An analogy for life can be that of a journey out at sea.

Follow along with me—I want to paint a picture for you.

The Ship.

This is your body, the vessel by which you travel. Your unique ship carries you through the storms, goes to battle for you against fierce winds, endures burning sun rays, occasional mistreatment, and inevitable aging.

Despite the sometimes harsh ride, it operates with effortless intelligence, riding the natural rhythmic motion of the waves, existing harmoniously with the environment, and completing each task as directed by its captain.

Like your body, you must always ensure the ship is in working order. Measures must be taken to properly prepare the vessel, nourishing the engine with the right fuel and in the correct quantities, as well as providing adequate downtime to rest and recharge.

The deck must be kept clean and well maintained, each crack repaired, no damage left unattended. Every sailor knows, a healthy ship makes for a smoother journey.

The Captain.

This is your soul, and as such it behooves you to listen carefully—your survival at sea depends on it.

The captain knows the way and will not steer you wrong. Just like your soul, the captain thrives off of loving vibes, positive talk, praise, reflection, stillness, and rest. The captain must be filled full of life-giving activities, words, thoughts, and most importantly love, for that is what the captain is made of.

The captain is alive in a world of enchantment and fearlessness, boldness, and vigor, living only in the realm of the present moment. The captain is not concerned with past or future events—all focus is placed on the magic of now.

The captain is the witness to all thoughts, experiences, emotions, feelings, senses, and physical elements of the outside world. The captain holds no opinion of any of these worldly, “human” matters. The captain is composed of pure intuition and humility, is connected with the Universe and only speaks the language of love and laughter.

You are the captain. In fact, each of us is the captain, only some are unaware of it. We are all the same captain steering different ships along varying waypoints.

The captain is the Source. Humanity is the Source.

Then, there’s Squiggy.

You didn’t really want to invite her, but, well, she’s there. With her frayed black feathers, small stature, nervous twitches, and complete neurosis, Squiggy cannot for the life of her shut the hell up about all that “could go wrong”. A gray rain cloud hovers over her being as she squawks continuous judgment into the captain’s ear.

Squiggy naively believes she is better equipped to lead the show. She has a question for everything, and it always begins with “What if?”

She nervously paces the deck, obsessing about every detail of the ship, every bowed plank and protruding nail, making snide remarks about its appearance and lack of beauty. She lives in a world filled with doom, gloom, and incessant worry—worrying about the weather, questioning the decisions and intelligence of the captain, demanding more credentials, all the while wallowing in her own puddle of utter panic and despair.

Nothing is ever good enough for Squiggy; she needs detailed plans, back up plans, and emergency exit routes.

Squiggy and the captain couldn’t be further from different, but here on this ship, they must work together. Squiggy is your forever companion for the ride, she will never go away, and she will never stop the chatter.

Squiggy is your ego. Her words will flow with abundance, and it is up to the captain, your soul, to pick and choose those of Squiggy’s messages that are of any importance to listen. Choose wisely.

All else is along the journey is the work of Spirit.

Spirit is the enchanter behind the beaming rays of sun, twinkling stars, endless array of colorful sea life, salty air, and pastel pink skies. All the magic that abounds is of the wondrous, all-encompassing Universe.

Storms will roll in. Winds will blow with torrent causing the ride to get treacherous, but you have the tools to sail past any hurdle. Nothing can sink your ship. Winds of change force divergence in the planned course, unforeseen obstacles will re-direct you with no warning, and Squiggy will become so annoying, relentlessly squawking in your ear, you’ll want to toss her off the boat. The journey will require continuous effort that will test, exhaust, and, at times, break you.

However, the wildest storms will give way to the calmest of days and most serene of sunsets. While you don’t always understand the waypoints, your course has been perfectly designed. The wind in your hair, crashing waves against the ship, glowing orange sunsets followed by calming sunrises, starry nights and blue skies, endless mirrors of deep ocean blues are all that you see.

Each day results in new enlightenment as you surrender to the adventure of the journey. The ride is sweet, and no two routes are the same, but they all are destined for the same destination—that which is love.

 The journey is the reward.
~ Taoist saying

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Apprentice Editor: Karissa Kneeland / Editor: Catherine Monkman
Photo: Wikimedia Commons