Watery, magical dwelling spaces – TW020 - a podcast by Karen Parry outdoor swimming

This week’s podcast guest uses a quite different language to talk about wild swimming. It’s like starting to fall asleep when your thoughts become dreamlike and the fantastical seems perfectly normal.

She talks about experiencing a birthing moment while bathing, as the water opened her up to new realisations. She acknowledges the personal growth that comes from these experiences and the joy in watching others in the Fausto pod growing both as a clan and as individuals. She describes being immersed in the water as an epic meditation.

Stepping through the skin of the water, to be held by a sea blanket bestows a confidence to go on to do things that had previously evoked fear. Yet there is still fear. Fear of feeling something that still needs to be excavated. But there is also trust. The water gently carries tears away, opens the heart and bestows love.

Tracey is an artist. A dancer. A therapist providing sound healing. For her, being in the water is another part of her movement practice.

As I do more of these interviews I realise that each one contains a gift of some kind. Tracey’s gift to me was to bring me back to each swim as something unique. To help remind me to pay attention. To be present. To listen. To learn. In a period of immense change, it is a great touchstone to keep coming back to.

Things we talked about

Fausto Bathing Club, the Lake District, Northumberland, North East Skinny Dip, Druridge Bay, Birkbridge, West Lakes, Stonethwaite campsite, Crummock water, Tyree, west coast of Scotland

Further episodes of Swim Wild Podcast

Further podcasts by Karen Parry outdoor swimming

Website of Karen Parry outdoor swimming