It took about 15minutes of preparation - laying it all out in the right direction, letting the wind "blow up" the kite sail, making sure the cords attaching the kite to the harness were not tangled... Finally he picked up the board, attached himself to the harness and lifted the kite into wind. In an instant he was dragged sideways across the sand. Up again and with more control he trotted towards the water. Getting his feet into the foot straps without being dragged by the kite required patience and two more falls. But finally he was up, skimming the surf and rising above it in what I'm sure felt a jubilant sense of freedom. It was exhilarating to watch and I admired his tenacity - and no doubt the many hours of practice that had gone before.
It particularly struck me because before my walk I had been reading a book about deepening the practice of Centering Prayer (which has been my daily practice for some time). In it David Frenette writes about using awareness of breath/breathing as a way to stay centered in openness to God. (Most often in Centering Prayer a sacred word is used as the anchor point.) Though attending to your breath is not a new thought in many forms of meditation one of the things Frenette said particularly struck me: "Your breath, like God, is always with you in this life, from the moment of your birth until the instant of your death." This makes attending to breath is not just a "meditation technique" but a way to connect with the Spirit of God who is ever present - just like our breathing - whether we are aware or not. Of course the practice of being aware is where the joy and freedom lies.
Like the kite surfer, there is preparation, patience and faithful practice involved. But wonderfully, the only equipment necessary is our own breathing and the location is anywhere we may be!
WIND BREATH SPIRIT
"The Lord God took a handful of dust and formed a man. God breathed life into the man, and the man started breathing." Genesis 2:7 (CEV)
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear the sound of it but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NIV)
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear the sound of it but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NIV)
"Jesus said: 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit'." John 20:21-22 (NIV)
