A couple of weeks ago, in Itacaré, Brazil, I went to explore a beach at sunset. The sun was almost gone, the sea was roaring as it often does there, and the wind was strong. I sat on the sand and noticed a couple walking into the ocean. The lifeguard had already left, and they were the only two brave enough to go in. In fact, there were only four of us on the beach that evening, myself included.
We all seemed to be watching as the couple plunged into the waves with such abandon, as if daring the ocean, going deeper and deeper each time. Slowly, fear started to take hold of me. At first, I wasn’t fully aware of it—I just found myself suffering, caught between distress and curiosity, like when you’re watching a thriller that makes you nervous but you can’t look away.
And then, the observer appeared. I became aware of my own suffering. I looked at my body and recognized the fear in my chest: a rush of agitation, fast and unpleasant. In that moment, I decided to let go, to shift my attention elsewhere, to trust. That brought me calm. A little while later, I saw them come out of the sea smiling, joyful, completely fine.
That experience was eye-opening for me. While I believed the “movie” that the couple was struggling or in danger, fear took over my body. I was trapped in that story, suffering from it. But the moment I became aware of my body and the emotions created by what I thought was happening, I was able to step back and stop suffering.
I kept reflecting on how often we do this in life: we tell ourselves stories about what’s happening, and we get caught in them, generating unnecessary suffering.
What lens are we using to look at our experience?
What movie are we believing in?
How does our body react to the narratives of the mind?
Mindfulness, or Presence, invites us to exactly this: to observe our experience, notice what arises in the body, the mind, and the emotions, and step back from the stories we tell ourselves. From the position of the observer, we can find inner freedom, regulate ourselves, and live more authentically—not reacting automatically, but responding consciously to what happens.
Inquiry and investigation are also part of the practice. They help us understand more clearly how the mind works, the power of beliefs, and the way emotions are stored in the body. It’s a path toward greater inner freedom.
