.

We travelled from the North to the South, from Sikkim to Kerala. Worlds apart in the same country: Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity, all balanced precariously together on a fine line.

Soaking up the love from the open and caring communities where we stayed, and learning what we could through our western eyes, it became ever more clear: no matter how differently we behave or look, beating hearts can always relate.

Many parts of our trip were far from glamorous with intense physical, emotional and spiritual demands, so it seemed necessary to have at least one restful day at the beach. Relieved of our heavy backpacks we stretched out and enjoyed the welcome break of sunbathing. The sea seemed to be calling to me and it felt like the perfect time to leave land and go for a swim. We made our way into the warm salt water.

As if on cue, waves started coming to shore. Small ones at first, fun to jump into and feel the flow of the ocean. Suddenly, a much larger wave crashed over my head, dragging me down into the undercurrent, spinning me like top. It took all my strength to keep my neck from snapping backwards and the moment I felt the pressure give I fought like hell to get to the surface. I burst out of the water for one massive inhale of sweet oxygen, opened my eyes and saw another wave wrapping around me.

Again, I was sucked under, fighting for my life, for my neck muscles to protect my spine. My lungs burned and my mind raced. Finally, the moment came where I frantically found my way to the top and scrambled out of the water back onto land.

Once again, a taste of life’s fragility inspired Aquila and I to sit down and decide where we truly wanted our lives to take us. With a neck covered in tiger balm, we discussed our dreams over dinner.

On a napkin, we drew a farm.

What’s your dream? I’d love to know, leave me a comment.

This is part of a continuing story, click here to start from the beginning.

Want to see how the work we’re doing on this manifested farm, partnering with horses to empower others to be who they’re meant to become? CLICK HERE to check out Horse Sense North.