Psyche in Ocean

Abstract

In the wake of popularized movies such as Point Break and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, surfing is rarely regarded in the depth psychological sense. However, I argue otherwise. First I explore the archetypal and mythological aspects of the sea amidst the backdrop of my personal and family history. Then, based on nearly 20 years of surfing, I explore the irresistable pull of the ocean and what compels surfers to meet it, day after day, year after year, rain or shine, through huge or small waves. The act of surfing takes on a numinous quality that feels impossible to describe, whether one encounters the extremes of pure joy or absolute terror in the face of the ocean's raw power. Whether articulated clearly or not by those who partake in it, surfing fully involves the psyche and the depths of one's being.