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your last piece of protection, and you make it distinctly more likely that you will fall. I, for one, know that I would probably resent an old Zen master hitting me with a wooden stick if I spaced out during Zazen (well, unless it just happened to incite some great awakening). But can I really resent the river, the rock, or the mud? More likely, I will come back next with a sincere motivation to learn how to stay more fully present and work with whatever might be coming up. Outdoor adventure can essentially function like an extreme meditation cushion, teaching not only concentration, but also inquiry, compassion, and right action. When is the fear telling you to back off? When is fear telling you that you need to step it up? And when should you just feel it, and proceed as you were? And often, it is not just your life and well being that is on the line, but your companions as well. This makes it all the more important that you understand your own emotions, and be well attuned to what others in your party may be attuned to as well. There may be no better teaching on interconnectedness than to hold anothers life in ones hands with a thin strand of nylon rope that you are belaying your climbing partner with.Outdoor sports can also be a way to connect with the real in a world that seems to become more and more virtual with every passing day. The simple feel of cool granite under your hands or the tug of current under your paddle has an even sweeter quality after spending a week conducting so much of our work and personal lives through computer screen, email, cell phones, and the internet. And they can often be so much more. Without any need for words, adventure sports can naturally teach us to be here now. Really, really here. To awaken to our senses. To embrace both our pleasant and our difficult emotions. To step into the unknown. To find the balance between holding on and letting go. And learn how to smile even when the currents of fear are churning within. After finishing a draft of this essay, I (somewhat belatedly) thought it might be a good idea to see what else George Mallory might have said about his passion for climbing. It turns out that he actually did answer his own question more fully, and perhaps even more beautifully, a year prior to his famous quip that would later become so enduring:The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, 'What is the use of climbing Mount Everest?' and my answer must at once be, 'It is no use'.... if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just
When it comes to high-risk sports, focus is essential. Lara Wozniak explains.Photos courtesy of Lara WozniakBy Lara WozniakFor years, my colleagues at magazines Ive worked for have clearly questioned my sanity. Why would I choose to climb into a sea kayak, as narrow as my hips, and race it in the open ocean, down waves stacked taller than me for ten or more miles? Ironically, the answer is, to preserve my sanity.The key to any high-risk sport is focus: Whether its surf ski paddling, which is what I race, or rock climbing, surfing or solo sailing, staying in the moment is essential.No matter what is happening in my family, social or work life, when I get out on the water I can do only one thing: think about what Im doing. If my mind wanders, Im no longer sitting on top of my surf ski, Im swimming. Thats an amusing thing to watch and even do: every once in a while, even the most experienced paddlers, will fall inusually this is when they are sitting in calm water without a ripple, when theres no reason to think they might flip. Then, suddenly, plop! The paddler is in the water, having lost concentration for a moment. Do that when the air is crisp and the wind is blowing a chill, and youll learn your lesson fast.Lara Wozniak co-organizes the Dragon Run, a 24-kilometer surfski and outrigger race in Hong Kong.Fall in on a massive wave, when there are sets following and sharks below, and then try to climb back into a boat that rolls easily, and youll vow to never lose focus again.But you do not need to put your life in danger to feel the same results. Just add an obstacle. This may be the key to increasing your enjoyment of sports, which is particularly useful if sticking to exercise is a challenge for you. For example, if you routinely run on a treadmill or cycle a stationary bike, switch to trail running or cycling. If you live in the city and there are no trails, add in steps (for running) and hills (for cycling). Once you have to ensure you don't trip, or stand to pedal, your focus on what youre doing increases, and your active meditation kicks in.While in the gym, skip the machines and use kettlebells, dumbbells, a Swiss ball and a jump rope. Nearly every exercise that can be done on a machine has a free-weight counterpart that requires more balance, more control, more focus.THE FUN FACTORJust make it fun. Twice a week my husband and I visit the gym together. The first thing we do is kneel on a Swiss ball and then we toss a medicine ball back and forth to one another. This takes core strength and balance, which we need to race. But more important, its simply a good laugh. Were in our forties, starting our day by playing catch.If you play basketball, tennis or racquetball, switch hands. Use your less dominant hand to dribble more, and for racket sports just give it a
go for five minutes. You may be a complete wreckbut youll giggle and relax into the moment.The trick isyou have to focus on the fun too. I have a series of mental games I play with myself when I paddle. Most mornings, I see a heron on a rock of a nearby island. I say good morning to her. Ive decided its a her and its the same bird, and I laugh at the absurdity of that determination, which makes me enjoy the moment. Then I return to the effort of not swimming: I tell myself to sit up tall (like the heron), to float across the water (as the heron flies) and to hunt for waves (as she fishes).There is a caveat to this story, though. Every time you up the anteit gets easier. And so you have to keep mixing it up to challenge yourself. And that too, takes focus.Lara Wozniak is a freelance writer based in Hong Kong. She formerly edited FinanceAsia and the Far Eastern Economic Review. She is the co-organiser of the Dragon Run, a 24-kilometer surfski and outrigger race in Hong Kong.
Soren Gordhamer interviews sports psychologist and meditation teacher George Mumford about meditation, basketball, professional athletes and responsibility. Photo colourbox.comFor five years, George Mumford worked with NBA Championship team the Chicago Bulls, during the Michael Jordan years. He's also been involved with the Los Angeles Lakers. He's currently a sports psychologist and meditation teacher to many athletes and sports teams.Soren Gordhamer: When you teach mindfulness to the Chicago Bulls or the Los Angeles Lakers, what do you feel that you are offering?George Mumford: The opportunity to be in the moment. In sports, what gets peoples attention is this idea of being in the zone, or playing in the zone. When they are playing their best, they can do no wrong, and no matter what happens they are always a step quicker, a step ahead. That happens when we are in the moment, when we are mindful of what is going on. Theres a lack of self-consciousness, theres a relaxed concentration, and theres this sense of effortlessness, of being in the flow. We have that experience in other parts of our life, but we equate it with sports because there are rules and guidelines, and it is a situation where you get immediate feedback. When we are in the moment and absorbed with the activity, we play our best. That happens once and awhile, but it happens more often if we learn how to be more mindful. By mindful, I mean being aware, being engaged with the present moment. Mindfulness is useful because it is through this that we can see what is going on. It means knowing what needs to happen and doing it.SG: Do you encourage the players you work with to do meditation practice?GM: Oh, you cant do it without the meditation practice. This is not just about being good in sports, this is warrior training. You cant just be focused in a basketball game; its a full-time job. Warriors have known this for a long time. When you go into combat, you cannot be afraid. You have to be able to deal with your emotions and be clear about what you are attempting to do and how youre going to do it. A lot of people go out and play basketball and dont think much about it. Thats fine, but when you get into organized basketball and other team sports, youve got to know what your teammates are doing. Mindfulness teaches you how to develop certain skills and possibilities. When it comes to sports, youve got to know what you are doing and its impact. So you can look at a basketball game as just going out there and playing or you can look at it as understanding the science of basketball, understanding how to be the most effective basketball team. On one level, you have to bring in your personal skills, but on the other hand, you have to blend your skills with your teammates skills.For example, if you are in a game and shooting a free throw, you have to pay attention. If it is short, you need
to shoot longer next time. If it goes straight and hits the front rim, you need to get more of an arc on the shot. Now, what informs you to do that? A lot of this stuff we do automatically, but there is a process to it. Do you go in and say, Im going to make this shot? No, ideally, you have practiced so much that all you have to do is step up to the line without thinking about it, and shoot.SG: Without self-consciousness?GM: Yes, without self-consciousness. Sometimes you can do that, sometimes you cant. If the person fouls you pretty hard or if the official missed three other fouls or if you just had a shot blocked or if your girlfriend or boyfriend is in the stands, it might be harder. But the bottom line is that when you go to the line, you cannot have distractions. One of the main abilities to playing well is concentration or focus.SG: Do some of the players give you a hard time when you come in and have them meditate?GM: No, they dont give me a hard time because I come with an impressive resume. Ive worked with MJ (Michael Jordan), the Bulls, and Phil Jackson. I come in and Im supported by the power structure. I first just get them to the table. I try to get them interested. I have got about ten seconds to get their attention. Once I get their attention, I tell them the benefits. When I talk about being in the zone, they understand that. After that, I have them try it. I tell them that if they try to get in the zone, they cant. But if they pay attention, the zone will happen as a by-product. There are other elements involved, but that is the main part. Its about the ability to be both relaxed and alert.SG: Do you have athletes who do mediation before a game?GM: I encourage them to do meditation all the time. This may include before a game but is not limited to this.SG: How long a meditation do you do?GM: It depends on the team. I find the balance that is right for the group. The amount of time is not as important as the quality.SG: And the response?GM: Some are into it, others are not. But even if they dont like it, they will benefit from it. So the real question is, are they teachable? I get resistance from some people, but I never got any overt resistance from the Bulls. When you are a team, you do what is good for the team.SG: We have kids who often relate the mindfulness meditation practice to drug experiences, that the feeling of being relaxed and peaceful is similar to what they seek in drugs.GM: You dont have to explain it to me. I was a heroin addict for a long time, so I know. Its a similar kind of high, but different. When you first meditate, you may feel good but it is not likely going to give you
the same experience as certain drugs. When you take drugs, the drugs have an impact on your receptors and your endorphins. They are helping you experience something that you already have. They ignite and sensitize you to feeling your own endorphins. Its internal. So the question is, how to develop that so you have other ways to access it? Thats when you have the experience of being in the zone.However, some people try to get a certain high as a means of getting away from their current emotional state. Mindfulness teaches you that it is by opening to your experience that you get freedom from it. It does not work to try to get away from a particular experience. It is about opening rather than pushing away.SG: For a young person who is in a situation where they have done a lot of harm both to themselves and others, and they are wanting to change from a more violent warrior to a spiritual warrior, what do you think can help bring that about?GM: Oh, very simple. You have to understand that your actions have consequences. Its important to notice your intention. Sometimes we do not know that we intend to hurt people until afterwards. If you realize that you have hurt people, this is a spiritual undertaking. All the spiritual traditions talk about this. You have to take personal responsibility, and not say the drugs made me do it or my friend made me do it. Then you have to make amends. But the main thing is to learn from your mistakes and not do it again.You can say that my friend made me do it or the person pissed me off, but you made a choice to act in a certain way. You can make another choice. You can walk away next time. But you think, Ill be a chump if I walk away. Well, thats an idea you have. You do the act so you will not be thought of as a chump but then you are a jailbird. Would you rather be a chump or a jailbird? It takes more courage to walk away than to stay and get involved. If you shoot someone, that person has relatives, they have homies. Actions always have consequences.You have got to focus on yourself. It is a lot harder to conquer yourself than it is to conquer others. This is the hardest thing we have to do, but it is also the most beneficial. And it all happens in the present moment. This moment is all weve got. It is only in the present moment that we can make changes. And you are not just making these changes for yourself; you are doing it for everyone. Everyone will benefit.Posted with permission from MBA Allstars
Jump into the pool with Tonya Nascimento. Experience the rhythm of your stroke, the comfort of the water holding you up, the rush of the water past your ears, the craziness of hundreds of people swimming in circles and spaced just so. Competitive swimmers, like all athletes, can benefit from practicing in the moment.Photo iStockPhoto.com/microgenIn a year-round sport with only one championship every three or four months, it can be very easy to lose sight of the purpose for practice and end up just going through the motions. You put so much time into repeating the same movements that you don't really think about them anymore. You put your body on autopilot and your mind drifts far away from the pool. But how does being so disconnected affect your performance?Just going through the motions happens when you are physically doing everything you should, but mentally you are playing over the events of the day, worrying about what your best friend or your crush might be thinking, planning what you'll do after practice or on the weekend, or any number of other possible scenarios that are anything but paying attention to your swimming. Sometimes your coaches cue you into what you should be thinking about. They'll specifically ask for focus on pushoffs, turns, stroke technique, race strategy, pace, descend, max out, etc. But sometimes it seems like just another boring set. This is when you can practice bringing your mind to the motions. You can start practicing mindfulness by honing in on your breathingjust the feeling and sound of exhaling fully underwater and simply drawing air in when your mouth exits the water. Or you can experience the rhythm of your stroke, the comfort of the water holding you up, the rush of the water past your ears, the miracle and craziness of hundreds of people swimming in circles and spaced just so. In other words, just be, and practice attention by gently drawing your mind back to your experience when it begins to wander away to all else in your life.This is the start of learning how to focus, of learning how to channel your attention and energy where it needs to be when it needs to be there. Monotonous sets are not the only instigator of inquisitive minds. Peter Haberl, senior sport psychologist for the U.S. Olympic Committee, teaches mindfulness to the U.S. Olympic team due to the unique distractions present at the Olympic Games.At all levels, swim meets can have a multitude of distractions that capture your mind and direct your attention away from your races. Maybe the team next to you is playing music loudly or publically displaying team drama. Maybe it is unusually hot or cold outside or the water tastes strange. Perhaps there is a lengthy delay due to technology or lightning and you are forced to re-warm up and be ready at a moment's notice. These scenarios and more can throw you off your game if you let your thoughts ramble or exaggerate the significance of what has happened. The goal of mindfulness is to develop
a sense of calm in the midst of the storm.It is most helpful to cultivate mindfulness long before making the Olympic team or competing in your target meet. Next time you practice, become cognizant of what you are doing the moment you are doing ityour breath, your movement, your thoughts. Be present.A helpful exercise is to image being able to watch yourself. My teammate Betsy Nagy once told me, "When I was little I thought it was like flying because you see the bottom of the pool, but you're not on it." You can try to sense your body flying through the water using only the propulsion of your arms and legs. I remember how it felt in high school to swim under a black star-studded sky, somewhat surreal as I flew through chilly liquid, over the black line, moving from my own effort. I remember recognizing this feeling as I experienced it. Try to recognize your time swimming as a special time, somehow just for you, in spite of all your teammates engaged in the same activity. In other words, become aware of your surroundings and your bodily movement, without thought and without judgment, but rather with an attitude of serenity, control, and even awe.From awareness of yourself swimming in practice, you can move to awareness of yourself during the many elements of swim meetspreparation for warm-ups, warm-ups, the waiting period before an event, the event, response to the event, talking to your coach, warming down, and more. By remaining concerned only with the moment, you can reduce anxiety, distractions, fatigue, and pain.It's a huge challenge. Perhaps now is the perfect time to make it a regular part of your practice. When the pressure seems overwhelming and when the craziness of a swim meet steals your attention, back away mentally. When your goals seem far away and the set seems purposeless, seize the moment. Perhaps now is the time to quit letting the environment determine your performance and to start taking control of the present. Perhaps now is the time to quit just going through the motions and to start living them.This article is reprinted with the express written consent of Swimming World.
Change the way you take picturesand change the way you see the world, say Andy Karr and Michael Wood.Photo by Andy Karr and Michael WoodToday, it is raining. On a day like this you might see red, yellow, or green traffic lights reflected on wet pavement. You might see raindrops running down a window pane or hanging from a railing or overhead wire. You might see two people walking under a bright green umbrella. You might see a dull gray sky or a wet red truck. Inside, there will be soft shadows and muted colors. You might even look through the drops on a window and see the landscape distorted by odd-shaped raindrop lenses.When the sun comes out, you might see patterns of light coming through venetian blinds. You might see the complex shadows of trees or bright green leaves against darker foliage. You might see the shapes of someones eyes in profile, or the texture of the fabric of the clothing on your leg. You might look up at a bright sky with high, wispy clouds or notice clumps of light reflected by the windows of an office building onto light gray streets. You might observe a dog sitting on the carpet, half in bright sunlight and half in deep shadow.At dusk the light changes again, and you might see white buildings become orange or pink. As it gets dark, the same buildings might become gray. The sky, too, will change its appearance. If you awake in the middle of the night, the walls and furniture will be monochromatic, illuminated by the moon or a streetlight.The possibilities of perception are limitless, and clear seeing is joyful.Creativity is also limitless. Creativity often seems like an unusual gift that few people are born with or somehow manage to acquire, but creativity is accessible to everyone. It naturally arises from your basic nature when you are open to it. Creativity is something to be uncovered, not something to be wished for. It is not a scarce resource that runs out if you draw on it. Creative possibilities are endless. You dont need to take this on faith: you can experience it for yourself.Unfortunately, much of the time, we are cut off from clear seeing and the creative potential of our basic being. Instead, we get caught up in cascades of internal dialogue and emotionality. Immersed in thoughts, daydreams, and projections, we fabricate our personal versions of the world and dwell within them like silkworms in cocoons. Instead of appreciating the raindrops on the window, we experience something like, This weather is nasty. I have to get to work, and I need a new raincoat. I hope it clears up for the weekend. Seeing patterns of light on the counter becomes, I wish we could afford some nice fabric shades instead of these cheap metal miniblinds. I wonder what color would look nice in here.Generally we are unaware of these currents of mental activity, and it is hard to distinguish what we see from what we think about. For example, when we are in a