Embracing the Healing and Meditative Powers of the Sea On and Off Our Yoga Mats July 5 2026

rockbriarfarm
3 days ago
3 min read

Some of us consider the start of summer to be Memorial Day weekend. Others consider the official calendar date of June 21. And there remain holdouts that believe that it is not truly summer until the fourth of July! Whichever camp you are in, there is no doubt that it has begun!

As a person who loves the sea all year round, the summer provides optimal opportunity to experience the ocean fully. Not just sitting on the beach, but walking, exploring, experiencing the wide-open ocean, the coastal tidal pools and marshes, and all the accompanying sights, sounds and smells. I experience a visceral reaction to the ocean; it calls to me. My friend Pat coined the phrase “Galilee Smell”- a salty, briny and bait smell combined with a hint of frying clam cakes. Not everyone loves it like we do, for some it is just not good. As teenagers, most of our “group” worked at George’s in Galilee; a rite of summer for several of us is walking the docks and streets enjoying the views, the call of the gulls and our favorite scent!

Some people feel better both physically and emotionally while near the ocean. As I have explored this, I have learned being a thalassophile is the name given to those who feel the powerful pull of the ocean. A thalassophile is someone who finds intense peace, joy and comfort in being in or near the sea. While many people love the beach on a sunny, summer day, a thalassophile is drawn to the water year-round and in all weather conditions.

The ocean has healing properties for both physical and emotional conditions. Saltwater is mineral rich and exfoliates and soothes the skin. The homeopathic remedies I used to cure my son Sam’s eczema included immersion in seawater. The buoyancy of water provides relief for the joints, and the environment reduces stresses and can trigger a powerful meditative state.

When we walk along the beach in the sand and water, we can disconnect from daily stress and find a grounded feeling. As we dip into the water, we enjoy an ancient tradition followed by many cultures as a ceremonial ritual for purification, a mental reset or feeling of being “reborn”. Overall, the experience leaves us feeling exhilarated as well as calmer and more grounded.

This week we will explore the power of the sea in our practice on and off the mat with poses, meditations and ujjayi (ocean) breath!

Our Practice – Invoking the Sea with a Samudra Flow (Wave Vinyasa) and Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Mermaid Pose)

We will invoke a Wave Vinyasa Flows smoothly from Upward Dog to Downward Dog, using rolling spinal movements that mimic the continuous ebb and flow of tides

Mermaid Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) is a variation of pigeon pose. It combines a deep hip opener, a quad stretch, and a gentle backbend

Meditating on the Healing Power of the Sea

Several years ago I read Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s Gift From the Sea. In the book, which was the bestselling nonfiction book of 1955, she uses the sea, and in particular individual shells, as metaphors for each chapter. In the first pages she explains that she wrote the book for herself to think out her “own particular patter of living,” her own “individual balance of life, work and human relationships”.

For more on Anne Morrow Lindbergh and the book see the following article.

https://www.npr.org/2006/02/26/5232208/anne-morrow-lindberghs-long-lasting-gift

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.”

"It is only in solitude that I ever find my own core."

― Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

Nurturing with Food

As it was so hot over the past week I turned to two summer staples, tabouli and green bean salad. Both so refreshing in the heat. Made them both several times! I will repeat the recipes for you below. The trifecta of hot weather salads would be to add in Nana’s cucumber salad. I will leave the link below for that one also.