Positive psychological states for tennis and inner integral development

Positive psychological states for tennis 
and inner integral development 
by Nityananda Atman

Self-esteem, self-confidence, courage and faith constitute the fundamental basis on which all positive mental and emotional qualities can be developed. Parents and teachers we are both responsible to help our children develop the above qualities in order to create happy, creative and successful people and a peaceful and prosperous society.

When we develop certain positive qualities in our mind and heart we can be successful in everything we aspire for and simultaneously we can enjoy the life in a more complete way. 

Tennis can be an activity for health and education, for success but can be also a mean for integral inner development that brings vital-emotional-mental-spiritual balance and harmony. The external success can be only a step in the process to achieve the real success which is to realize that we are unconditional and unlimited: Love- Happiness- Freedom and Peace; to realize that our real nature is consciousness and one with the universal consciousness, that we one with all beings in the whole world. Only when realize ourselves as pure consciousness and love we can experience the real happiness, peace, freedom and total fulfillment.

Certain mental and emotional qualities are necessary in order to achieve a high level of performance in tennis. By eliminating our weaknesses and developing the positive qualities we can achieve this high level of performance.The same qualities that are necessary  for high performance in tennis are necessary to achieve the highest realization of consciousness. that's why the tennis can be uesed as a mean for the inner integral development.

The psychological training the tennis practice and the game itself can help us develop these qualities. We can overcome our weaknesses only if have the opportunity to recognize them under actual conditions and circumstances. We can also develop positive qualities when there are difficulties and great challenges. Tennis give us this opportunity because is a very demanding game. 

Tennis is a game that if we use it in the right way can help us develop a positive character and a high level of mental and emotional qualities. All these are necessary to have success in other aspects and activities of our life and are also necessary to experience deep peace, real happiness, fullness, love and freedom. On the other hand if we have a wrong attitude, tennis can cause the development of negative egoistic psychic qualities which bring only misery and suffering to us and others.

I mention here the qualities that are necessary for a high level performance and inner fulfillment.

MENTAL STATE:

Alertness

Clear perception

Self-awareness

Equanimity
Adaptability
Acceptance

Tranquility-Calmness

Determination

Decisive

Posistive thinking and Self talking

Steady 

Will power

Clarity

Discerment,

One-pointed, concentrated

EMOTIONAL STATE

Faith

Self-confindence

Calm-relaxed

Equanimity

Acceptance 

Patient

Content

Courage

Joyful

Optimism

Motivated

 HIGHER MENTAL STATE 

Spondaneus equanimity

Meditative play

Self-awareness

No-thinking
Stillness
Peace and silence

Intuitive play
Flow

HIGHER EMOTIONAL STATE 

Spondaneus equanimity

Unity

Bliss