The Wisdom of the Wave
In Kim's latest video interview with Kaya Lyons, OT from Australia, they dive into a soulful conversation about resilience, the power of storytelling, and the profound lessons the natural world, specifically water, has to offer our emotional well-being.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHJXgjbexaA
The conversation includes a beautiful metaphor: surfing as being a mirror for life. In cultures that often demand immediate success, surfing teaches us that "it actually takes time" and that there is beauty in the process of letting go. We are reminded that we don't always have to stand up; sometimes "catching the wave on your stomach is enough". It is a practice of accepting that we will fall many times before we ever find our footing, a sentiment that serves as a powerful reminder for our own personal journeys.
Finding Containment in the Elements: A central theme of their discussion is the concept of containment. Kaya describes how being in the ocean, or even just under a shower, can provide a sense of being "beautifully held". Water is more than a resource; it is a life force that exists within and around us. Its sense of containment (we hold it, it holds us) contributes to our sense of true resilience. Even after facing a physical injury, Kaya describes how being in the water helped her remain in a state of regulation - reminding us that life’s challenges don’t have to be deterrents when we consciously make use of all the resources at our disposal. Even significant challenges can be integrated into our state of being. When we share these stories of difficulty, we inspire a "if you can do it, I can do it" connection with others.
The Medicine of Storytelling: Kaya also shares the release of her children’s book "The Wilderness Within: A Children’s Story for Emotional Regulation, Inner Peace, and Resilience”, inspired by Indigenous storytelling. Created to support children and whole families, her book invites reflection on values and the internal experience.
Key takeaways from this interview include:
Turning Inward: Helping children (and "children in big bodies” / adults) learn to meet themselves in their own experience.
Navigating Difficulty: Using narration to guide others through challenging times, much like stories told "on country" to help people thrive.
Finding Your "Enough": There is no need for "hierarchical bias" or trying to be someone else. Each of us has a unique role, and our "enough" is found through a deep internal knowing rather than external definitions.
A Call to Inspiration:
Whether you are navigating the "waves" of a difficult chapter in your own life or looking for ways to better support the children in your life, the intention of sharing this video interview is to offer a "spark of inspiration" to go inwards. It acknowledges that while facing the unknown—like the ocean—can stir up fear, there is a profound capacity within us and potentially around us to find comfort in our being.
Feel free to watch the full video to explore themes of connection, nature, and the art of being human.