Meditation and surfing: clear your mind and surf with your heart | Photo: Shutterstock

Meditating and surfing. For many surfers, it's the ultimate experience. Learn how to add meditation to your surfing routine.

A meditation session is a rendezvous between you and yourself.

It's all about training, soothing the mind, and entering a freedom and self-awareness mode that induces relaxation, joy, patience, emotional balance, and love.

Meditation can be a path to achieving a spiritual end, but it is not necessarily linked with religions and sacred activities.

As you may have noticed, a growing number of people meditate to clear their minds from stress, tension, anxiety, and depressive disorders.

Meditation also increases the level of focus and attention, bringing serenity to our lives.

Western societies are slowly turning to meditation, and surfers, as always, are leading the way. The empathy between meditation and surfing is evident.

In Sync With the Waves

Surfers are - or should be - in perfect sync with nature, the ocean, and the waves.

Whether you're a pro surfer or a recreational weekend surfer, you constantly need to build your concentration, focus, and attention so that you're in tune with the elements of water, air, earth, and, most of all, yourself.

For many of us, surfing is a spiritual experience, and riding a wave is an indescribable moment of zen.

Have you ever closed your eyes between sets? Try it, and simply stay in the moment.

That's the first step towards a meditative state of mind. But don't think it's as simple as that.

Training the mind is a continuous process that involves practice, patience, and compassion, just like surfing.

So, why do we only exercise our bodies and almost never train our minds? If our brains command our muscles, why don't we keep them healthy and clean?

What are we doing with the brilliant machine that produces our thoughts and decisions?

Meditation: strengthen your concentration, focus, and attention for surfing | Photo: Creative Commons

Meditation: Ideal Conditions

If you want to include meditation in your surf training program, here's how you should start doing it. 

You can meditate with or without music.

There are plenty of new-age songs and soothing sounds of the ocean available online to help you enter a meditative status.

A serene, low-light environment will also improve your first meditation session.

Guided meditations can be extremely helpful at the beginning of your practice. And you ask: what do I need to start meditating? It's easy.

All you need is will and certain conditions that invite your mind to relax:

  1. Choose a day when you feel relaxed and ready to give meditation a go;
  2. Find a comfortable spot: it can be your home, the office, your local beach, or even an empty lineup;
  3. Wear loose clothes;
  4. Turn the music on or off;

How to Meditate

Once the environment is set, how can a surfer start a meditation practice?

Like in surfing, there is no strict formula to start it off. The best meditation technique is the one that works for you.

However, you can follow a few simple relaxation guidelines specially designed for surfers while they wait for waves:

  1. Sit on the surfboard with the spine in the upright position;
  2. Place your hands on your thighs;
  3. Slowly close your eyes;
  4. Make the necessary body adjustments until you find a natural, comfortable position and straight posture;
  5. Steadily inhale and exhale through your nose only;
  6. Relax your jaw muscles;
  7. Concentrate on your breathing rhythm;
  8. Forget any pressure to reach a relaxed state;
  9. Ignore everything around you, including sounds, smells, touches, and tastes;
  10. When you feel it's time, stop your meditation and slowly open your eyes;

Surfing: learn how to meditate while you wait for waves | Photo: Shutterstock

A Perfect Practice for Surfers

Meditation is never a waste of time. On the contrary, a meditative state of mind is extremely beneficial for your mind and will rest the brain for long periods of time.

Daily practice is good for your wellness - you'll discover the inspiration, peace, and liberation needed to challenge crowded lineups, snaking, dangerous beginner surfers, and even fear of big waves and three-wave hold-downs.

Many surfers meditate: Dave Rastovich, Shaun Tomson, Gerry Lopez, Taylor Knox, Dick Brewer, and Greg Long have their moments of mindfulness on a regular basis.

Scientists have already concluded that mindfulness practice is an effective therapy for chronic low back pain, a recurrent issue in the sport.

Surfing is totally compatible with meditation and vice-versa.

They complement each other, especially those who believe in wave riding as a lifestyle and a path to self-awareness.

Include meditation in your surfing activities. It doesn't matter if it's just for five minutes.

Start meditating now: channel positive energy into your inner self and free your mind.

Discover the best yoga poses for surfers.

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