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Yoga for TIPS, TECHNIQUES, AND LIVING THE FLOW STATE S urfing Dashama Konah GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT YfS_4pp.indd 1 6/25/18 6:33 AM An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Blvd., Ste. 200 Lanham, MD 20706 www.rowman.com Falcon and FalconGuides are registered trademarks and Make Adventure Your Story is a trade- mark of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK Copyright © 2019 Dashama Konah Gordon All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permis- sion from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review. British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Information available Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data available ISBN 978-1-4930-3237-2 (paperback) ISBN 978-1-4930-3238-9 (e-book) The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/ NISO Z39.48-1992. Printed in the United States of America The author and Rowman & Littlefield assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book. Many of the yoga poses presented in this book are for more advanced yoga practitioners. Readers should exercise caution when attempting the exercises presented in this book. YfS_4pp.indd 2 6/25/18 6:33 AM This book is dedicated to Great-Grandmother Ocean, the one that provides so much healing, love, and comfort for our bodies, minds, and souls, as well as half of the oxygen we need to live on earth. Since I was a small child, I have always felt a deep love and passion for the ocean, and through the wisdom shared in this book and the support of our global community at #Om4Oceans, I’m proud to be a part of the largest ocean conservation campaign in history. I also want to thank all of the incredible souls who contributed to make this book possible: the ten coauthors who shared their tips, techniques, and stories with us throughout this book; the publisher who motivated me to write this; and the Source of life itself that continually guides and inspires us to contribute to humanity and to make the world a better place for us all to live. Alone we are limited in what we can do, but when we join together nothing is impossible. Join us and spread the word at Om4Oceans.org. YfS_4pp.indd 3 6/25/18 6:33 AM YfS_4pp.indd 4 6/25/18 6:33 AM CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: Yoga, Surfing, and the Flow State vii Chapter 1: Beach Yoga Bliss 1 Dashama Konah Chapter 2: Embody the Flow 21 Shiva Rea Chapter 3: Yoga for Surfers Pioneer 35 Peggy Hall Chapter 4: Blissology 53 Eoin Finn Chapter 5: Swell Living 69 Donica Shouse Chapter 6: Born to Surf 85 Zane Kekoa Schweitzer Chapter 7: Yogi Surfing Ocean Mamma 107 Kendyl Beschen Chapter 8: SUP Surf Yoga 123 Jeramie Vaine Chapter 9: Yoga for Happiness 139 Noelani Love Chapter 10: Guru Yoga for Surfers 159 Jessi Moon Chapter 11: SUP Yoga Magic 181 Dashama Konah AFTERWORD 199 PHOTO CREDITS 201 INDEX 202 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 208 YfS_4pp.indd 5 6/25/18 6:33 AM YfS_4pp.indd 6 6/25/18 6:33 AM INTRODUCTION YOGA, SURFING, AND THE FLOW STATE You don’t have a life, You are life. —Eckhart Tolle If you’re reading this book, it’s likely you are feeling drawn to yoga and/ or surfing for their powerful and transformational benefits. Perhaps you already practice one or the other and are intrigued to discover how the two can be combined for an even more potent effect. Often simply watching either of these movement art forms in action can invoke the feelings of bliss, joy, calm, relaxation, and ease. Both embody beauty and grace, and when mastered, both exemplify being in perfect harmony with nature, flowing as one with life. When practiced individually, the impact can be completely transformational. When combined, the experience can change you on funda- mental levels in ways that can only be understood by those who have ventured into the deep waters of either or both. These elevated states of being are not easily attained in the modern world, which is ruled by technology, smartphones, and concrete. It is only through direct connection with the natural forces that you may come to know this power on an intimate and profound level. The result is more than incredible health, fitness, and inner peace. There is a spir- itual aspect to the practice of yoga and surfing that can be likened to attending church, for those who are spiritually nourished by the gospel. Only instead of a church, the temple is the ocean and beach, and the music is the sound of the waves, birds, dolphins, whales, wind, and your own breath. YfS_4pp.indd 7 6/25/18 6:33 AM YfS_4pp.indd 8 6/25/18 6:33 AM INTRODUCTION Understanding Yoga, Surfing, and the Flow State Yoga is union. To be in union is to feel as one with the flow of life. This is the same objective for surfing, so we can naturally see how these go well together. The energy of flow is alluring and seductive. It is the very state of all that exists, as nothing is ever truly static in nature. All particles, molecules, cells, and living and nonliving beings in the universe exist in a constant state of flow. Even those objects that appear to be static, such as a rock or piece of metal, are in a subtle state of flow. Their molecules are simply much denser and vibrating close together, so that they appear to be solid. Water is the only visible element where we can witness the energy of flow in its most apparent form. When a surfer enters the ocean, there is a relationship formed between the flow of the waves and the flow of consciousness that must be aligned for a successful ride to take place. The best surfers begin at a young age and practice relentlessly for years to master this art. The same is true for yogis. Some people are more naturally inclined toward this mastery from the beginning due to their essential nature given at birth, their environment, diet, or upbring- ing. Most people will need to train and practice to rise to a level of mastery of the flow. But when this happens, it can affect life on all levels. When we master the flow state, we master our lives. The flow state of consciousness is the realm where miracles, genius, outstand- ing creativity, and all mastery exist. It is pure potential without any blocks or barriers. In this state you feel the greatest sense of joy and happiness, as well as experience amazing health. Sickness, disease, pain, and injury do not exist in the flow state, or if they do, your awareness of how to heal and cure yourself becomes so clear, you rapidly move toward vibrant health. To enter the state of flow is also to heal yourself on the deepest level, as you align with your essential nature. This is the same essence as existence, so through this experience you become one with existence. It’s not difficult to experience this for a moment or two, but to master sustaining it indefinitely is the aim of yoga. In yoga this state is often referred to as enlightenment, nirvana, or samadhi. In the flow state you can access your innate or latent talents, without planning or preparation. There is no limit to the creative potential you may experience when you access this state; therefore, it is a way to experience the boundless and infinite nature of life itself. YOGA FOR SURFING Ix YfS_4pp.indd 9 6/25/18 6:33 AM