Prayer to the ocean

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MerrieMiss
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Prayer to the ocean

Post by MerrieMiss » Mon Jun 18, 2018 4:05 pm

I had the opportunity to go to the ocean last weekend. At one point, I was able to take some time out and walk a ways down the shore where it was relatively empty. I sat on the rocks, and watched the waves and the blue green water, the rhythmic sounds of the incoming tide crashing on the rocks and I felt more at that moment than I ever did at church.

I don’t wonder that our ancestors worshipped nature. The sea is enormous, unknowing, dangerous, beautiful. The same is true of the mountains, the elements, the stars and the sun, and so many other things. Sitting there, it made so much sense why a person would choose to pray to an object of nature and the transcendence one feels in being a part of it.

I sat on the rocks watching the tide, and I felt moved to pray. Not to god, but to voice my worries and fears because whatever they were, they were nothing compared to the force I was witnessing. It was kind of like that cheesy exercise where you imagine your problems as a balloon and watch them float away, only I spoke them into the ocean which swallowed them up. I haven’t prayed to god in years, but I did have a beautiful meditative moment this weekend on the shore.

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RubinHighlander
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by RubinHighlander » Mon Jun 18, 2018 4:20 pm

I really experienced this for the first time a couple of years ago (many times since and lately, just last weekend). I went up to shoot images of the Milky Way reflecting off the surface of a perfectly calm lake. I was alone in the forest and while my camera was shooting time lapse I just sat there and marveled at it all. I started talking out loud to the universe, in a nutshell I just said that I had no idea if there was anything out there listening, and that was okay with me. I had no idea if any power or being had kicked off the big bang, but I expressed my gratitude for my existence in the vastness on this tiny blue speck of dust. I had no idea if I was fulfilling any purpose in asking the question about this reality I was experiencing, especially this amazing moment under the stars. This was was much more fulfilling and incredible to feel and experience than anything I had experienced in the church. It was a confirmation to me that I had definitely made the right choice to get out of the church and just live, love and die.

Now I get out in the wilderness as much as possible, often alone, sometimes with friends or family, but I'm trying to carpe diem as much as possible in this way. There are actual studies about being out in forest, trees and in the outdoors, how it relieves stress and improves health. In Japan they call it "forest bathing". I can tell you from experience that this is the way for humans to live. Cooped up in a building for 3 hours every week being told you need to feel guilty, repent, live in fear and pay 10% to some corporation because they have special knowledge of some magical non-existent beings and worlds...than ain't living!
“Sir,' I said to the universe, 'I exist.' 'That,' said the universe, 'creates no sense of obligation in me whatsoever.”
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No Tof
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by No Tof » Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:47 pm

What a beautiful description of a peace filled experience.
Something to seek more of I think.

Thanks for sharing.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field. I'll meet you there.
Rumi

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Raylan Givens
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by Raylan Givens » Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:20 pm

What a great experience. My grandpa, the old Navyman would often talked about the beauty and danger of the sea.

I have done this before while skiing. Usually as I rode a chairlift to the top during a light snowstorm. I find it nice to talk about your feelings and not expecting anything in return.
"Ah, you know, I think you use the Bible to do whatever the hell you like" - Raylan Givens

jb_10mm
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by jb_10mm » Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:40 pm

What a beautiful story! Thank you. One of my favorite songs has always been Otis Redding, "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTVjnBo96Ug)

Do you have a history of mindfulness / meditation? I've started getting into meditation as a practice and I've had a few of these moments. It's amazing what happens when we open our eyes, and see life for what it is.

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græy
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by græy » Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:17 am

MerrieMiss wrote:
Mon Jun 18, 2018 4:05 pm
I sat on the rocks watching the tide, and I felt moved to pray. Not to god, but to voice my worries and fears because whatever they were, they were nothing compared to the force I was witnessing. It was kind of like that cheesy exercise where you imagine your problems as a balloon and watch them float away, only I spoke them into the ocean which swallowed them up. I haven’t prayed to god in years, but I did have a beautiful meditative moment this weekend on the shore.
I really like this. Thank you!
Well, I'm better than dirt! Ah, well... most kinds of dirt; not that fancy store-bought dirt; that stuff is loaded with nutrients. I can't compete with that stuff. -Moe Sizlack

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Archimedes
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by Archimedes » Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:45 am

Thank you, MerrieMiss. That was a nice early morning treat, visions of the sea shore. What a changeable beauty, though. From calm, lapping waves running up the sandy beach, to thunderous breakers, wind and spray crashing up over the rocks. My favorite is the crashing waves on the rocks. The ocean in its fierce, chaotic and uncontrollable state is most breathtaking. From the shore of course, I would not want to be out at sea in those conditions.

Best wishes,

Arch.
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MerrieMiss
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by MerrieMiss » Tue Jun 19, 2018 3:30 pm

RubinHighlander wrote:
Mon Jun 18, 2018 4:20 pm
I really experienced this for the first time a couple of years ago (many times since and lately, just last weekend). I went up to shoot images of the Milky Way reflecting off the surface of a perfectly calm lake. I was alone in the forest and while my camera was shooting time lapse I just sat there and marveled at it all. I started talking out loud to the universe, in a nutshell I just said that I had no idea if there was anything out there listening, and that was okay with me. I had no idea if any power or being had kicked off the big bang, but I expressed my gratitude for my existence in the vastness on this tiny blue speck of dust. I had no idea if I was fulfilling any purpose in asking the question about this reality I was experiencing, especially this amazing moment under the stars. This was was much more fulfilling and incredible to feel and experience than anything I had experienced in the church. It was a confirmation to me that I had definitely made the right choice to get out of the church and just live, love and die.

Now I get out in the wilderness as much as possible, often alone, sometimes with friends or family, but I'm trying to carpe diem as much as possible in this way. There are actual studies about being out in forest, trees and in the outdoors, how it relieves stress and improves health. In Japan they call it "forest bathing". I can tell you from experience that this is the way for humans to live. Cooped up in a building for 3 hours every week being told you need to feel guilty, repent, live in fear and pay 10% to some corporation because they have special knowledge of some magical non-existent beings and worlds...than ain't living!
Thanks for sharing that. I felt kind of goofy posting this, but it truly was the highlight of my weekend. When my first kid was born I kind of accidentally read Louv's Last Child in the Woods. It really spoke to me about the importance of nature. I finished The Nature Fix earlier this year and I'm definitely in agreement with you about how important the natural world is to us. It is beyond me why anyone thinks that three hours in church telling everyone they are bad is beneficial.
Archimedes wrote:
Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:45 am
Thank you, MerrieMiss. That was a nice early morning treat, visions of the sea shore. What a changeable beauty, though. From calm, lapping waves running up the sandy beach, to thunderous breakers, wind and spray crashing up over the rocks. My favorite is the crashing waves on the rocks. The ocean in its fierce, chaotic and uncontrollable state is most breathtaking. From the shore of course, I would not want to be out at sea in those conditions.
I think that's what makes it so compelling. I was overlooking the remains of an old forest that was created by a sudden tsunami thousands of years ago, preserved by the salt water. It was eerie thinking of how quickly and suddenly something so beautiful can bring sudden destruction. At the same time, there's so much life within the ocean, it really does depend upon whether you're inside or on the shore.
jb_10mm wrote:
Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:40 pm
Do you have a history of mindfulness / meditation? I've started getting into meditation as a practice and I've had a few of these moments. It's amazing what happens when we open our eyes, and see life for what it is.
No, I don't. As a TBM my best prayers were more of a mindfulness/meditative state though. I've wanted to meditate and there's a Buddhist meditation center not far from where I live, but I heard once that if one meditates incorrectly it isn't helpful. Since I have perfectionist issues, I've never tried. Better not to do it at all, than to do it wrong! That is a Mormon mindset I am working to get rid of. :)

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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by jb_10mm » Tue Jun 19, 2018 4:39 pm

jb_10mm wrote:
Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:40 pm
Do you have a history of mindfulness / meditation? I've started getting into meditation as a practice and I've had a few of these moments. It's amazing what happens when we open our eyes, and see life for what it is.

No, I don't. As a TBM my best prayers were more of a mindfulness/meditative state though. I've wanted to meditate and there's a Buddhist meditation center not far from where I live, but I heard once that if one meditates incorrectly it isn't helpful. Since I have perfectionist issues, I've never tried. Better not to do it at all, than to do it wrong! That is a Mormon mindset I am working to get rid of. :)
So, I even started to get into meditation before I started exploring my issues with the church. I understand the mindset you are talking about, and it's sad. There is so much good that can come from it. But a couple things that can help with our mindset. #1 There is no wrong way to meditate. People think meditation is this grand act of quieting your mind. But at its basest form, it is simply taking some time to be aware. You can meditate for just a couple minutes as you eat a piece of fruit, focusing your attention on the sensations of taste, feel, smell, and sound as you eat. What you originally described sounded like a beautiful meditation session. Focusing on the sounds and sensations of the present moment as you were seeing the reality of the ocean. So, I think you have a history of "meditation" without even knowing it :)

The second thing is that meditation isn't helpful when you try to "control" it. Some people think that meditation means clearing your mind and keeping thoughts from entering your mind. But I think it's more helpful to think about it as being in a state of awareness, and to observe thoughts and feelings curiously. When a thought enters, resist the urge to control it, dispel it, or to judge yourself for having the thought. Simply look at it curiously. Examine it, be aware that the thought came, and watch it as it passes and goes.

I have loved this practice so much that I even bought the domain buddhismformormons.com that I may someday use to try and help mormons escape the perfectionist mentality, and the constant assigning of meaning, labeling, and worrying about the future. Then they can learn to be with the present moment, and live life free of unnecessary filters that cause suffering.

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MalcolmVillager
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by MalcolmVillager » Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:08 pm

Thanks for sharing MM and RH of your moments of zen with nature. I have had those many times, but more powerfully since the church and temple lost their power in my life.

JB I love your perception on meditation. I took a mindfulness class from a fellow NOM (Enough) and it was a great foundation to a mindfulness practice that works for me.

Nature, the stars (heavens), water, trees, landscapes all have ways to connect me to the oneness of a pantheistic deity. When I see the stars, I am literally looking into eternity (that light is billions of years old) and that is humbling. When I see/hear water I contemplate how many lives it has touched, flowed past/through, and even been integral as a component of other living bodies. The energy that earth, wind, water, and fire (star/sunlight) truly empower I experience god!

I can speak to God and feel It/She/Him in all things, for all things testify of It!

Namaste!

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Linked
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by Linked » Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:46 am

This is beautiful! I love this freedom to appreciate these beautiful moments without having to try to pigeon hole them into a religion they don't quite fit into. Express that wonder and awe how you feel you should! To the ocean, or to friends who have since passed, or to anything that you want.
"I would write about life. Every person would be exactly as important as any other. All facts would also be given equal weightiness. Nothing would be left out. Let others bring order to chaos. I would bring chaos to order" - Kurt Vonnegut

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A New Name
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by A New Name » Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:04 am

That is what surfing does for me. When the waves are small, or bad shape, I still go out and call it therapy surf. Just sitting in the ocean and enjoying the peace it brings is addicting. I surfed over 100 times last year!

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Red Ryder
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by Red Ryder » Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:09 am

The more I think about it the more I want to be cremated after I die and have my ashes spread over the ocean.

This way my kids and family have to go to the beach to visit my "gravesite" every Memorial Day! :lol:
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GoodBoy
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by GoodBoy » Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:51 am

Good for you Merrie Miss. We should look for more of those types of spiritual experiences. They are salve to the soul.
Always been the good kid, but I wanted to know more, and to find and test truth.

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Archimedes
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by Archimedes » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:08 pm

Aah! A fellow Deist!
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by moksha » Sat Jun 23, 2018 12:32 am

The ocean is where you end up if you take the Taoist watercourse way. There you can make the crossing with either the Buddhist small boat or big boat. Watch out for the Mormon devil who rules the waters and keep an eye out for the HMS Pinafore and the SS Minnow.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha

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whatififly
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by whatififly » Sat Jun 23, 2018 3:11 pm

This is absolutely beautiful, Merrie Miss. I read it this morning and have been thinking about it all day. I haven't spent much time at the ocean, but I love how I feel in the mountains or when looking up at the stars. When I go hiking, I begin to feel like I am part of something bigger than myself. Nowadays I don't know if there is a god, although I hope there is and want to believe that there is. Feeling peace outdoors helps me to feel accepting of whatever is to come and whatever part I play in the universe.
“There is freedom waiting for you, on the breezes of the sky, and you ask "What if I fall?" Oh but my darling, what if you fly?” ― Erin Hanson

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Thoughtful
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by Thoughtful » Sun Jun 24, 2018 12:15 pm

This is lovely, and I can relate. It's my biggest struggle living in the desert, I so rarely experience things in nature that deeply move me the way living in Oregon did, with the trees and water. Once in awhile, I do feel it in the desert, but I'm I'm vacation for a vow renewal in Hawaii and here is a pervasive spirit of the land and sea of nirvana. I want to create this kind if sanctuary in my home and yard, and if that fails, I'll move to Kauai.

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Mad Jax
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by Mad Jax » Sun Jun 24, 2018 6:14 pm

Did you really actively pray to the ocean, or did you just sort of meditate near it? Maybe I'm thinking of prayer in the limited LDS manner. I understand how strange it must have felt but it's cool that you mentioned it.
Free will is a golden thread flowing through the matrix of fixed events.

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MerrieMiss
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Re: Prayer to the ocean

Post by MerrieMiss » Tue Jun 26, 2018 5:15 pm

Mad Jax wrote:
Sun Jun 24, 2018 6:14 pm
Did you really actively pray to the ocean, or did you just sort of meditate near it? Maybe I'm thinking of prayer in the limited LDS manner. I understand how strange it must have felt but it's cool that you mentioned it.
Good question. Well, from an orthodox LDS perspective, no, I did not pray to the ocean. I'm not sure a Mormon would call it prayer at all. As a child I was taught that prayer was talking to god, like on a telephone, and that there was a method and correct words to use in order to make it work. I later learned this was very much like the five-paragraph essay, which is perhaps why I did so well in English class.

As I got older I realized that in order to be meaningful to me, prayer had to be more than repeating thee and thou, saying thank you and asking for stuff. I suppose my “real” prayers were more conversations with god and today I would say it was more a conversation I had with my subconscious or something.

Did I pray to the ocean? Did I pray near it? Did I pray at all, or have a meditative moment? Perhaps it isn’t very LDS of me, but I would say the only prayer worth having is meditative. So yes, I had a meditative prayer near the ocean and it soothed my mind to see the ocean as the embodiment of something greater and bigger than myself. Is this god? Is this prayer? That’s for everyone to decide for themselves, I suppose. All I know, is that it was a moment filled with peace and awe and beauty, quite unlike three hour church on Sunday or a temple ceremony.

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