Go to the Edge

Bill and I were sailing in challenging winds at our back on the way back to Burlington from a night on the boat in Converse Bay. TLSea, our 23-foot sailboat was surfing the waves and performing beautifully in the 20-knot downwinder. My hair was flying and I’m loving this and all of a sudden Bill says – “I’m sailing by the lee, and that’s dangerous. But I need a rest and we have to duck behind this island and into this cove.” I asked if I could take the tiller for awhile and he said, “No, because there’s no margin for error.” Since I’m still a bit of an – “oops, I missed it” sailor, I did not insist.

Why go to the edge? The edge of danger, or physical, emotional, mental or spiritual endurance? Because that can be productive and valuable. It’s how Olympic athletes win the Gold; it’s often how we offer the greatest love.

This practice takes us to the edge of concentration, clarity and equanimity. And then lets us “duck into a cove” for a rest.