Musings 1.9

“Ecstasy is really the result of our limited ability to concentrate” - George Mumford

I’ve been working my way through George Mumford’s ‘The Mindful Athlete’ recently and I must say that it’s definitely worth a read. I know people can always hold a bit of scepticism when it comes to concepts like mindfulness and George does a really good job of explaining things in a relatable way.

Despite the fact that George has spent years working with top athletes like Michael Jordan, the lessons and practicality from his methods do draw a level of simplicity that’s given me a lot to reflect on - In particular, how achievable a state of mindfulness can be.

We all reach states of mindfulness at certain points in life and you can think about the quote above to try to identify these moments for yourself. When have you been so engrossed in an activity or process that the mechanics and thought processes melt away and leave you in that state of bliss, ecstasy or flow?

I can think of numerous instances when it comes to sports like surfing or golf, but there are other areas like writing, or even spending time with family where all of the other thoughts, worries or to-do lists become a non-factor.

So the question then becomes, how can you put yourself in a position to feel this? How do you focus on the ‘thing’ rather than the thought of the ‘thing’? How do you become present?

I’m sure everyone has a different answer to this so I’ll leave it as a question that I’d love to hear some answers to.

Canon G12. ISO 125 | f4 | 1/320