Strength and Trust

Had the most incredible day at Shipley pool and all unexpected but all exactly what I needed.

After my swim I noticed there was a living art exhibition going on by a group called Northern Big Board. Some of it involved some of the lockers having a piece of paper with a strapline on such as " I have one wish " or " In The Water I feel Normal " and inside the lockers was a portrait of someone with some random, but emotive, fairy lights in the locker and an MP3 that told the story of their life and what the pool meant to them. There were stories of recovery from brain tumour, swimming as a wheelchair user, swimming whilst pregnant, hopes of being a future star. Alll good stuff and very humbling.

I was all ready to go home after this but then discovered the relaxation suite which was a bed set up to lie and watch images of water from underneath so it felt that you were completely submerged, some meditation followed but then some more stories. The homeliness of an old man's Yorkshire accent was a perfect addition to the warmth created in the envrionment. There was tremendous energy created and it felt like a reiki session and a relaxation session all in one but it was also a time for reflection.

Feeling completely at ease I left for home again only to be told that there was another part of the exhibition , one called " Trust Me ". I was led to a darkened room and asked to stand on a bench. There was a video transmitted onto the black silk curtain in front of me which simulated that I was someone standing near the edge of a high diving board. A story was told about an old man too scared to jump;his fear was discussed but weighed up against the emotions and feelings of overcoming fear. Yet more energy in the room , it was incredibly intense.

I then had to keep stepping forward through a black curtain , imitating me getting closer to the edge of the pool and then was asked to take a leap of faith, this involved me writing down a fear of mine and throwing it into the pool, which was actually a small tank of water in the room. All the imagery about letting go of fear was there, the pushing away of the paper and the deep breathing and relaxation. The metaphor was complete by then writing on a separate piece of paper something that i had done well and showed courage in . I got to keep that and hold on to it.

All this could not have come at a more opportune moment. I have needed to spend time alone and reconcile all the incredible intense emotion going on in my life of late, it's all good but I have been wanting to make some sense and not get carried away. I had some amazing reflective time and came out feeling energised and optimistic but a little bit grounded, which is what I needed.

An incredible day which was very powerful and very remedial.

Content indeed x