“Life is like stepping onto a boat which is about to sail out to sea and sink.”
― Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Master
So far, in this newsletter, I’ve covered the physical and mental aspects of training and the technical skills I will need on this trip--from rolling to incident management. This week, I want to talk about the spiritual side of things.
By its very nature, this is a highly personal subject, and I can only speak from my own experience when I say that a spiritual practice is as important to my training as strength training or nutrition.
For me, that practice is grounded in my breath, something that’s real, always there (even when you’re underwater and holding it), and foundational to aerobic performance.
Ocean Breath with Josh 🌊
Panic can be fatal on the water. When fear creeps in or conditions become overwhelming, you need simple tools to manage your response.
Over the weekend, I got a chance to work on a technique for breathing through fear.
I sat down over Zoom with my buddy Josh, who teaches yoga and mindfulness meditation with the Veterans Yoga Project, an organization that makes these practices freely available to veterans, active duty military, and their families (I’m in the families category).
We worked on a technique known in yoga as ujjayi pranayama, AKA “ocean breath” or “Darth Vader breath.”
Basically, you draw your attention to the breath, inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, and exhale even slower with a gentle sigh like the sound of a crashing wave. The sound--from the back of your throat--regulates your exhale and keeps it slow and controlled.
Ocean breath can be used to support yoga practice, or on its own as a relaxation technique. In weightlifting, it can help you get more out of a rest period between sets. The U.S. military teaches a similar breathing protocol to SEALs and other special operators to control their stress response in combat.
Another resource I’ve been using for my breath work is the XPT app founded by big wave legend Laird Hamilton. One of their coaches Amy Morrison was kind enough to answer some questions about breathing through fear on my trip. She echoed Josh’s advice and suggested long exhales.
“Rest & digest”
By regulating your breath and using relaxation techniques, you activate what scientists call the parasympathetic nervous system, otherwise known as “rest and digest” mode. This is the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system or “fight or flight” mode.
This phenomenon is not limited to expeditions. When people talk about “burnout,” they’re likely in a constant “fight or flight” state even when they’re trying to relax from the stresses of work. (Pro tip: put the phone down).
On this trip, most of my days are going to be spent closer to the “fight or flight” end of the spectrum. I want to keep this to a minimum and encourage my body to start “resting and digesting” as soon as I’m off the water.
Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) is a simple relaxation and visualization technique with a long history in sports medicine. The practice uses breath and body awareness to promote deep rest, as the name suggests. It’s similar to autogenic training, which was used by Hannes Lindemann, on his kayak crossing of the Atlantic, and by solo alpinist Ueli Steck. In yoga, this practice is known as “yoga nidra.”
Here’s Dr. Andrew Huberman, who coined the term “NSDR”, running through a simple 10-minute NSDR protocol.
“Nowhere to be, nothing to do.” 🧘🏻♂️
During our guided meditation session, Josh reminds me of the fundamentals of mindfulness, “there’s nowhere to be, there’s nothing to do.”
On the water, as in life, many problems arise from wanting things to be somehow different than the way they are.
I can’t change the sea state. But I can change my attitude from one of fear to awe and respect for its vastness and power. My boat and paddle blade connect me to that awe-inspiring element with every stroke. As one surfski paddler put it, “If you approach rough water skills from the perspective of connection, you have nothing to react to.”
See The Book of Five Rings and Zen in the Art of Archery for more on how a student of any craft can cultivate this connection.
Thank you, Josh 🦅
I met Josh Maloney in 2020 during the launch of my dad’s memoir when he featured my dad and me on a Veteran’s Day panel to talk about our work together as a father/son writing team and PTSD in the family. You can watch that interview here.
Since then, Josh and I have kept an unofficial book club going and we collaborated on an article about a little-known maritime disaster off the coast of Cape Cod for We Are The Mighty.
You can read more about Josh’s work with his fellow veterans and his own healing journey through yoga and birding over on his blog.
Thank you, Team Fox donors! 🦊
Thank you to everyone who donated to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research this week: Michael/Janet Brewer/Brown
Thanks for reading,
-Charlie
Thank you to Mike Jones for coaching and guidance.
Kokatat is the official gear sponsor of The Lap.
The lap will be fueled by Resilient Nutrition’s Long Range Fuel and bars.
Expedition coffee by 3fe.
CH Marine will be providing a VHF radio and other safety equipment.
Tent and cooking gas provided by Paddle & Pitch. Trolley by KCS.
REAL Field Meals at a discount from Adventure.ie.
Now you've got me wondering if I should finally sign up for the archery class near my house 🤔 Thanks for the book recommendations, will check them out!
It was great to sit down with you Charlie. You have great interoception of your breath, so these tools seem to resonate well. I love being a part of this and am super proud of everything you have done. Looking forward to our endless reading list and continued friendship. Keep up the motivation!