Extreme Peace

While watching a video of extreme athletes doing their thing on YouTube, I found myself feeling a little jealous of them. The exhilaration they must feel while flying through the air on skis, or balancing on a board as a tremendous wave drives them forward! The amazing strength, speed and balance demonstrated as the parkour guys leap from pillar to post! And the sight of rock climbers high up on a sheer face simply took my breath away.

As I watched these crazy folks, I realized that extreme sports demand intense concentration. For me, moving from Wild Thing to Full Wheel in yoga class takes attention and a certain amount of courage; but really, if I failed I would only have a headache and maybe a lump on my head. A double flip on a snowboard turns out badly and, well, I’d rather not go there . . . And although there are plenty of physical factors that need to be in place during an extreme challenge, I am sure the mental and emotional factors are at least as important.

There is nothing in my system that would allow me to do any of those things. If you’re like me, preferring the safety of a yoga mat over the perils of a mountain bike, I recommend adding meditation to your routine. I know that sitting in a chair with your eyes closed doesn’t seem to be on par with flying through the snowy air, but I assure you that both activities concentrate and focus the mind in a beneficial way. Extreme sports and meditation each encourage your mind to move away from the thousands of tiny details of life to focus on one thing. While surfing, you’ll focus on what the water may do next; during meditation, you’ll focus on a mantra, your breath, or nothing. In the end, everyone will feel clear, healthy and released.

Your choice: ski-jump or meditate. Result: Peace.