Life Resource Center

Our culture puts emphasis on externalizing efforts, pushing people to strive, to set goals, to go after them in linear fashion.   The “god” of the bottom line devalues the need to alternate periods of intense activity with relaxation or release.  Balancing the striving with letting go is not the usual.  Therefore, the tranquility and calmness that results from mastery of the mind is the exception.  On the other hand although changing, the Eastern culture for the most part spends more time in introspection, mediation and prayer.  The tendency is to devalue the behaviors of the striving materialistic West.  It is not hard to see that letting go of the polarities of both cultures, and incooperating the best of each would allow us to be a more complete human being.

Tiger Woods balances the best of both worlds, having absorbed Eastern teachings from a Thai born mother, who imparted the wisdom of inner peace and reaching a transcendent calm in the midst of intense pressure.  This mental mastery is supplemented by his American goal oriented father, who no doubt taught and pushed his son to physical and technical excellence.  The marriage of inner and outer strengths gives Tiger Woods the edge which is exemplified in his ongoing peak performances.

We do not have to be reborn, but we do have to balance become more aware and reclaim what was naturally ours as children.  In childhood we had that state of attention, focus and the experience of being in the flow.  Occasionally in adult life we have the experience of being passionate, focused, attentive, quite productive, as though we can do nothing wrong. Think back and remember an incident when you felt this cohesiveness in your body, actions and being one with your surroundings.

Basic to being in the zone is how we breathe.  It is so simple, so important, so fundamental to our well being and balance, we usually take it for granted unless we get frightened and hyperventilate.  Paying attention to ones breathing means just that, nothing more, no forcing to make it deeper or to change its rhythm, no trying to control it.  Is your breath quite shallow, at your nostrils, in your chest or if you are calm and relaxed it may be localized in the belly.  Get focused and notice what is happening.  Are the incessant thoughts and feelings fragmenting you, pulling you hither and yon like an unbroken colt.  Remember how babies breath from the belly.  The belly is below the agitations of our mental chatter and such breathing, centers us.  As children this was natural for us, but as adults it takes practice to get it back. .  After the breath what do we do?  More next time.