Sarah hamilton's Blog

I have recently become a lap swimmer and find it to be some of the most calming exercise I have ever done in my life.  I can leave the pool and be more relaxed than after I have meditated. Connecting the breath with the stroke, my ears underwater somehow diffuse the craziness of the day and in turn create this delicious pod of tranquility for me.

Somehow yesterday I learned a new dimension of lap swimming that I had yet to come across since I have yet to paddle out of the beginner lane (still mending from back surgery).  I wandered in during a busier time then normal hence I had to swim in a faster lane…a little anxiety producing.  My question was how could I remain calm because I noticed some serious swimmers. Now when I say serious I mean in disposition not in ability.  So my course of action was to talk to the lifeguard being the shy retiring wall flower that I am 😀 .  I asked her How I could do my slow laps and not “drift” into anyone? She said,”Well you’re going to have to be careful of lane rage. People here get really crazy about the lane.”

Lane Rage? Really?  Like Road Rage? With Swimming? Really?  I didn’t understand…. It almost seems like an oxymoron to me. Like saying, a Stressful Ashram.  It got me thinking how can one be going through an exercise that’s all about breath and movement and still be wound up tight as a drum? I understand that this is possibly the only moment in the day that they have to themselves… But why not enjoy it? Breathe… Share the space? figuratively and literally?

Sharing a lane is a bit like a relationship granted it is with one you don’t know per se. Yet it’s a dance. Like life we float by these people even if only for a moment and I wonder how do we want to share this space? How do we choose to be accountable to ourselves and others.  How do we choose to carry energy in our body?

A tangential thought for the day… Something for you to think about…

Love and Pink Light

Sarah