Another morning, probably 2016, we’re out on the field for morning training at the local university ground, we’re putting on our boots, I turn to Rohan and say “Bro, I want to try meditation, this guy Tim Ferriss said on his podcast where he interviews the top 1% performers in their field, the most common pattern by far, amongst them is some form of meditation”, Rohan, “Bhai, meditation has deeply impacted me”.
WHHATT? I was shocked to say the least, if you know Rohan you know he’s the last person you’d expect to meditate, he’s the joker of the team, always having fun and I considered meditation something serious people do. He went on to suggest me a ted talk by Dandapani, the guy was in a typical monk robe with three lines across his forehead. I thought to myself, “A monk is the last person I want to listen to for improved performance on the field”, but somehow managed to see the whole talk and dismissed it as something not for me.
Fast forward to now, I’ve been meditating for roughly 5 years and it’s my first thing to do get done ideally, I rarely if ever fail to meditate at least once. My journey started with pranayama (yoga), then guided meditation through @headspace & @wakingup for about 2 years, then I tried inner engineering (Isha foundation) and then finally I went for a 10 day Vipassana silent retreat (look it up if not familiar) last Nov and since then, that’s all I’ve been practising (it’s a simple, no bullshit approach I’ve come across that actually changes you at the fundamental level so assume that all further text is about this technique although feel free to start with whatever suits you initially).
Before I put anything out there, I’m no expert on this but if there’s one thing I want to put out there it’s this!
This word ‘Meditation’, this esoteric term that conjures up an image of a yogi in the Himalayas or uber successful people is just another tool for everyday people like you and I but, with exponential returns (I don’t say this lightly).
Meditation is a meta skill that has improved every aspect of my life, from my performance on the pitch, to higher levels of gratitude, deeper relationships, incredible level of self discipline but most of all I’m just so much more happier with a solid foundation of peace.
It’s not uncommon to assume that you need to get away from everything to meditate, to stay in isolation, remove all external triggers, which can be good for reflection temporarily but beyond that is just another form of escapism, I recommend you use real life changes in yourself to gauge progress.
If you’re someone who can easily keep his focus when someone does something unpleasant, like trying to break your legs in a match, you only engage with mental thoughts you want to, your perception doesn’t get biased when you want to keep someone in your life, you’re able to maintain focus whenever you want, you don’t say things you don’t have to when you’re angry etc. this is not for you, you can carry on living perfectly, for others like me, let’s get back to where we were.
So what is this technique?
It’s a technique you practice just like any other which allows you to look at the ever changing internal and external reality, clearly. On or off the pitch.
I’ve had many moments when I wasn’t seeing things clearly. It could be realising later how unhealthy a relationship was after moving on.Being convinced that I was right when some conflict arises, only to realise later how I could’ve handled it better. Convincing myself to eat something I decided not, when I was well aware that it doesn’t suit my body only to realise later that I made up excuses.
So how does mediation help one see things clearly?
Consider a microscope🔬, you can look at a leaf🍃 through your naked eye and think, it’s just a leaf, “whatever, not much going on here”.
But, when you look at it through the microscope, it’s clear that many processes are going on simultaneously, it’s as ever changing & alive as anything can be, it’s just beyond your level of awareness without the microscope.
Focusing the lens🔍 of the microscope to see the leaf is the first thing you learn because without focusing it you can’t see the leaf🍃 clearly.
It’s important to cultivate this focused attention because it is this focused🔍 microscope🔬 which will allow us to see reality🍃 clearly.
How does one develop focused attention?
Just like we practice passing the ball in an environment with no disturbances before we do it in a match with all kinds of distractions. Focusing on the actual physical sensations of breathing is a good start. For 7 mins before you're swarmed with the daily distractions.
Why does one need to see clearly you may ask?
Well, can you be tricked by your best friend on the pitch? You may be slower or weaker but you know what to expect & you're much more likely to defend in all your physical capacity.
Same is with your mind, you can deal with your mind better when you know the kind go tricks it plays on you.
The attention🔬 and focus🔍 we discussed will equip you with mental balance necessary to deal with the harsh uncomfortable waves of reality which will allow you to take constructive necessary action on or off the field.
This right here is an invitation to explore this tool to be better equipped through Meditation to better deal with ever changing internal and external states. What is other option anyway? To stay safe at the shore? Sure, you’re safe but you’re missing out on life.
Surf the waves of life because as much as we’d like things to stay the same, impermanence is the nature of life.
Meditation is a tool that helps us accept changes as they come & not deny them which will allow us to see reality. This clarity gives us chance to be at peace with reality and have a chance of taking intentional action to change things for the better.
“Wanting to reform the world without discovering one’s true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes.”
― Ramana Maharshi