Matt began his healing journey by qualifying as a personal trainer and yoga instructor. Matt furthered his training through the Budokon system (yoga, mixed martial arts, and meditation), he now teaches a fusion of yoga, qigong, meditation, and MMA. Through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Matt qualified as a holistic health coach and has since launched Wild Heart Health Coaching. Matt Allen hosts regular Wild Swimming meet-ups and has completed his first book 'Teachings from the Sea'. He has combined all his knowledge to offer Wild Heart Health Coaching and Wild Immersion Events which aim to re-wild, re-connect and re-balance the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual bodies.
A storm had brewed through the night and was still releasing it’s menacing self on one memorable winter morning, it was 5am and dark outside. a comfortable pillow and a warm blanket tempted me to stay all snuggled up but a calling from the sea is a calling to which I can not say no.
I saddled up on my bike and made my way to the sea, the wind slowed me to almost a walking pace. I should have known at this point that danger was on the horizon, however a part of me knew I was going to dance with the thundering waves.
As a group of four we stood in the surf of these colossus waves, each time a wave crashed into the pebbled shore, a wave of energy blanketed itself around us, we roared into the wild nature of that moment.
A moment is all it takes, a looming megalith of a wave towered above me whilst white foaming froth was clutching at my ankles, one moment I was captured by this wave, the next I had dived into its chaotic chasm and then I found myself at the mercy of the sea.
I swam with all my might against a raging sea and strong winds, nothing more disheartening than when you realize your efforts are in vain. I ride over the top of each wave as I watch it crash with awesome strength into the pebbled shore before I notice a groin approaching so I swim harder.
It is useless she is too strong. I cannot get ashore as the undertow is too powerful. I cannot swim against her, the current is too overwhelming. My moment arrives, a moment of surrender.
I look up and see the next colossus wave growing before me ready to come pounding down into the churning sea. I am calm, a voice from nowhere ‘into the wave’ an image of a foetus comes to mind. In I go, eyes closed, the world is dark and suddenly without air or sight I am spinning and no longer aware of what is up, what is down, where is left or where is right and yet I am calm.
The voice in my head returns ‘make yourself big and spread out wide’, an image of a snow angel comes to mind. I do this. Then as if by some ironic humour I was not privy to I find myself lying on top of the groin, the very thing I feared colliding with. I gripped the groin and hoisted myself out of the sea; I was alive and very grateful to be so.
My love and respect for nature was born in that moment of surrender, to trust and act without question, to be calm and peaceful even in the midst of a storm. I swim almost daily and love my adventure with the sea and immersion into nature. I found many things that morning, but the most precious gift I discovered was the gift of life, not to be afraid of it, but to be grateful for it and dive into every day with complete trust and surrender.
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