Surfing is much more than a sport. To us at Real Surf Trips, surfing is a way of life. We follow the swell and the rise and fall of the tide. To us, surfing is total freedom.
Surfing has the ability to touch us on an emotional level. There was a recent study carried out to determine the effects of surfing on the body and mind. 107 surfers, ages 18-58 participated in a 30 minute surfing session. As predicted, the results showed a major increase in positive feelings while decreasing negative feelings, like anxiety and fatigue.
This should come as no surprise to any surfer. The feeling of riding a wave is unlike any other. For a brief moment, time stands totally still. All other distractions of daily life are nonexistent. Yet, once out of the water, our minds may begin to wander. And the stress of everyday life might creep in.
So how can we stay calm and focused outside of the water? One word: mindfulness. Mindfulness is the simple act of bringing awareness to what is happening in the moment, while giving your full attention to it. It’s so simple, yet incredibly profound.
There are innumerable amounts of mindfulness practices. Here’s one of our favorites at RST.
Sit quietly and focus on your natural breathing or on a word or “mantra” that you repeat silently. Allow thoughts to come and go without judgment and return to your focus on breath or mantra. Do this for 5 minutes. This may seem like an eternity at first, but over time you can easily sit for 15 minutes or longer.
Cultivating this mindfulness out of the water can help you stay calm and collected in the water, especially during a big swell. But don’t take our word for it…
Professional big wave surfer Greg Long recently said, “When you become mindful of your thoughts, you can control or set yourself free from the non-enhancing feelings or emotions like stress or fear. Although, it is much easier said than done sometimes. One of the greatest allures of big wave surfing for me is that I am regularly put in situations that I have no control over and are often fear inducing. In doing so, I am forced to rely on my mind in order to overcome these obstacles and ride the waves I do. When I do, it is the greatest feeling of accomplishment.”
The way you feel in your day to day life comes full circle when you’re out in the water. It’s important to practice these things daily especially if you want to take your surfing to the next level!