The Mindful Surfer

Liam and Will discuss their recent trip to @thewave England's artificial Wave park.  They have to eat their own words about surfing like no one is watching, as the usual photo service misses the very day that boys visit. Leaving them to only experience how it felt, rather than how it all looked. 

There is talk of expectation, ego, having spectators and other surfers watching every wave you miss, make or wipe out.  They discuss how the controlled environment helped Liam deal with the steeper take offs on the Expert setting and look at how much progress can be made by surfers at these 'surf-gyms' that provide the same canvas to practice on over and over again. 

The boys discuss the importance of choosing the right board, especially for fresh water and also how looking like a surfer does not a surfer make! 

Liam is stoked with his new (second hand) Luke Short twinny and how a connection with a board can improve your surfing and your experience of it. 

Try things, make mistakes, stay curious and move on. 

Will is blown away by a recent Lakey Peterson @lakeypeterson clip where despite all her success she is still as stoked as ever living the attitude of gratitude. 

Waterwoman, Innovator, Film Director and friend of the show Priscila Guedes drops in to talk big wave surfing, mentorship and her Chasing Mana film project. 

https://www.instagram.com/priscila_guedes_official/

The boys talk about their upcoming trip to the Wave, Bruce Springsteen, persevering through hard times, insisting on joy and of course peeing in wetsuits.

This and more all in Episode 28 of the Mindful Surfer podcast. 

In philosophers corner, Will and Liam walk through Lookalikes, nuance, cancel culture in surfing and the world of woke, before getting deep into meditation and mindful living. They discuss whether we have lost the understanding of intention, context and nuance. Looking at how  we are so quick to take offence and leap into extremes of reaction.  Does the ferocity of reaction to everything undermine the power of words and reaction for when we all need to stand up and be counted? 

Can surfing connect friends who hold different points of view and that getting along, understanding each other and being able to walk around in someone else’s shoes for a while is a good thing for empathy and understanding. The only dividing line in this world of ours being ultimately that there are Knobheads and Nice people.

Will talks about his growing surf addiction the more abundant surf sessions become and the eventual and inevitable impact of over training on the body. With the social side of surfing now often driving this desire to jump in the water as much as the endorphin rush of riding waves.

The boys mull how the back doors into meditation like music and surfing compare to simply being still and working only with mind and body.

Will and Liam look at the small steps required to make big gains and how starting with as little as possible in either exercise or meditation can build long term healthy habits. Being kind to yourself and being present enough to not get overwhelmed by the enormity of any task or improver journey and letting each micro move lead to macro gains over time. Everyone has to be begin somewhere, even the pros, but doing the little bits of practice and getting to a place of good enough leads to all those incremental gains adding up to mega improvements.  Remembering too that every day takes care, attention and practice.

Will runs the Mindful Surfer Mindfulness segment with a 4/8 breathing technique.

Liam talks about treating the fractures in his spine through a combination of physical therapy and meditation through mind/body healing. And yes there is some of Will and Liam’s woo-woo stuff in here! How movement, energy healing and care has helped him back into surfing without pain. http://remedialtherapyclinic.co.uk/

Will talks about how mindfulness needs an aware student and can’t simply be pushed onto someone and Liam highlights it is about opening up to newer experiences ad how a younger version of himself would have taken the piss out of him. The guys, chat about how all of the deep stuff intertwines with surfing to bringing it back to how effecting meditation learned from this can help deal with perceived states of fear, anxiety and mind activity.          

Will  raises delves into his insights on sleep and how surf media, if you cruise it too much, can start to eat into sleep patterns or your evenings.  Ending up in a click bait scrolling vortex. Liam discussed how he didn’t really do Social until launching the show and how he gets dragged in by this vortex too but when you do pick up a book, or a longer more meditative form of entertainment like a podcast you notice the difference in brain activity.  It is all too easy it is to fall into bad habits even when we know, as adults and mindfulness enthusiasts what the pitfalls are. We are human after all.  There are not the same spiritual and mental gains surfing social or the internet than real surfing!

Will and Liam agree that The only certainty is uncertainty and how surfing hard but being nice to people is the way to go.

Coming on next weeks show were we have Priscila Guedes dropping in to talk big waves and surfing in Hawaii. https://www.instagram.com/priscila_guedes_official/

Surf hard and be nice to people, people x

Liam and Will chat to listener, friend of the show, all round epic human and true Mindful Surfer- Jacob Pacheco. 

He drops in for a chat about his life so far and gives us a snapshot of the documentary he is making,  which sees him asking the question – “Is life Accessible?” - taking on the challenge of 30 waves in 90 days.  He highlights how he is using surfing as a bridge to connect people, having embraced the ocean for his own growth.  In the face of multiple challenges, Jacob shows how he is a true mindful surfer with a passion to make his own access in life. If the door isn’t there Jacob will make one!  His lesson and one for all Mindful Surfers is -  if there isn’t a path for your journey then dig one out.

Like the legend he Jacob wears all of his challenges and experiences of life with lightness and good humour. He also tells Liam and Will about the times he has used the tools from the podcast to push himself and his surfing further!

Outside of their conversation with Jacob, the boys are discussing men in black Memory Guns, Liam needing some singing lessons and how we as humans have a habit of blaming equipment for performances rather than taking honest looks at ourselves. Especially when it comes to boards!

Ego gets an airing, as Liam and Will ponder the labels, the image we attach to ourselves and how ego gets offended if we ‘fall short’ of our own expectations.  Will references Jon Kabat-Zin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kabat-Zinn and borrowing from his teachings to talk about ‘Wherever you Surf there you are’.  New destinations, conditions, waves can’t fix our shit if we haven’t worked that out for ourselves first.

Will takes his meditation and mindfulness exercises into the sea to combat overthinking in line ups. While Liam chats about how like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow there is no grand-finale or arrival at perfection. Rather we are learning to find the good enough in life and appreciate the here and now.  Forever enjoying the path not the destination and how challenging conditions thrust you sharply into that place as survival instinct kicks in.

The guys chat about the fact that mindfulness doesn’t have to be all about ‘scented candles and tree hugging’ as one of our listeners pointed out. Even though Liam is partial to a tree hug, but rather like Jacob you can wear spirituality and awareness with a light touch and humour. 

Please go and follow Jacob’s adventures and his 30 waves in 90 day challenge. We look forward to chatting to him again very soon.

https://www.pronetoride.com/about

https://www.instagram.com/pronetoride/

One from the Mindful Surfer archives, featuring beginner and improver journeys, Surfing in bigger waves and hipster food. Will explores the Effects on different diets on his body and mind and how food variety makes a huge difference to well being. Given the last episode Will was even commenting on Liam’s hair growth way back then too!

As it is an archive show, Liam is still wearing is his ancient winter suit before his O’Neill Psycho One epiphany!

Both discuss Liam’s receptiveness to input on learning, development and growth with shared ocean experiences doubling the joy. The same going for problems. A problem shared is a problem halved.

There are musings around what makes a mindful surfer, exploring and searching for more positive feelings, acceptance and support in surfing.

Themes of Persistence, practice and perseverance in paddling out in bigger and gnarlier conditions are explored. Even though Liam is only looking to be the worlds best small wave surfer!. :) How there is a challenge when progressing in staying content and not frustrated with the conditions as they change.  The boys look at flow and stoke being higher during improver journeys and how to channel your inner Ben Gravy to remain ‘surfschool happy’ with all conditions.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4qa5EroJxnQM6Sng9WhgsQ

Will and Liam chat about smaller surf being more dangerous as complacency takes over,  whereas larger more powerful waves heighten the focus and resolve.

They guys talk about the concept of time in the ocean and taking the clock out of the surfing equation. Why Liam stopped wearing a watch and is the real world in the sea or the land.

Outside of it as a sport they look at Surfing as play for it’s own sake and why for adults especially this is so liberating. 

Beyond all that there is a look at having understanding partners in life and staying away from co-dependency. Bringing stoke home but banking and spending it wisely in real life, across relationships, at work and on land.

Will discusses how folly and fun brings lightness and positivity to a serious world. With fully Stoked and conscious surfers squeezing the best out of life.

There is even a surprise call in from a special guest and ‘Mindless’ Surfer.

Surfing takes a back seat in philosophers corner as Will and Liam are sidetracked by hair styles, hair loss and pubes. Yes pubes. Well Will is!  Connecting all the way back to the power of image and peacock mindsets. With the growing Instagramification of life and surfing. The marketing machine places a ‘life should look like this’ filter on everyone’s world .  Hiding all the rich depth and nuance of reality.

The boys discuss a recent video of Will surfing and how if you record everything and watch it back you forget how it felt. This applies as much to life as the ocean .  They attempt to Focus on feeling surf stoke and life rather than obsessing over how everything looks.  

There is discussion of How to reach beyond the idea of image. Do you surf  to look good or to feel good?

Liam and Will discuss the importance of finding out what you do and don’t like in the Ocean. Especially when it comes to wave size and power. The boards you ride, the places you go, the conditions that bring the most flow. One surfers joy is another one’s fear. However ego and showing off can lead (especially us men) to do things we are not hugely comfortable with. The duality being it can also help to push your boundaries. To bounce you into progression.

Overall it is about giving something a go before you decide. Better to work out what you do and don’t like while you are doing something rather than waiting for the ‘perfect’ conditions or thing to come along.  Waiting for perfection is a long wait and life passes fast.  Don’t let that ‘Perfection fetish’ hold you back from trying

It is only by giving lots of different things/conditions a go that you can find ‘your happy’.

After the recent social media meme the boys get on to the tricky subject of SUPs in the line up and how and why they get a bad press.

It takes true strength to be admit your weaknesses. And especially in surf what you like and don’t like and don’t be afraid to be your authentic surf self.

Liam talks about increasing comfort  and fitness levels in dealing with surf improvements and larger waves.

And again asks do male egos get in the way of admitting what you do like in the surf.

Will run’s the Mindful Surfer meditation with a chance to check in with your breathing. Helping to Drop those labels and how our minds attach a judgement to people The guys discuss how being mindful and kind does not equate to passivity, people pleasing and being a pushover. Working on building your own voice to set your own boundaries.  Surfing hard and being nice to people

In the Mind Body Stoke segment Will chats cold therapy with a twist. The guys then discuss cold therapy as a treatment for pain and depression. Bigging up the daddy of cold water therapy. Wim Hof. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/

Liam recommends Amanzisurf https://www.instagram.com/amanzisurf/ and how online tips like these and surfskating is helping his own surfing progression.

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https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/

In ‘Philosopher’s Corner’,  Covid and lockdown is back and it leads the boys onto how fear, anxiety and uncertainty are all being pushed centre stage with TV News being the ‘reasons to be fearful show’.  How mindfulness and meditation can help appreciate the duality and nuance of all situations helping us to look at reasons to be cheerful. Surrendering and not trying to fight the things out of your control. 

If it is just thoughts that create the fear and the feeling how noticing our minds and the stories they build about right and wrong can help. Building love not judgement through the power of silence and observation.

Will and Liam talk about greed, as abundance grows,  across money, sex and surfing and why surfing - if you are going to get addicted to anything - is the drug of choice!

Can taking your own good vibes and high energy into the ocean create better waves? Going from flat to flow with the ‘positive vibes wave machine’.

Rumi gets a mention and the belief the Universe has got your back.  https://www.rumi.org.uk/

Will runs the Mindfulness segment of the show with a 4/8 breathing technique.

For Mind Body and Stoke segment the boys chat fasting, ketosis and energy supplies. Will runs through his fasting regime, while Liam is still trying to put down the Dorito’s.  How fasting can affect your mood and impact home life. Again Duality being everything.

The theme of altruism continues following last weeks chat with Tom Hewitt and how happiness and well-being can grow out of benevolence and love for others. Feeling happy for someone else’s happiness. Can we bring this to a better understanding other people’s points of view. Walking around in their shoes with good will and good vibes.

Finally we put Big shout outs to North Devon legend Andrew ‘Cotty’ Cotton for his Nazare bomb as well as to Conor Maguire for the outrageous Mully Monster he glided through. Amazing to see these guys charging waves that make spines tingle just from looking at the picture

https://www.instagram.com/andrew_cotty/

https://www.instagram.com/conormaguiree/

Tom Hewitt, legend, ripper, true altruist and all round great bloke drops In to chat, shortboarding, surf community and SUPing. With a stellar and dedicated team Tom runs an amazing organisation https://www.surfnotstreets.org/ in South Africa and Mozambique using Surfing as a hook to get kids off the streets and out of addiction. A real surf for good ambassador but one who wears this with honesty, openness and a smile.

Will and Liam cover everything from sedentary lifestyles, not wearing shoes and how ‘office job’, ‘desk dwelling’ convention gets in the way of our bodies moving as they were intended. Is the fear of labels and kookiness preventing us practicing proper stretching, movement and warming up in public.

If you want to follow us you'll find us on our website https://www.themindfulsurfer.com/ ,Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willfosterhappinesscoach/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/ 

Force of energy and good vibes Elizabeth Sneed, aka @curvysurfergirl drops in for a chat with the boys about life, surfing and wearing truth and vulnerability with lightness and laughter.

If you want to follow us you'll find us on our website https://www.themindfulsurfer.com/ ,Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willfosterhappinesscoach/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/