Why are growing numbers of young people taking up surfing, spending hours floating silently on their boards, studying wave patterns, ready to risk serious injury for a few moments of harmony with the ocean’s force? Because, according to the author of DANCING THE WAVE, there is no more fulfilling and profound experience. This unique book interweaves history, mythology, and personal experiences to introduce the reader to the sublime and spiritual art of surfing. Topics include: - The quest for blissful union with the natural world - Impermanence, humility, and other spiritual lessons of surfing - A brief history of surfing, from early Polynesia to the present day - The symbolic meaning of ocean legends such as the siren and the mermaid - The distinctive culture and language of surfing DANCING THE WAVE includes photographs, a detailed bibliography, and a glossary of surfing terminology.