RAWW Podcast

RAWW Podcast: The Waterwoman's Journey – Surfing, Self-Discovery, and Empowerment with Laura Heininger

• Sarah Freeman • Season 1 • Episode 1

Share episode

Laura Heininger, founder of Tofino Breath and Meditation, graces our podcast with her love for water, and surfing.

Laura unveils how the amalgamation of breathwork and the thrill of surfing have enhanced her physical prowess and her mental equilibrium.

Our discussion with Laura sails through the significance of water in shaping our self-awareness and the profound camaraderie within the aquatic community. She paints a vivid picture of a moonlit surf, a dance with the waves that reminds us of the symbiotic relationship with nature, safety, and the surf's embrace that molds our resilience and self-belief.

Laura's Contact details:
Follow Laura on IG @tofino_breath_and_meditation
tofinobreathandmeditation.com

We're also thrilled to announce the launch of our RAWW Mini Swim Retreats!

Sarah's insights into the nurturing power and healing of water, coupled with our exciting retreat announcement, promise a surge of inspiration for fellow water lovers to connect and grow an empowering community for Waterwomen.

As we wrap up, we're reminded of the boundless joy that comes from plunging into any body of water, big or small, and the unspoken bond it creates among us. Remember to navigate our website for all the details on these RAWW Mini Swim retreat experiences, and more! Join us, and let the current of our conversation carry you to newfound depths.

With love,
Sarah Freeman (host of RAWW Podcast)

Speaker 1:

Hello Water Women. I am so like beyond excited to launch the first raw podcast and if you're just literally swimming in here, it stands for Rad, active Water Women and you're going to hear so many incredible voices from the globe all around of different Water Women, from people that surf to swim, to dip their toes in the water, to sailing to free diving. I could go on. But today I have a very special guest that I was really called to invite in here and she has a love for water. But I am not going to introduce Laura, I'm going to say her name. I want her to talk about herself, so and sometimes that can be hard, but I know she's going to bring that and Laura welcome.

Speaker 2:

Hello, sarah, thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much for being here I am. When I first saw you out in the internet world of Instagram, I was like drawn to the ocean and you're from Tofino and the surfing side and you just there was that rest that was infused into some of your communication that I was really drawn to. So thank you for being here, of course, a pleasure. So I wanted to ask you this is sometimes the toughest question like who are you, laura?

Speaker 2:

I am a yoga teacher, which includes breathwork and meditation, also a reflexologist, as you said, living in Tofino. I also surf, do different creative pursuits and love the ocean.

Speaker 1:

I love that, and the one thing that I noticed in some of your communication was around the surfing and the breathwork. I thought that sounded fascinating.

Speaker 2:

Yes, I offer breathwork for surfing classes and workshops. Those can either be for individuals groups. I've been doing some staff sessions here in Tofino and I absolutely love sharing that material. That's awesome.

Speaker 1:

So how cold is the ocean? Right now, laura, it's around eight degrees, so that's pretty cold for there. Is this normal for this time of year, you think?

Speaker 2:

It's usually a range of temperature in Tofino, yeah, oh man, not as cold as our lakes here. No, no, definitely not.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. So I'm going to dive into some of these like amazing questions that I have so everybody can get to know you more. Okay, and so where and how did the love of water, like how did that come into your life? Was it through surfing? Like, where did that come from?

Speaker 2:

So I grew up in Toronto big city and during the summers I would go off to summer camp north of Toronto, very beautiful area of Georgian Bay, and at the camp we would swim, kayak canoe, go out and swim, swim, kayak canoe, go camping on canoe trips and I just absolutely loved the swimming and the nature and being in the water.

Speaker 1:

Oh, that's awesome. And I got to ask you, Laura, what was the camp's name that you went to remember.

Speaker 2:

That's a very good question.

Speaker 1:

I don't expect you to remember, but it's funny because I'm from Ontario too.

Speaker 2:

Oh, are you, and you're like George and Bay and I'm like huh I wonder Tapuango.

Speaker 1:

No, I haven't been there.

Speaker 2:

No, okay, that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

So you've taken this love for water, like look where you live. You live in Tofino and you're infusing that into your practice as well, which is really cool.

Speaker 2:

Yes, I've been fortunate to live near water for quite a while now in different places.

Speaker 1:

Wow, and what's the draw to water for you? Is it the surfing, or is there something else about it?

Speaker 2:

The surfing is definitely part of it, but I've always loved the ocean, just the expansiveness, the freedom how it? Can be both calm and wild. All of those qualities.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's beautiful. That's exactly it how it can be calm and wild as well. So how has like with your? So are you okay if we relate it to like the surfing and the breath work? You can take it in different avenues if you want. Are you comfortable with that?

Speaker 2:

Sure okay yeah.

Speaker 1:

So how has this helped you move through, like with that breath, work or being around the water, living into Fino, like, how does this help you, like move through any stress or healing in your life? Because, as you know, water is healing.

Speaker 2:

Mm-hmm, very much. So. I feel that connecting with our breath is such a basic way to connect with ourselves. You know, we can live for weeks without food, days without water, but only minutes without our breath. So it's just such an essential aspect of our life and of ourselves that when we really connect with our breathing, it can help us to embody all of who we are, and so I feel that that has helped me. I think it helps many people who practice breath work, and then bringing that awareness into physical activity can help us to stay more connected with ourselves while we're being active, as well as to enhance our performance in whatever activity that may be. Surfing would be one example.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's an amazing like community too, I find you know you must find that too with the retreats that you have and the surfing groups as well how people connect through that as well. You must find that into Fino, do you.

Speaker 2:

Very much so. It is a small town and even just by seeing people regularly in the water there is a bit of familiarity and connection that develops and we all share that love of being in the ocean and everything that that brings.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's like I find sometimes we have like our own language. Do you ever find that when you're talking, who loves the ocean or the water or surfing? Sometimes you have your own language.

Speaker 2:

Very much so, and I think that's true as well of every individual town and community on the ocean. There are all these little idiosyncrasies that are, you know, just to that place.

Speaker 1:

Exactly, and it's a beautiful thing sometimes just to sit back and witness I know I run a swim squad here in Canmore and just seeing how the women connect, and then when they leave like they're developing these friendships which are like amazing. So yeah, next question for you what was one of your best memories that you've had while surfing, and tell us about that memory.

Speaker 2:

So I lived in Bali for about a year and a half and it was my birthday Eve. So the evening before my birthday and it happened to be a full moon I was living on an island off of Bali called Nusa Lembongan and a person that I surfed with and owned monkey surfing there had. We had discussed that it would be so fun to go surfing On a full moon one time and the conditions were perfect. The waves were not too big, it was around high tide, which was helpful for surfing on a reef break at night, and we normally take a boat out to the break, but that just wouldn't be possible after dark. So we paddled out and surfed under the full moon and it was so beautiful. The water was so clear and the moon was so bright. You can actually see the reef and everything underwater and that was really special, really beautiful.

Speaker 1:

What a memory. Thanks for sharing that. Like, yeah, I got goosebumps just listening to that. Like I can't imagine what that was like. The full moon is a magical thing on water, isn't it? Yeah, I hear you. So thank you. Wow, I had a picture of my brain as you were talking. Well, do you ever do any other like full moon? Like, have you ever done that in Canada? Have you ever brought that to Canada?

Speaker 2:

No, I haven't. I've unintentionally been out in the water when it's been getting dark and probably longer than I should. I had to kind of stumble out and make my way to my bike when I was biking to surf and sort of try to get home in the dark. But that definitely wasn't intentional.

Speaker 1:

Safety first.

Speaker 2:

But no, I haven't. I think that was. It was so special that one time and you know, if the opportunity did come up here I would. But, as you mentioned, safety first, and I think it's just so important, if anyone is thinking of doing that, to be really familiar with the break in the area and to go with other people who are also experienced surfers.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, absolutely, and those memories are there for a reason too, right, Like you're saying, it's like those are instilled in our hearts of, like you know, that was a memory from the past that you know that you're never going to forget.

Speaker 2:

Mm, hmm.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, thanks for sharing that. So on to the next one. So how does like so water or maybe you want to take it from the perspective of being a surfer Like how does that, has that, let's say, built yourself confidence or your self esteem? And what would you tell, like other water women that are listening to this right now, that maybe you're struggling more in that area of self esteem?

Speaker 2:

And some days, being a surfer, it feels like it definitely doesn't help my confidence and self esteem. Yeah, it's just so challenging and I'm just always humbled being in the water, but I think it's practice. You know, the more familiar that you get with yourself with the conditions, with everything to do with being in the water, from putting on a wetsuit and all the gear to actually just even getting to the shore carrying your board, you know, when you're starting off, just getting to the edge of the ocean can feel like a workout in itself. You know it's like, okay, this is enough, now I can go back and to just keep going. You know, if you love it, then you will and things will shift.

Speaker 2:

But I think there will always be times when we don't feel confident or our self-esteem isn't super high, and I think that's where things like the breath work, yoga, even just knowing how to rest and recover, really can play. Because if we're feeling a lack of esteem or confidence, sometimes it's not helpful to just keep pushing ourselves to try to get better and do more. Sometimes we need to actually just take a step back, take a break or, if you're surfing specifically, maybe go out on a longer board or more of a fun board. Change things up a bit, that kind of thing, and then eventually it'll shift.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and I think that you just something you said there around the rest, right it's. You know, I don't know if you find this, but sometimes, like as a swimmer and you're a surfer, but like I know that if I go and I do my training, like, and I'm tired, it's like, yeah, you could push through, but also it's not necessarily the right thing to do. Right, Like that, right there. If your confidence is low, sometimes that means that you are tired, right, Exactly, yeah, I am. And I also loved how you said, like surfing it teaches you to be humble. Right, Not every day is gonna be sunshine, rainbows and unicorns, right it's your learning right, Like you're getting knocked off, like that's what an athlete goes through, right, it's the ups and downs of those waves, literally.

Speaker 1:

So and that's beautiful, and I think you must take a lot of like your yoga, like you mentioned, and your breath work like into that, which is really cool.

Speaker 2:

It really. I found personally it really has made a difference in developing me as a person, and that includes everything else in life, so including the surfing, for sure.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, well, thanks for sharing that too, laura. So next question what has water like taught you in water, or like surfing? What has that taught you to infuse in your everyday life like off out of the ocean Like? What has that taught you?

Speaker 2:

Determination for sure, just to keep going, to not give up, to stay strong, to know that if I'm not getting many waves one session, there will be more in another, there will always be more waves somewhere, somehow, and just to focus on the love, the love of what we do, and to let that be what motivates and guides us.

Speaker 1:

Beautiful thanks for sharing that Last, like serious question for you, and then we'll go on to the fun ones. These are fun, but so what has been the biggest challenge for you to overcome? And it could be related to surfing, it could be related to your practice, it could be, yeah, what has it been?

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's such a good question. I've never actually thought of that before. Oh, there've been so many little ones.

Speaker 1:

That's okay. Bring on the little ones. Those are good ones.

Speaker 2:

I guess just believing in, maybe believing in myself, would be the biggest, just knowing that I can do what I want, to what I put my mind to, just believing and trusting that it's possible.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, sure is. And so what would you say to like water women that are listening to us right now, if they're struggling through the similar sort of thing? What would you say?

Speaker 2:

To trust and to have faith and to believe in themselves and in their own unique and beautiful expression.

Speaker 1:

I love that. So water women listen to Laura. All right, so we're going to move on to the fast and fun questions. So I hope they're fun for you, laura. So the first one is like what is your post? Do you have any post rituals after you go first surf?

Speaker 2:

Getting the water out of my nose.

Speaker 1:

I love it Getting the water out of your nose. Okay, that sounds like a pretty legitimate one. Okay, so the next one is the women you admire most, and why. Who are they? You don't have to name them, it's just like it could be qualities.

Speaker 2:

Actually a dear friend of mine in the UK and it's related to water. Actually, if I may share a quick Absolutely so, a year ago it was even hard for her to put her face under the shower. She really didn't want to have water on her face at all and swimming was a big challenge. She began to do positive visualization of seeing herself swimming and then she found that she was able to do so. She took adult swim lessons and now she's able to duck, dive away, to float in the water, to body surf, to swim in cold water All of that.

Speaker 1:

I love that. Thanks for sharing that story.

Speaker 2:

So inspirational.

Speaker 1:

You've spent some time in the UK, is that right, laura? Or I was reading through your bio and there's quite a few places you've been, but was the UK one of them? Yes, yeah, I lived there for a while there's such a big swim community there, Huge, I just it's fascinating. But thank you for sharing that. So last, like one of my last questions, I think most important challenge facing women today Do you know what that would be Like that? You see, maybe it's in your area, maybe it's in BC.

Speaker 2:

I think it might come back a little bit with what I said was a personal challenge for myself is just really being strong in themselves and having that motivation and self esteem to follow their dreams. Yeah, I think that really. Yeah, especially, you know, in BC, I feel that of course, there are challenges for women and for everyone, but also a lot of possibility and opportunity and just really having that, that trust and faith and, you know, even if the dream isn't exact, going to come to be exactly as you want, to just accept that but still follow the dream.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

I love that.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so I'm going to sneak in one last question here, so this is the last one. So what brings the most amount of joy into your life right now?

Speaker 2:

Surfing is a big one Also dancing.

Speaker 1:

Do you think that they're similar?

Speaker 2:

Very much so.

Speaker 1:

And what is it about them that brings that joy into your life?

Speaker 2:

The activity, the flow, something undefinable, a connection maybe, yeah, a connection with nature, either external nature or my own nature.

Speaker 1:

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Laura. Laura, thank you so much for being my first guest on the new Raw podcast.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much, it was a pure joy.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, laura, for being a guest on Raw podcast and for being brave to say yes for the first episode of the rebranded Raw podcast, that's with an extra W at the end, now standing for Water Women. So thank you for sharing your heart, for sharing your passion for the water and how it all started, and also you're surfing too, and your yoga and meditation. So I can't wait to meet you one day, laura, and I hope that everybody else that is listening takes a little trip down to Tafino's beautiful place and meets Laura and signs up for one of her incredible retreats. I will drop her details in the show notes. If you want to follow her on Instagram or Facebook, you'll know how to and her website. If you're down in Tafino as well, then you can reach out to her. So thank you everybody for listening.

Speaker 1:

The next Raw podcast episode will be coming out in February, probably in late February, and the guest is coming all the way from the UK, so I cannot wait to introduce you to her. And also, if you're loving Raw podcast, leave a comment, a rating. I would love that. That helps us grow and thrive out into the world and get all these awesome voices of these rad, active Water Women out into the world. So the other thing too there's more to Raw.

Speaker 1:

There are also retreats that were just launched. So if you're a Water Woman and you're in you know Alberta area and you're like, yeah, I want to be part of a retreat, well, I dropped Raw mini swim retreats and the first one is coming up in March and Canmore. They'll all be in Canmore. So hop on over to my website at sarahfreemancoachingcom for all the details on those mini retreats and if you have any questions, reach out, sign up for a connection call. Thanks everybody for listening to Raw podcast. Have a beautiful day, keep swimming, keep enjoying the water However that is, it's on a board on a boat, dipping your toes in the water. Keep believing in yourself and keep being that incredible Water Woman that you are.