On The Magic of Swimming

On The Magic of Swimming

On an episode of The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday talked with guest Bonnie Tsui, author of Why We Swim, about the magic of being immersed in water, the timelessness of swimming, and their favorite places to swim in the world.

On pools being relics of physical gathering places:

“Now we build social networks and apps, and that’s where our collective energy goes…[but] we used to make places [where] we could all go and do something together.”

On the magic of being in the water:

On the pod, Tsui noted that swimming can be a type of moving meditation and that it lends itself to moments of clarity and insight. She added that it’s also one of the few places (these days) where we’re able to totally disconnect from our screens.

“What’s so wonderful about the pool, or the shore, a lake, is that—in it’s best incarnation—it’s a place that’s available to everyone once you know how to swim. You can walk down there and put your feet in, and instantly be transported to somewhere else.”

On the timelessness of swimming:

Tsui noted that swimming feels cleansing to both body and mind; and added that the feeling of jumping into the water—and wiping the slate clean—is a lot of what we’re after when we go swimming.

“It really does feel like you’ve left behind what was preoccupying you when you got in.”

Tsui’s three favorite places to swim in the world?

●      Tunnels Beach (Kauai)

●      The Aegean Sea

●      South China Sea

Other swimming spot’s noted on the pod:

●      Barton Springs, Austin, Texas

●      The Blue Hole, New Mexico