Snorkeling and Meditation!

Two things I wanted to do while in Amed: snorkel and meditate. I just realised today that they are both the same thing. For 5 days in a row, I have awoken to the amazing chorus of birds, the soft lapping of waves, roosters crowing, and the drone of motorbikes. Before leaving my super king-size bed, I do a few yoga stretches and settle into meditation, still surrounded by mosquito netting and a gentle breeze from the overhead fan. Finding that alpha level comes easier here than anywhere I have ever been, perhaps due to the spiritual energy of Bali, perhaps simply because I have no distractions, no plans for the day, no job to get to, no phones that might ring.
Twenty or thirty minutes later I emerge from my bed and greet the world outside my door. "Ah, what a beautiful day!" I say the same thing everyday, because, quite frankly, it is beautiful in every sense of the word. I am surrounded by green shrubs and vines with colourful flowers and scents; in the near distance are palm trees, shimmering and vibrating in the early morning sunshine, and then off in the distance is the Bali Sea, calling to me in her enticing way, to walk the kilometre or so and enter her world.
Under her spell, I devour my breakfast and I head off for my second meditation of the day: snorkeling.
Winding my way along the narrow, hilly road, motorbike riders frequently stop and ask: "Where are you going? You want a ride?" Young children wave from their besser brick homes or small shops: " Hello. You want to buy a necklace? I have beautiful necklaces." "No thanks," I call back. I stop at the headland to catch my breath and to admire Jemuluk Bay from this vantage point. Excitement rises as I approach yet another day of experiencing this incredible underwater aquarium.
The water is almost as warm as the air, and as I slip into its hidden realm, I am instantly transported to a different place. Meditation is the same.In both the mind is emptied of all trivialities as it is given something to focus on; in meditation a mantra, the breath or a specific concept; with snorkeling, each fish, each piece of coral, every movement. There is inner silence in both endeavours. Both have the ability to bring inner peace and a joy that is indescribable. I think it's because they both suspend time and one can experience living in the present.