What Sailing Taught Me About Inner Peace
Have you ever noticed how life’s storms seem to hit exactly when you’re most tired?
After 7 boats and sixty years at sea, I’ve learned that the secret to surviving isn’t always about fighting the wind. It is about finding the eye of the storm within.
I’ve often called myself a "baby captain" because I only hold a limited license, but the ocean doesn't care about my credentials when the waves get high. Even as a seasoned psychologist, I have had to learn that wisdom is often born from experience and reflection rather than perfection.
Learning where peace truly resides is one of life’s lessons.
Finding Sanctuary in a Beanbag Chair
Peace is found in quiet moments, drifting between the sky and the sea.
One of my most profound experiences of peace happened during my solo sails to San Diego. I would turn on the autopilot, kick my feet up in a beanbag chair on the “aft deck” (the back outdoor area of a boat). There, I simply praise God. In that stillness, I realized that deep peace is a gift from the Great Helmsman that doesn't require a perfect boat; it requires a willingness to rest in His presence.
I wasn't always a competent skipper, and I have run aground more times than I care to admit, but those moments of solo praise taught me that peace is in being higher than I, not a destination. In those moments, I found peace and truly understood what it means to be spiritually anchored.
The Art of “Heaving To”
How can we find peace when it gets tough?
In heavy weather, sailors use a technique called "heaving to," which essentially means slowing and parking the boat in the middle of the sea to stop fighting the storm. May sound crazy, but it works. It’s one way of waiting out the bad weather and also resting.
As a counselor, I see so many people exhausting themselves trying to out-sail their anxiety.
Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is to slow down, be still and trust the Great Captain to guide you to calmer waters. When life gets overwhelming, stop the frantic activity. Serenity is not found in always trying to fight against, but in the surrender of heaving to, even for a moment.
7 Sheets to the Wind
I explore finding peace peace and other lessons more fully in my book that is coming soon, 7 Sheets to the Wind. This book is for sailing enthusiasts, friends and colleagues who know me, or the spiritually curious. In it, you can read about my own clumsy sailing misadventures across 7 different boats and lifeboat lessons that bridge psychology and faith.
Wherever you are in your own storm, may you find your moment to heave to. And I hope you’ll keep joining me for the journey by visiting my site again.