Nearly a billion views across all platforms, this viral shot changed the trajectory of my life.
Uncomfortably comfortable 🔱 Just before this moment I found myself in a tough mental space , I had retired from competitive bodybuilding, I could not justify the toxic requirements I needed to put my mind and body through to compete... I had broken my foot during a 13 meter high waterfall stunt in Costa Rica putting me off my feet for 6 months putting most of my training on hold. I struggled creatively to think of what I could create and share on my platform to educate , inspire , or entertain all of you. After years of travel and training I needed a new adventure…
Free diving found me… breaking my foot meant I could only swim as exercise for an extended period of time. Living near so many beautiful cenotes I opted to go swimming there instead of pools. Leading me on a trajectory to discovering free diving . Eventually connecting with @freedive_tulum who helped transform me from a bag of lead… to the internet given title of “ the real Aquaman”
Fast forward and I’m loving the journey to inspire and bring attention to the practice and the beautiful places it can bring you, whilst opening doors I never thought imaginable . From putting a foot in the door to Hollywood , to creating for cirque du soleil, and now writing a script for Poseidon….
What you can take away from this story… is that sometimes the most uncomfortable moments are simply transitions into something bigger , better , and more aligned to who you really are… 🔱
Shift your perspective in uncomfortable moments from stress and anxiety to excitement of what could be on the other end of the transformation. 🦋
#freediving #swimming #cenote #apnea #viral #tavicastro
Finding the depths of your soul… 🌊
Did you see it? ….. behind the scenes @poseidon 🔱
🛳📍Crew and scouting @laventanadivecenter thank you
🎥 the great @aj_natural_studio
⛑️ freediving safety @freedive_tulum
#poseidon #freedive #freediving #ocean #swimming #dccomics
If you’re new here, this is who I am.
Most people only see the final chapter.
But before freediving, there were many lives.
Aerospace engineering.
Professional football.
Bodybuilding.
Entrepreneurship.
Music.
I have a degree in aerospace engineering.
I played professionally in the Netherlands and the UK.
I became a world champion in bodybuilding at 22.
I built one of the world’s first online fitness coaching platforms.
I was signed to Spinnin’ Records and performed at Tomorrowland.
From the outside, it may look like progress.
But internally… something wasn’t right.
There were periods of anxiety.
Moments of deep depression.
Times where I kept achieving, but felt disconnected.
Different paths. Same question.
Who am I, really?
And what is my potential?
Engineering taught me systems.
Sport taught me discipline.
Music taught me flow.
Business taught me creation.
But none of them answered that question.
Then a severe injury left me unable to walk for 8 months.
Swimming became the only movement I had.
That’s what led me to the water.
I found myself in the cenotes of Tulum, surrounded by a community of freedivers.
What started as recovery…
became exploration.
What felt like a side path…
became the missing piece.
Learning to face fear.
To regulate the nervous system.
To sit with discomfort.
To find stillness.
Your breath controls your state.
Your state shapes your life.
And through that process, something became clear.
My purpose is not just to explore my own limits—
but to help others explore theirs.
To guide people back to themselves.
To master the body.
To master the mind.
To master the breath.
And ultimately…
to master the self.
With love,
Tavi
Mizukagami 水鏡
Water Mirror
Sees only when still…
Stir it with emotion or thought..
And truth disappears.
🎥 @freedive_tulum
đź”± Test scenes for @poseidon
#watermirror #mizukagami #freedive #swim #cenote #freediving #cinema
“Nothing endures but change.” 🔱 — Heraclitus
Time to explore @visitmalta 🇲🇹. It’s ancient history marked by change… it’s underwater world powerful and mysterious. For now a small glimpse from 60 feet /20 meters deep at P31 . More to come…🌊
Crew , camera , and safety 💙 🛥️ @innerdivefreediving@outdoor_explorers_malta@jesperstechmann@jesperfreediver
#freediving #freedive #swim #visitmalta #malta
This wasn’t about strength.
It was about controlling my nervous system under pressure.
At 42 meters deep, panic means blackout.
Calm means survival.
Most people never train this skill.
I built a system that teaches you how to regulate stress on demand.
Join the early access:
poseidonbreath.com
Flying with the Gods of the deep. Exploration and filming with the best @wandering.westerner & @bajarawtours
Happy World Orca Day #worldorcaday
#orca #freediving #ocean #safari #viral
FEAR | DISCIPLINE | BREATH : The way of the Samurai. The depths of the ocean. The mindset of a Stoic… Intertwined philosophies that will help you conquer fear, develop discipline ,and find stillness. The full 13 minute short film premieres this Sunday at 10am EST. Set your reminder now. 🔱
⚔️ Please share and COMMENT “ZEN” . I will DM you the link directly when it goes live 🔱
Thank you to everyone involved with this project. See you all in the credits 💙 @thezensamurai 🎥🌊⚔️
#samurai #freediving #stoicism #stoic #freedive #poseidon #aquaman
