meditation?

Cdryden

Cdryden

Pool Addict
Silver Member
I was just curious if anyone else uses meditation before big games to help clear their mind and improve their focus?

I'm not talking about candles and chanting really. Just taking a few minutes to relax and get your mind right.
It's been helpful for me to relieve the stress and i have found that I choose my patterns better and execute them better when my mind is calm.
 
I put on head phones close my eyes, and really listen to a song. I try and pick out every single instrument, inflection in voice, background noises...

After the song is over my focus is spot on and I'm ready to practice.
 
Cdryden said:
I was just curious if anyone else uses meditation before big games to help clear their mind and improve their focus?

I'm not talking about candles and chanting really. Just taking a few minutes to relax and get your mind right.
It's been helpful for me to relieve the stress and i have found that I choose my patterns better and execute them better when my mind is calm.
Click to expand...

I use a pre-match talk with my player to focus properly on the desired outcome.
 
Cdryden said:
I was just curious if anyone else uses meditation before big games to help clear their mind and improve their focus?

I'm not talking about candles and chanting really. Just taking a few minutes to relax and get your mind right.
It's been helpful for me to relieve the stress and i have found that I choose my patterns better and execute them better when my mind is calm.
Click to expand...


................yes.......................
 
To tell ya the truth, these are allot better answers than I thought I would get! It's good to see that there are open minded people out there.
 
angldemn said:
I put on head phones close my eyes, and really listen to a song. I try and pick out every single instrument, inflection in voice, background noises...

After the song is over my focus is spot on and I'm ready to practice.
Click to expand...

Thats a good idea. I might give that one a try next week.
 
aaplayer said:
One of the best forms of meditation to prepare for sucess is Creative Visualization. Most people already do this at some level. One sees themselves achieving their goals. When it is done best every possible aspect of the experience is considered.

For pool, say an upcoming big tournament, visualize the room, the crowd, the scoring beads, mostly allow your subconscious to feel what winning is. Surprisingly it frees your subconscious on gameday and makes it easier to find freestroke. It really helps me when preparing for big events.
Click to expand...

Good reply, I have done this to a lesser degree and I think its a excellent way to prep your mind.
 
Hell, I do that even when I'm not going to play pool. I try to visualize being surrounded by white vapor. Breath in the white vapor which is everything good, breath out, and the vapor is red which is all the bad. Slowly visualize the red starting to fade slowly replaced by small amounts of white coming out. After a good while am breathing in the white and exhaling the white. Sounds crazy, but I'm as relaxed as a wet noodle physically and mentally. If other thought creep into my mind during the meditation time (as they will), I "gently" move them out and get back in the groove.
I heard Yoga was good too, but I'm about as flexible as an oak tree stump, so I'll just stick with the meditation.
 
I am a 3rd degree Reiki practitioner and will tell you that envisioning yourself or someone you are giving a treatment to in white light is what we do.
You are on the right track Bud.

Tanden breathing is the proper way to breath. Breathe in filling your stomach first and letting it expand, secondly, after letting your stomach expand, follow that up by letting your chest expand.
In thru the nose and somewhat forceful exhale thru your mouth. Practice and you will find the proper rhythm.
 
Cdryden said:
I was just curious if anyone else uses meditation before big games to help clear their mind and improve their focus?

I'm not talking about candles and chanting really. Just taking a few minutes to relax and get your mind right.
It's been helpful for me to relieve the stress and i have found that I choose my patterns better and execute them better when my mind is calm.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! Pool is defined as a precision, non-reactive sport. Therefore, improving visualization skills and relaxation are key. Meditation, mindfulness-of-breath exercises and hypnosis can be beneficial in building these skills.
 
great post. nothing like learning on az forum! :thumbup: so i 'll change from medication to to meditation! :thumbup:
 
oldplayer said:
great post. nothing like learning on az forum! :thumbup: so i 'll change from medication to to meditation! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention medication, I am working at not needing to take my pain meds anymore to play. I don't take them all the time but during long sessions they are almost a necessity. Meditating is helping me with that and so is yoga. I doubt I will ever be pain free but I am hoping to be able to manage it better without opiates.
 
In the zen tradition we have a term "absolute samadhi" this is the purest condition of our existence where no reflecting action of consciousness appears, just pure awareness. I can attest that this state is very profound and even a short experience can be life changing!

We also have "positive samadhi" this is when one's mind is absorbed in outward circumstances. There are various degrees of absorption, periods of duration and differences between voluntary and involuntary attention.

Positive samadhi can be very helpful to your pool game, if you can not be self-conscious about your behavior, emotions or thoughts and completely focused on the game. Everyone has probably had this experience, the so called "being in dead stroke"

The practice of formal meditation will help with positive samadhi because you learn to control the discursive nature of the mind. It will also bring more peace to your life!
 
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