Lessons from King Tides

posted in: Mindfulness | 0

It’s king tides week on the Oregon coast. King tides happen around the planet and are exceptionally high tides caused by everything being in alignment. Because of the geography of this area, rocky cliffs reaching down to the sea, it’s spectacular here.

A perfect viewpoint is in Depoe Bay, a 15 minute drive north for us. There, the water splashes against the seawall and rocks below to create enormous columns of water that shoot straight up. This particular day, a windy storm took those columns and blew them straight across the highway.

King tides Depoe Bay

This is the kind of event that inspires awe. The power of the sea is remarkable, and yet, as so often is the case with nature, we don’t give her the respect due. I witnessed people standing on rocks, almost daring the water to take them away … shaking my head. As with everything else in nature, the sea has much to teach us if only we listen.

Stay fluid
The sea doesn’t fight itself or outside influences. Tides come and go, currents shift, storms churn. Change is constant.

Go with the flow
You can just watch the marine life for how this works. It’s never easy to fight against the current. Embrace change as it comes.

We’re all connected
King tides are connected to the moon and the sun. We are made of mostly water. The ocean’s ecosystem includes all living beings. We all depend on each other.

Keep moving
If the ocean ever stopped its motion, it would not survive for long. Keep moving as long as you are able, in whatever way you can.

Be aware
Here on the Oregon coast, we have what they call sneaker waves. Just as they sound, sneaker waves are unexpected waves that can carry you away. The general consensus here is, don’t turn your back on the sea. In other words, be aware.

Be authentic
Storms and calm come and go, seasons change, and the ocean experiences that change in each moment. Yet through the changes, he remains his genuine self, calm under the surface.

 

Stellar Sleep app update: After three weeks on the sleep restriction therapy portion of the program, I was seeing marked improvement in the quality of my sleep, as well as less nighttime awakenings. However, I felt like the 5 hour and 45 minute window of sleep they continued to suggest for me was not sustainable. I contacted the company and they were quick to respond with an easy to understand solution. I could override their recommendations in my profile and settings to set my own sleep window. I extended it by 30 minutes, on their advice.

The following day, I left for an out of town business week, determined to continue the program. Unfortunately, due to extenuating circumstances, I was unable to do so. The app makes it easy to pause and restart when needed. While I was a little nervous I’d have to ease back into it, I’ve found that I was able to pick right back up where I left off.

While my sleep is not perfect, it’s much better than before starting the program. It will take yet more time to find my optimal sleep schedule, and for now, I’m quite optimistic that I’m on my way.

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