Meditation For Beasts

Do beasts meditate? 

Hell yeah!

The late Kobe Bryant used to meditate, LeBron James meditates, Ben Simmons meditates.

Even the Hulk meditates!

Okay, I made that last one up. But the point is that, while ‘meditation’ and ‘beasts’ seem so at odds with each other, meditation could actually be the key that unlocks the door to your inner reserves so that you’re mentally ready for a fight. 

A lot of people see meditation as some sort of wacky, new-age BS that only hippies do. But it’s not that at all: For beasts, it could be their most powerful tool yet. 

In this article, Beast Gear takes a look at what meditation is, why you should meditate - as well as how you can meditate. 

What Is Meditation?

Some call it meditation, some call it mindfulness meditation. Whatever you want to call it, meditation is when you put some time aside to do nothing else except literally focus on your current thoughts.

This means you block out all thoughts of the past and the future, as well as any distractions. You tune in to how you’re feeling right now. Sure, thoughts will come into your mind as you do this, but the idea is that you let them drift in before watching them drift out again. You don’t judge these thoughts - you just quietly and contemplatively observe them.

Benefits of Meditation For Beasts

Meditation Makes You More Present 

Earlier, I mentioned a couple of beastly NBA stars who meditate. They do it because meditation helps them to be more present. 

This is really important in sport because, when we’re distracted for even just a second, it can knock us so out of our stride that our opponent delivers a crushing blow.

Consider the tennis star Nick Kyrgios. Great player but terrible at focusing on the present moment. His lack of discipline in this respect has cost him so many points, it’s unreal. 

Meditation Makes You a More Rounded Person

Take a look at the athletes who have won consistently. I’m not saying they are flawless people, but what they do have is a solid life away from the arena/court/ring. 

Meditation makes you a more focused, better person who’s got your shit together in real life. And when your shit is together IRL, your performance in the ring will improve immeasurably.

If, on the other hand, your life is falling apart, you will find it very hard to win consistently in your sport of choice. 

Meditation Helps You During Pressure Cooker Moments 

Combat is itself a pressure cooker environment. He/she who has nerves of steel during those high stakes and high-pressure moments wins.

Meditation helps with this. It keeps your mind calm and fast during those times when you might otherwise panic and mess things up. 

How To Meditate 

Meditation can be done in just a few steps: 

Put 15 minutes aside each day to meditate. Turn anything off that might distract you and just sit somewhere comfortable, such as the sofa or your bed

Relax, close your eyes and shift your attention to your breathing. Become aware of the way you inhale and exhale. Observe the way your body feels 

If your mind wanders, bring it back to your breathing. This is where your concentration needs to be 

That’s literally it. Do this each day for 15 minutes if possible and soon you will become aware of how much more present you are each day.