“When you’re in the water freediving, nothing else exists but the present,” explains Pamela.
“The simple fact of just living the moment, being in the now, and to feel yourself, your entire body, your entire being, and to be conscious of that.”
“It’s the purest form of being of feeling, of living,” she continues.
“It’s the opportunity to get to know yourself, to feel your heart, to listen to your pulse while at the same time holding out knowing that it’s just a sensation.”
Pamela, of course, is Pamela Castellanos, one of our cherished and highly talented guides at Spearfishing Today. Recently, Pamela successfully completed her certification as a PADI freedive instructor (insert applause).
She now operates and gives PADI freediving courses at Freediving Today.
As part of the activities held today as part of PADI Women’s Dive Day 2017, held in celebration of International Women’s Day, we asked Pamela to share her thoughts about the art of freediving and how it changed her life.
The result is a love letter to the sport of freediving.
Freediving in My Life
I just heard about free diving a few years ago when I saw an ad looking for women who liked the sea and were looking for a different type of submersion: free diving.
I started to research all about it and the more information I found the more I became excited about the idea.
So, I decided to try what was a completely new activity for me.
I should also mention that, prior to beginning with my first course, exercise was not a part of my lifestyle.
Learning to Freedive
I remember the first day of the first course and how hard it seemed to be able to adapt both mentally and physically.
I immediately decided that I wanted to stick with it and since then have progressed in my learning.
At first, I had a hard time diving down seven or even ten meters, and equalizing seemed impossible!
But for whatever reason, life put me on this path and little by little I began to discover that this is what I wanted to do professionally; to dedicate myself to something I love and to continuously improve.
In doing so, I can assist those that are on the same path and help them to connect with themselves and with the water. Moreover, I can teach them how to do it in a safer manner using the correct technics.
At the same time, freediving motivates me to eat a more healthy diet because, more than just a sport, it’s a lifestyle.
It definitely changed mine. I would never have imagined discovering something that motivated me to train, and although I still have a long way to go, each day I progress and find new challenges in terms of techniques, my diet, and my mentality.
Ready to join Pamela in her journey?
Sign up for one of her freediving courses in Cozumel!
Contact us at +52.987.876.0862 or via Facebook for more information!