Swim Tuff: How I Swam My Way Out of the Bottle

In this episode of The Sober Shaman Podcast, I’m excited to share my conversation with Ben Tuff. 

“In 2012, Ben made the life-altering decision to break free of the hold that the addiction to alcohol had on him. Despite not knowing how to swim, the sport of triathlon arrived quickly in his life.”

He went from not knowing how to swim to making a movie about his 24-mile swim—the length of Narragansett Bay, from Providence to Jamestown, Rhode Island. The movie highlights parallels between this epic undertaking and sobriety.

On the podcast, he and I discuss finding one’s personal medicine, giving back, and evolving attitudes towards addiction and recovery. 

I loved this talk with Ben. His spark of life—or shen, in Traditional Chinese Medicine—shines bright as he shares his personal experience turned profound wisdom. 

I’ve included the video here as well, in case you prefer to watch while you listen.

With Blessings,Randal

Timestamps

00:00 The Movie — Swim Tuff: How I Swam My Way Out of the Bottle

04:00 We’re always looking for shortcuts.

09:50 Winding roads, plateaus, and the grind of finding one’s medicine

14:55 Changing attitudes in recovery and lunch with an old-timer

19:06 Swimming as a practice and meditation

25:30 Connecting to the kids

37:26 Becoming a long-distance swimmer 

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