Tom Peyton, the Zen Diver, discovered that even the tiniest creatures, Shaun the Sheep slug, can spark profound moments of awareness while diving in the Philippines.
Meeting Shaun the Sheep: A Tiny Slug, a Big Lesson
The great cosmic joke is all the soul-searching of our life’s meaning through religion, therapy, work, and even diving leads us back to ourselves. All the suffering of judging between right and wrong is our mind ignoring that all things are our nature.
This year in the Philippines, even Shaun the Sheep awakened me to the humor of creation by the cartoon character living on a Costasiella Kuroshimae leaf and eating its weight in algae daily. I was in awe the first time I saw the grain of sand of a slug. Because the first time I saw it, I could not see it.
When the dive guide first showed me the white dust on the leaf in maybe 15ft of water, I looked at him and shrugged my shoulders with my hands, saying, “What? What do you see?” I saw nothing. Reggie, my amazingly talented Filipino guide, and I are friends, and he started laughing and giggling underwater.
I laughed, and he pointed at Shaun, making repeated gentle motions with his hands at the invisible Sheep. Still, I saw nothing.
My wife Margo put her camera in the general area, and I made a lengthy and loud laugh through the regulator as the camera saw what we could not see through its macro lens on her professional underwater camera.
A creature so tiny you can barely see it with the naked eye. When we ended the dive and returned to the photo room, I saw the fantastic slug in more detail.
The cosmic joke that just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it’s not there. I laughed at how God had made such a tiny aqua muppet for us to chase and capture by the shutter because that’s all there is to do with this creature — take a picture of it.
“As they say in Zen, when you attain Satori, nothing is left you
but to have a good laugh”
Alan Wilson Watts
Finding Satori Underwater: The Zen of Macro Diving in the Philippines
On the following dive, I became the observer, watching myself go from one tiny leaf to the next, slowly and gently looking for my new favorite ocean creature. I observed how slow I was moving and did not touch any part of the sandy bottom or the fragile plants.
I noticed my still and slow breathing as I stopped and scanned any plant that looked like it might be the home of ‘Shaun’.
I watched the other three photo couples moving just as slowly. Again, a giggle erupted from my regulator, as I thought we had become the slug. To find the slug, become the slug. My body filled with light as the humor seemed to stream through all the cells of my body.
The scene was just so funny; I became so happy with the silliness of the adventure and the spirit of the moment. I had a feeling of complete body happiness, almost indescribable.
Watching the other divers in the mediative movements was like an out-of-body experience while I was in my body. Was I experiencing a small moment of Satori?
So, what is Satori? In Japanese Zen Buddhism, Satori is the inner, intuitive experience of Enlightenment; Satori is said to be unexplainable, indescribable, and unintelligible by reason and logic. Did I get a glimpse of Satori?
The question is, can you experience any enlightenment while diving? As a practice, diving is mediation, so the answer is an easy yes — but enlightenment?
It is not lost to me that the cosmic humor of something so ‘small’ creates such a ‘big’ moment of spiritual awareness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Satori in Zen Buddhism?
Satori is the sudden, intuitive experience of enlightenment in Zen Buddhism. It’s unexplainable and often described as a deep inner awareness.
Where can I see Shaun the Sheep sea slugs?
Shaun the Sheep, or Costasiella kuroshimae, can be found in shallow waters in the Philippines, typically on algae-covered leaves.
Can diving lead to spiritual experiences like Satori?
Yes, diving can be a meditative practice. Observing marine life slowly and mindfully often leads to moments of deep awareness and joy.
What makes the Shaun the Sheep slug unique?
This tiny sea slug consumes algae, is only visible under a macro lens, and resembles the cartoon sheep character, making it a fun and memorable dive subject.
How should divers approach finding tiny marine creatures?
Move slowly, maintain gentle breathing, avoid disturbing plants or sand, and use macro photography to capture small, elusive creatures like Shaun.
This article was originally published in Scuba Diver NA#18
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