The word “Turbulence of the Sea” and the statement “when the thought of the sea coming nearer actually proves to be conflicting”, both of them are compelling metaphors, which I keep on using them on a recurring basis. Allow me to explain why? Turbulence of the Sea is actually a term to ponder upon. It carries a lot of significance in our lives too.

The statement can be explored through the lens of mindfulness to address certain feelings of anxiety, change, and uncertainty, that we experience on a daily basis. In this metaphor, the sea can easily represent an overwhelming force or an impending change, the kind of change that we might fear but we need to face them because they keep on coming back to our lives on a daily basis, and obviously, the proximity of the sea can evoke mixed feelings in us, symbolizing both the allure and the fear that rather significant or any major change in life or any major shift in life can bring to us. Turbulence brings a certain discomfort too.

I have written here, how mindfulness can help us to interpret and manage the emotional conflict which is associated with this metaphor.

How to interpret the Metaphor

The Sea as the Change: The sea coming nearer might represent life changes that are both inevitable and uncontrollable. Uncontrollable, because sometimes, life’s choices are highly unpredictable. Just as the sea’s movements are constant and dynamic, life too brings waves of change that can be both nurturing and destructive. Try to find out nurturing emotions in the middle of destructive ones. Difficult, but manageable.

The Conflict as the change: The conflict arises from our dual response to change—a sort of attraction due to the new opportunities it brings and a prevailing sense of fear due to the uncertainties and the potential losses. The nearness of the sea, as I had mentioned, therefore, triggers a conflict between embracing the new and mourning the old or feeling threatened by the unknown.

Have we Applied the concept of Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is basically maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, some passion that we love and the surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. It basically involves a lot of acceptance towards our life in general, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them unnecessarily and without believing entirely, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. Just have those feelings. We needn’t have to judge them.

Understanding Through Mindfulness

• Observation of our environment: We must have the focus of observation without attachment or without judging the situation. When applied to the metaphor of the sea, that is an encouragement to observe the coming changes (the advancing sea) without immediate reaction or judgment to it. We need to lessen the initial impact of fear.
• Acceptance of the circumstances: By accepting the presence of the sea (change), we allow ourselves for a better understanding of its nature. By accepting the incoming sea, it doesn’t mean some form of passive resignation towards them, but rather acknowledging the reality as it is, which is the first step in coping effectively with one’s circumstances. But it is definitely not an easy one. But when have we not fought back the circumstances.
• Non-judgmental Stance towards the circumstances: The conflict, which we are feeling as the sea approaches can be managed by refraining from labeling the changes as strictly good or strictly bad. We can just say things like, maybe this is definitely not an ideal situation, what can I do to rectify the situation. Can I be grateful towards whatever I have? Mindfulness encourages us to view such changes as part of the natural flow of life, and therefore reducing the stress and resistance associated with them. Act before it is too late. Write a journal always.

The metaphor of the sea coming nearer, with its inherent conflict, I have kept it in this way that it beautifully illustrates how we feel towards the change. Through mindfulness, we can learn to face this vast, inevitable force with composure and grace.

Mindfulness won’t eliminate the conflict actually, that would remain the same, but offers some manageable tools to navigate through it more effectively, ensuring that we are not overwhelmed by the waves, but we must learn to swim with them, but we do not have to recognize the beauty and the power of the sea, if we do not want so. Just flow and let it be.