Tennis and Self-realization - Playing in the zone by Nityananda Atman

Tennis and Self-realization

Maslows hierarchy of needs

Tennis game wisely utilized together with regular practice and a sattvic living can be a mean for the achievement of this highest realization.

The yogi tennis player must follow a sattvic life style and must practice various techniques, methods and practices in order to establish health, balance and harmony at all levels of existence. With systematic daily practice he has to develop gradually the positive mental and emotional qualities which are necessary for a high level of performance and at the same time are the fundamental qualities for the realization of truth. 

Playing in the zone

By daily meditation the tennis player will develop self-awareness and the witnessing consciousness. That means that he will be able to disidentify from the mental and emotional movements observing them as a spectator. Thus he will be able to free his mind from the mechanical distubing thoughts and emotions and achieve a meditative state during practice and game which is called is sports – in the zone.

Playing in the zone will be the main goal of the tennis yogi player. By playing in the zone the mind becomes tranquil, steady, focused and transcends its mental and emotional activities. The movements become spontaneous and harmonious, the performance reaches its highest limits and at the same time the athlete experiences uncaused peace, happiness and unity.

The final goal for the yogi tennis player is to enter in the zone state effortlessly and spontaneously and finally be established in it; viz. without interruption to experience the freedom, peace and bliss of his divine nature (Consciousness).

Goal Setting by Nityananda Atman

Goal Setting  
by Nityananda Atman

Goal-setting can be an important part of any player's training plan, whether their goal is to improve their physical skills, technical skills, tactical skills or psychological skills.

Setting goals is easy; reaching goals is tough.That’s why it is necessary the development of certain psychological qualities such as patience, determination, will power, self-confidenceetc. that can help us be steady with our practice until reach our goals.

When we set goals we must  always remember

"Keep it simple" 

"Be flexible"

"Be open minded" 
"Use common sense"

"Enjoy every moment of your practice"

THE ADVANTAGES OF SETTING GOALS

Create greater motivation and interest.
It helps us to be more methodical and effective.
It helps to have faster results.
It helps us to evaluate our effort and progress.

Motivate us to increase our effort and stick with our plan.
It helps us find our weaknesses.

We become more creative finding new ways and methods to accomplish our goals.

It helps us to be more focused to what is important.

ACCORDING THE TIME WE SET :

 Short-term goals (the goals of the day or week)
Medium-term goals (monthly, quarterly)
Long-term goals (semester, annual, perennial)

ATTENTION

Do not set too many short-term goals. Goal-setting works best when you focus on one goal at a time.  Many people get bogged down by working on too many goals at once.
Do not set unrealistic goals out of reach of your level and time.

Also, remember to be flexible.Sometimes goals need to be modified, especially if you are new at goal-setting.  Changing goals is not a sign of failure; it merely helps you become more specific about what you need to do now, considering information you didn’t have at the time you originally set your goals.

SETTING THE GOALS:

Write down your goals (this one is very important!)

Follow measure  and common sense

Keep the process of setting goals simple.

Create goals for both training and competitions

Set positive, not negative, goals (what you will do, not what you won’t do)

Evaluate the current level of the skills you want to develop.
Set realistic goals regarding the level and time available.Set goals corresponded amount and difficulty to your level. Make goals moderately difficult.

Set specific measurable goals, not abstract. Define exactly what you want to achieve. Use numbers detailing how often, how many, how much.

Decide the means that will use.
Decide the method to follow. 
Set a schedule.
Increase the amount and difficulty of goals gradually (step by step).
Track goal progress.

Be flexible and make modifications or change the goal if it is needed

Review your progress.

Reevaluate goals weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually.
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Use Your “SMARTS”

Time-management consultant Hyrum W. Smith created this acronym to help people remember some of the most important aspects of effective goal-setting.  Keep these things in mind as you create each of your goals:

S = Specific – Run faster is too vague.  Finishing a 10K in less than 45 minutes is specific.

M = Measurable – Quantify goals.  Use numbers detailing how often, how many, how much.

A = Action-Oriented – Goals should imply actions that you need to take.

R = Realistic – Make your goals moderately difficult, but reachable.

T = Timely – Create goals that you can reach in a reasonable time.

S = Self-Determined – Set your own goals, ones that are meaningful to you.

What makes a yogi and a professional tennis player successful by Nityananda Atman

The yogi Paramahansa Yogananda

Rafael Nadal

What makes a yogi and a professional tennis player successful
by Nityananda Atman

Great yogis and great professional players possess similar qualities. These qualities make them successful in their endeavors .

These qualities are necessary for everyone who wants to achieve a great goal in this life.

Similar qualities

1.      Dedication

2.      Devotion

3.      Diligent - They do their best and they are determined to do anything that is necessary to achieve their goal .They are fully motivated and they want fully to succeed in their goal. 

4.      Determination

5.      Will-power

6.      Perseverance

7.      Forbearance

8.      Self-discipline

9.      Self-control

10.  Self-confidence, faith

11.  Sacrifice
12. Concentration
13. Courrage   

 Yogis have developed these qualities in a higher degree than tennis players. 

 Tennis players can become yogis more easily than average people if they want because already have these foundamental qualities in a high degree.
 

Differences between a yogi and a tennis player

1.      The yogi wants to conquer his mind and go beyond it.

The tennis player wants to conquer the match.

 2.   The yogi has complete control on his mind. He has conquest his mind by prolonged spiritual practices and meditation.

The tennis player has partial control of his mind

3.      The yogi’s mind is detached and dispassionate towards sense objects.

The tennis player mind is attached, passionate and identified with the sense objects.

4.      The yogi’s mind remains tranquil and equanimous between the pairs of opposites. He remains peaceful and content and quite indifferent in success and failure, pleasure and pain, censure and praise etc.

The tennis player mind easily becomes distracted, uneasy, anxious and worried when things do not go as he wants to. His mind moves between the desire for success and fear and anger for failure.

5.     The yogi wants to make his mind sattvic introverted in order to realize his true nature which is pure consciousness and identical with the universal consciousness.

The mind of tennis player is rajasic extroverted and driven towards sense objects, seeking momentary happiness, success and fame. The rajasic mind needs to be approved and accepted by the public in order to feel special and worthy.

6.   The tennis players want to train their body and mind in order to win tournaments which will give them impermanent, trifling happiness, prestige, fame and money.

The yogi wants to purify his body, vital, heart and mind in order to make his mind one-pointed and focused within. He wants to transcend his mind and realize the truth. He wants to be free from the illusory forms created by the mind and experience eternal, peace freedom and bliss.