For a future outdoor session:
There needs to be more planning around safety in open-water.
- buoyancy aids
- life jackets
- sup board
Learnings
learnings from 1st water medidation workshop (indoor pool) crowd - summer. other seasons might not be as crowded
- some people feel really cold, especially if they're doing it right. so probably best done after intense activity (maybe after some cooldown)
- many people (even expert swimmers) can't always float effortlessly. my naive reasoning is body composition. if your bones are dense or you have low fat & high muscle you won't be able to float without aid.
- while a noisy pool makes it harder to meditate, if no one bumps into the meditators, it’s an additional element to observe. Not a hindrance really.
would love your thoughts on 2
Buoyancy aids:
1. Buoyancy belt - for significant assistance (around your waist): https://amzn.to/3JSBwFg (the exact one we were using yesterday) 2. Pull buoy - for minimal assistance (placed between your thighs): https://amzn.to/3ygT7nR 3. Sandals (EVA foam) - only useful in open-water: I like Quechua sandals at Decathlon (the ones which have buckles; the ones without buckles come undone.)
Co-organised with Ekta.
Venue: Switched from Coolulu to Planet Aqua due to maintenance at Coolulu.
All 5 slots filled. [One person cancelled, but was taken up by someone else]
Time & Day: 9th May 2024. Thursday 8:30 pm. 90 minutes. Till 10 pm.
Pricing: ₹700 (includes pool charges of ₹450)
30 minutes: Changing into swimwear. Getting to know your comfort level in the water. Briefing about breath work & movement in the pool.
Above time outside water is important since you might not be able to hear me once your ears are submerged in water.
60 minutes: Practising in water. Tread to back-float. With a buoyancy aid & later without. Self-practice.
Note: Unlike a typical meditation, we will breathe through our mouths while in water.
Things to get: 1. Swimwear 2. Swim cap (must if you have long hair) 3. Earplugs (optional) 4. Nose clip (optional) 5. Buoyancy aid (great if you have a buoyancy belt; otherwise we will try with pull buoys available at the venue)
Buoyancy aid notes:
- A belt makes it quite easy. https://amzn.to/4bqCULe
- A pull buoy between your thighs helps slightly (the venue has many)
Workshop: This workshop is for anyone from beginners to experienced swimmers.
For folks with little to no experience in water. We shall work on getting you to float on your back (mostly with a buoyancy aid) & hopefully meditate for some time. Learning to tread might be useful for coming into a back-float position easily.
For more experienced folks who can tread at least & maybe backfloat. We will focus on breath work & spend some time being mindful in water. Then you can practice yourself.
Background:
I have been doing this myself for a few years. But more regularly as it’s gotten hot.
It feels great, especially, after a hike in the sweltering heat. In the sea, lake, or a well!
— Shreshth