Gratitude for sea swimming

Founder of Sea Soul Blessings, Pippa Best, shares how sea swimming changed her life, including alleviating her arthritis symptoms and giving her a sense of place in the world

I flip upright with a panicked splash, and circle nervously, scanning for the shiny black head of the creature that just snorted furiously somewhere beneath me. All I can see are undulating silver waves on one side, and the thick walls of Penzance promenade on the other. Later, relishing the warmth of the hand-carved granite stone behind my back, I’m overcome with awe. The fear has disappeared, along with the seal. All that remains is a deep appreciation of the many gifts of daily sea swimming. Gratitude for the joy and the beauty, for reminders of my capacity to breathe through fear, and the proof that I too am part of nature (even if that seal wasn’t so sure…)

I’ve been sea swimming all year round here in Penzance, Cornwall for the last six years. And in that time, the gifts that I have received from the sea each morning have transformed my life in every way – physically, mentally and spiritually. They have changed the direction of my career – and guided me towards a deeper purpose and sense of my place in the world.

Before sea swimming, I suffered from lifelong joint problems, and painful early onset arthritis. I also struggled silently with a loud inner critic: a voice that made me feel low and anxious and alone. In an attempt to be kinder to myself, I began to find just 15 minutes each morning to journal beside the sea. I would sit at the top of a stone staircase, letting the water calm me as I wrote. There, I soon discovered that I was blocking the path of some local sea swimmers… Each morning, they would invite me into the water. Eventually I followed them down those steps – into a whole new way of experiencing the world.

Gifts for the mind and body

Most obvious at first were the physical gifts from daily sea swimming – reduced inflammation and pain in my joints and arthritis, and gradually feeling stronger in my body. Less obvious initially was the gentle but consistent impact on my anxious mind, my mindset, and the way in which I spoke to myself. Yet ultimately, this was the most transformative gift of all – the one that opened the door to the rest.

Before I began having regular dips in the sea, my mind was always busy. I found it hard to meditate, or to channel my creativity without judgement. But one of the greatest gifts of getting into a cold sea is its power to clear out your mental chatter and bring you into the present. It creates space in which you can witness and question your emotions, and change how you think and engage with the world. Space in which to open up to unexpected blessings: noticing how a nature encounter awakens your courage and wonder, how floating on your back can feel supportive, soothing and expansive – and how, even on the rough grey days, there is always community, hope and magic to be found.

I was also studying self-compassion, and so I decided that instead of criticising and pushing myself to swim further or to be somehow “better” each day, I would approach every morning’s swim with kindness and curiosity. That meant simply tuning in to what felt possible or wonderful to me in each particular moment, without judgement. Sometimes I did want to swim a long way. But sometimes I actually just needed to bob on my own, or to play with my friends, or to lie back and release – and I paid attention to that. I began to differentiate between the urging of that critical voice, and my actual desires and needs.

Ocean blessings

As that gift of awareness began to ripple out, I was able to be clearer, more focused and courageous in the rest of my life. I started to respond differently to challenging situations, and my relationships – both with myself and others – improved. Perhaps most significantly, I found it easier to connect to my intuition, to nature, and to the sea itself. And so, it felt quite natural when one morning, a new idea arrived on the tides – what if I made a set of cards so that anyone could connect to these gifts? The simple action of choosing a card would bring them an unexpected ocean blessing, even when they were far from the sea.

I hadn’t ever created anything like that before. So of course, like a grumpy seal snorting beneath me, that critical voice popped straight up again, warning me loudly against it. But by this point, my daily sea swims had transformed the way I thought and approached life. I was able to witness that voice with compassionate curiosity – and choose to swim in the opposite direction. To simply try, without judgement, and see where it led me. I had found a sense of connection to something greater than myself, and a deep faith in the sea’s guidance and my inner knowing.

Soon after officially setting up my business, Sea Soul Blessings, and sharing the blessings cards with the world, I had a foot operation. In my frustration, unable to swim or get to the water, I turned to the cards – and discovered that they were exactly what I needed in that moment.

Creating a community

Each morning’s gifts from the sea continued to guide me to expand my work. I began sharing the sea’s blessings in other ways – through writing, hosting seaside retreats, Blue Health Coaching, and The Sea Soul Journeys Oracle Cards. I created The Sea Circle, a community that now connects ocean-lovers across three continents, where I get to experience the joy of bringing those gifts to all those who need them each month – meditations, sea sounds, online retreats and other ocean-inspired delights.

It’s also a gift to be able to give back to the ocean. I continue learning about how to live, work and create as sustainably as possible. I follow my swims with a beach clean, and use my social media platforms to campaign and raise awareness of environmental issues. And I get to donate 10% of my sales to environmental causes. Often, we can feel powerless to effect change in our lives or in the world around us, especially in the midst of the climate crisis. Being able to donate thousands of pounds to protect the sea that I love gives me hope and agency.

Thanks to the sea, I’ve been able to fulfil so many big dreams – like writing for some of my favourite magazines (including this one!). Now, I’m about to step into the next scary new adventure: in December, my first book, The Sea Soul Journal will be published. It’s a collection of mindful practices, rituals and journal prompts that I’ve used and shared on this journey – exploring self-compassion, gratitude and awe, and how the sea can support us to let go and move forward. If you’d like to try a simple exercise from that right now, I share a one minute practice below.

Receiving the sea’s gifts – and sharing them with others – has changed everything in my life for the better. I hope that my work and journey inspires others to connect to the sea’s many gifts, in ways that quietly transform their lives too – and that together, we can heal the sea in return.

The Sea Within – a meditation practice

Use this simple practice to calm your nervous system, create inner space, and connect to the sea in just a minute. Try daily to deepen your sense of peace and gratitude, as a simple ritual before you swim, or as a supportive practice in a moment of overwhelm.

• Deepen your breathing

• Listen for the sounds of the sea in your inhale and exhale: the sea within

• Visualise or sense waves rolling in and rolling out

• Name a gift you’ve received from the sea, and offer your thanks

Pippa Best is the founder of Sea Soul Blessings, creator of the Sea Soul Journeys Oracle Cards (£16.99) and The Sea Soul Journal (£15.99), both published by Welbeck Balance and available on her website at seasoulblessings.com, in bookshops and online outlets. Follow Pippa on social media @seasoulblessings