A Strong WaterWoman- Expectation vs Reality
TASSIE INTERMEDIATE WATERWOMANSHIP STUDENT, LIV LAWSON, TALKS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO HER TO BE A ‘STRONG’ WATERWOMAN.
The ocean doesn’t demand pure physical strength, it doesn’t discriminate, an even playing field for waterman and waterwoman. It is powerful and can fill you with both stoke and fear in one session. Entering the ocean requires surrender and a relinquishing of ego, the ultimate equaliser.
Since starting the Intermediate Watermanship programme, my perspective of what an effective and strong waterwoman is has shifted completely. I entered the course with an expectation of myself to push, physically and mentally, to a point to ‘compete’. And through this expectation came nerves.
Although I did push my limits, the course also highlighted to me the importance of a more holistic ‘strength’ when entering the ocean.
Not only a physical, aggressive type of strength, but a kind of flexibility- a calm mind (damn monkeys!), breathe and diet. There is also a strength in leaning into some more feminine aspects of being a waterwoman such as listening to your intuition, being fully present and being in-tune with what you are feeling rather than simply pushing.
I think there is a strength in knowing when to push your limits and have the training to back that up…but also when to be humble enough to know when to call it quits.
As a waterwoman it is strong to drop the expectation of needing to keep up with the guys and learn the strength in being soft, calm and centered.
The strength in being able to flow like the ocean, and to be adaptable to changing conditions. No matter gender or ocean discipline you can never ‘out-muscle’ or ‘out-compete’ the big blue.
A waterwoman to me is both soft and strong. She is analytical and intuitive. She is capable in different conditions and disciplines, draws on past experience and has an open mind to continue to learn.
The ocean demands respect and to push limits in that environment I need to be a strong waterwoman, in all of the aspects that title encompasses.
The course allowed us as a group to confront our fears and limits in the ocean so that in the dynamic environment that is the ocean, we are more prepared. I still have a lot to learn and am continuing to work on becoming a better and more capable waterwoman. The Tassie Intermediate Watermanship course was the perfect start to 2021. I finished feeling inspired and motivated to train more consistently and I am feeling stronger and more confident in the ocean as a result as well as having met and learnt from a group of diverse but like-minded ocean frothing legends.
I am so grateful for the experience and am proud to call myself an ocean going, mermaid wannabe, waterWOMAN.