13 Principles of Effortless Motion
No. 4 – The meditative state and ‘the zone’ are synonymous; the former trains the mind to attain stillness, the latter is the experience of stillness while in motion.
For almost three decades now, we’ve known through neuroscience research that the brainwaves of someone in deep meditation and the brainwaves of an athlete in ‘the zone’ are doing pretty much the same thing.
To be specific, in both meditation practice and the zone (aka flow), the brainwaves change from the beta cycle (where brainwave activity is between 14 and 30 cycles per second) to a state known as alpha (a brainwave pattern of 9 to 12 cycles per second) which is often described as peaceful and relaxed, giving the practitioner access to more creative and intuitive realms.
Edison, Einstein and many other brilliant thinkers considered daily meditation practice essential to their work and today many athletes are finding that their ability to perform, especially when under pressure, is greatly enhanced by this ancient practice.
What’s interesting about the zone (and its parallel, the Zen-mind of deep meditation) is that time itself seems to become more pliable and even slow down altogether.
You’ll probably know from experience that when you’re nervous or your mind is too busy as you prepare to perform, whether it’s a golf swing, a tennis back-hand, a half-pipe routine or playing the piano, your movement isn’t quite as free as it was in practice or rehearsal when there was nobody watching and there was no pressure on you to excel. You may have felt rushed and this lead to a poorly executed shot or routine.
Yet when you prepare to perform or compete with a quiet mind (usually a sign that you’re breathing deep into your abdomen) you have all the time you need to make the shot, to reach the ball, to land with balance and precision and to play with freedom.
Over and over my students, from junior tennis-players to veteran golfers and from club amateur to world-class elite have all remarked that when they’re in the zone they perform in a way that is instinctive and intuitive and moreover joyful.
So if all this is true, what’s the secret of performing well under pressure every time you’re in contention or on stage?
Simply, it seems that the mind, when left unchecked can wreak havoc with fluidity and precision of motion as over-thinking technique interrupts the signals sent from the motor-system to the body, disrupting your natural movement skills, and negating your ability to move in a way that is free and effortless.
It’s the same with your emotions as any extreme feeling, whether fear, irritation or excitement can disrupt the delicate thread of your mind~body connection, making you rush your preparation which and your routine and result in a less than satisfactory performance.
Whatever’s going on inside you will manifest itself in the way you move.
Time and again it’s shown that if you can find the disciple to sit quietly for 15-20 minutes each day, you will develop the ability to draw upon a reservoir of inner stillness (a quiet mind and neutral emotions) when you’re out on the course and this will ensure you play the game in a way that rewards you for your effort.
Ultimately, inner stillness creates the ability to deliver complex movement in a way that is effortless, even when you’re under pressure.
