two * sheet glass, major lull, bay cliffs, moonbow

sheet glass * two of winds

When the wind whispers we make love between the sheets. Afterwards there is a dead calm and no wind, which allows one to cross over into another state of “feeling.” Somewhere between “heaven and earth,” feelings are engendered which imbue a sacred silence and reverence. This “silent reverie” can sometimes catch you by surprise. Her satin smooth, see through waves usher in delicate moments and maneuvers, and we find our peace within her tranquility and calm. Her transparency reveals a shapely and upright equipoise, in perfect balance, with wave face elegant and refined, loyal and faithful. Under ideal conditions, she shakes free of her heavy kelp and offers you temporary respite from the winds.

Looks can be deceiving. Overly cautious despite the conditions, you think it’s too good to be true and wonder how long it will last? Mere speculum and ephemeral it becomes hard to gauge incoming waves. The shift in wind and change of direction is presage to coming turbulence. Our suspicion leads to an inappropriate excess in contemplation and our inexorable struggle for clarity. Inbetween shifting winds we are indecisive and left “in irons,” and miss out on waves. “Indecision brings misfortune,” if not “missed fortunes.” Are you holding back? Is it too much “trimming” and tube riding and not enough carving? “Parallel lines can never meet.” Is your conservative surfing rendering you a surf statue?

Throw some spray. Don’t be afraid to mix it up. Throw it up into the lip. An incisive mind makes sharp cuts. Slice through waves. Surf like it’s all or nothing. Allow for most anything. How far can your imagination take you? Almost anywhere your mind can take you. Come from a place of knowing. Still your mind and see to the bottom of things. Add depth to your experience. It’s a communion between body and soul. A balanced relationship is of a delicate embrace. Unification and concord is inevitable. And for “god’s sake,” clear your slate. Pay attention. Listen for the beach bard’s heartfelt melody. Set an example. Build loyalty. Draw a native mystic symbol in the sand. Conditions will clean up.

Southend by Michael Lorenzini

major lull * two of waves

Playing with kelp we sit at ocean’s equilibrium and our mind’s eye, sea level equivalent, where our water emotion meets our mind’s “sky.” We are grateful for calmer waters and the respite from the recent wave frenzy. The break from the south swell wave feast gives us time out to appreciate and soak in the surreal, metaphysical moment, watching dolphins frolic within our waterfront wilderness. This “quiescent period” brings out the daydreamer in us. Peaceful laughter and joy permeate our circle of friends and mutually shared “seen.” With local knowledge in common, “hope springs eternal.” There is an unspoken understanding as our pious devotion overcomes any real “jonesing” for the next wave. Sitting back in the pack, an unspoken unity is almost a given, and affections, subtle, but understood.

We want more waves and our tendency is to take the first wave that comes. Our mind starts to wander with the dearth of swell. When’s it gonna hit? Where is this swell? We’re tired of the crowds and need to get away. The swell is fading and we “shoulda been here yesterday.” Uncomfortable with this tight knit social circle, we’re getting antsy, and would rather be lost in our own world. Too much “emotional intimacy triggers our emotional defenses.” Others recoil as “deep feelings equal a deep rift.” The crowd factor tests our patience. We’ve become frustrated and are disappointed. Have you been gorging on waves? Is less really more? It’s small and you feel it’s been a missed opportunity, like “visiting a lover that’s never quite in the mood.” The ocean’s doing its own thing and I’ve got the travel bug. How long will this last? I’m thinking I’ve been neglected and abandoned. Being skunked is insufferable, and just intensifies my fervor. Feeling unstable, my distrust grows. It’s double jeopardy, afraid of ocean depths and sharks at dusk, my currents of sorrow only add to the growing disharmony. Fearful, I come to tears.

Cool Sands by Scott Christensen

ASB2 by Jean Marie Drouet

Can you hold out? Feel your deepest feelings. There is great truth to be learned from the ocean, just by being out there. Hold yourself in readiness. Sit silently. Reclaim your medicine. Spend quiet time with this quiet woman. Pause to reflect. Renew relationships. It’s a chance to reacquaint yourself. Maintain a good balance between your inner and outer worlds. Pause to be expansive. Acknowledge your sacred lineage. Your pride is part and parcel to “the pride.” This is a chance for expansion. Daydream. Make travel plans. Scope things out. Be a seer. Scan the lineup. Reorient yourself and reposition. Maintain your focus and concentration if the surf is big. Catch the next one in. End your session. It’s time to go in, and within. Rest and reset. Be grateful for what you have. Clear up misunderstandings. Exchange information. She’s just testing you. Show compassion for earlier wrongs. Patience and magnanimity go a long ways. In the name of fair play, don’t rock the boat. Stay within tribal customs and traditions. Know when it’s time to sit back and let others “get some.” Know give and take. Joint happiness is a shared experience. Keep it light and fun. There is always an equitable distribution of waves. Wait your turn and share. Make telepathic connections. Inner peace and outer harmony is the dividend. Let your wave feast digest. Settle in. Give yourself time to feel. Show your gratitude by the sharing of your love.

Love Flight by Victoria Trujillo

illustration David Artavia

bay cliffs * two of rocks

The “dogs of winter” sit watch over our All Souls Bay of the Earth. Sacred seascape and natural shrine unto the beauty and splendor of our mother ocean and earth mothers, our dream idyll is seat unto our surfing’s soul. Main arena and testing ground, our coastal ecosystem is where open ocean meets sea shore, and the unconscious becomes conscious. Descend the stairs to the rocks below and you have a connection to another world. Stereophonic breakers blast up against promontory and point, requiring a seasonal change in equipment. Differences between peak and trough are maximized and accentuated. No longer, “on top of the world” or “above it all,” our enclosed community has a deep bond, as “the Bay,” is protected and the best place to hide from the wind. We gain a deep relationship within our winter wonderland and enter again unto our relationship with the Unknown. With raven overhead and sea priestess floating upon her beds of kelp outside, board and rider still must ask, “to ride, or not to ride?”

Bay cliffs can be foreboding fortress. With uneasy access or impassable rockslide, you can often check in, but never check out. Enslaved by the rhythm you become vulnerable upon your “descent into the underworld.” Unthinking and unconscious, you have crossed over into “protected territory.” The rain has worsened your footing and judging by just the inside walls of water, you don’t have enough board. You’re not ready for prime time and have chosen the wrong pursuit for yourself. You’re not happy here. The surface flotsam looks more like “medussan sea hag,” and you realize you’re at an all time low. You can’t hold things together, and it’s getting “spooky.” You soon become cognizant of a “strict code” and a peoples obsessively protective of their “fantasyland.” Your survival skills are a mixed blessing.

painting by Flavio Caporali

What is your temperament of choice? Adopt the temperament of the “spirit rocks.” Adapt to a new set of circumstances. Meditate on the ocean. Absorb the solemnity. Be connected. Have patience. Regain consciousness. Pause to contemplate, “moving only when it feels right.” Ascend back up “the stairs” to “heaven on earth.” Get an overview. Were you prepared? Perhaps you need a local shaper? Next time check in with others before venturing beyond “propriety.” Consider that others are yet tender and kind hearted under their melancholic machinations. Know that you have roots like the tall coastal redwoods. Safeguard your habitat. Draw nutrients from deep within your “soil” and deepest recesses of your soul.

Na Pali by Patrick Parker

Karin’s Moonrise by Stephen Bibb

moonbow * two of rays

The “silver surfer” is insoluble and “touched” at once. Of another dimension, her waves of metallic silver, under a “purple rain,” and feathering white crests, speak of royalty and our ancestors, giving rise to a fleeting “Zen moment,” at once mystical and magical. Translucent and silver smooth, her metallic reflection and message endures, under the “moonbow,” glistening and shimmering through the streaking rain.

illustration David Artavia

Full Moon Wonders* by Stephen Bibb

“Weather makes for uncertainty.” Billowy cloud decks are layered with thunder clouds, standing by, shoulder to shoulder. Violent skies give way to murky waters and dicey conditions. With darkness approaching, depth perception becomes difficult upon the “hoary sea.” Lightning is scary and serves as omen and announcement unto the impending “Temple of Doom.” We feel overwhelmed and have good cause for our “mental strain.” It’s a warning against “uninhibited expression, and projected violently onto others.” We offer up penitence unto our “underworld deities,” and feel insignificant and miniscule in the face of the “impossible exchange.” You are out upon the “mourning of the ocean and earth.” You have “missed” her magic. She’s crying of sorrow and grief, and of her old, and yet knowing age.

Universal Desire by Patrick Parker

Heed her knowing ways. You are hereby on “notice to pay attention.” Your premonition of your emotional imbalance is nothing short of a revelation. Balance your emotions. Wait them out. Avoid recklessness. Think of your welfare and safety. Slow down and hit the brakes. Keep your distance. Wait up and reflect. Passion and suffering are often part and parcel unto love and truth. Assess the lineup and seek out protection against “dark forces.” Wisdom and intuition are usually precursor to truth and justice. Your fears are unfounded. Restore the balance. Surf in truth. Devotion and sanctity can lend you temperance and humility. Come from a place of knowing. Appreciate the wonder of life. Let it rain. Purification is the first practice in spirituality. This period of “lunalchemy” reveals your lunar power and magic. Be touched by a “sea angel.” Lightning bridges differences. Listen to knowledge that rings true. “Quiksilver” seas trigger your psychic qualities. Be more predictable. Move from violent to violet. Be wise. It may be time for a recess, or to reassess. Recall that wisdom is gentle in its application.