{ paddle + myth } yogini. water baby. austin, tx

I've been paddle boarding a few times this summer. I was hooked after my first time out, which was a paddle board yoga class at 7:45am on a sunny Friday morning.... For those of you who might not be familiar with stand up paddle boarding, I will enlighten. You are sent off on your knees with one paddle on a board that is similar to a surf board. Once you are away from the dock you stand up and paddle around, kind of Huckleberry Finn style.


Photo credit: SUPATX, Austin, TX 2012

Today I went alone and paddled far, I wanted to paddle away all my stress and frustration. I began with the mission to paddle until I felt a change in myself and then I would practice some yoga. Truly I thought I would be paddling far, really far, before I sensed some relief. What actually happened was that I began to look down, I started to notice all the life and beauty just below my board. Maybe 10 minutes into my quest and I started to write...

I was floating above the thicket of the water world. Brushy wild flowers swimming and growing at the same time. A mesmerizing home for those who live below the surface of the water. Turtles ducked behind aquatic dandelions who hold wishes because they can't ever be blown away. Mermaids must surely be lounging in the cool of these magical pink and amber bristles. I didn't want to let me paddle touch the water and disturb this sacred place. I glanced up and all around me other's seemed unaware of the miracle that began 3 inches below the warm rippling water. I don't know how far I went, it felt like I was above them for a year, then it was gone. I looked for this place on my return, but they felt my awareness and vanished. I saw many of the turtles relocating, they winked at me and dove back to their hiding place of wonder, back to their moving world that I was momentarily allowed to see.