Sports For The Young And How It Develops An Essential Harmony Of Body, Mind And Soul
I am the mother of a fourteen year old with a serious, ongoing commitment to tennis. I see his journey as a student, adolescent and athlete and I try and appreciate it as a mindfulness coach and healer. There are thousands of articles on the good that regular participation in sports does for the young, but rarely have I seen a write up that presents a synthesis of what happens in the mind, body and soul. It is from the harmony of our bodily, mental and spiritual existence that we find true bliss.
We have all heard that ‘health is wealth’. By that logic, early sports is like starting to save from the start. You are building good health capital for your children if they , literally, ‘sweat it out’. It is no revelation that staying active promotes good health. Research has shown that living an active lifestyle from a young age decreases the chances of contracting lifestyle diseases such as Hypertension, Type-2 Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Gastrointestinal complications and Insomnia later in life.
More importantly, exercise can help relieve stress which is not at all an abstraction even at the youngest age. Our children are facing very stressful conditions thanks to the complications, pressures and exigencies modern life throws up.
If this childhood stress is mismanaged, children may be at risk of developing anxiety disorders. In the soul, stillness is created only when the body and mind can cope with the external conditions and create equanimity. In Sanskrit – Sthir bhaav was considered a manifestation of a Jitendriya. One who is unreflexive, meditative is often the one who has acquired control over the senses. And one cannot do that when beset with bodily ailments, or being unable to cope with stress or mental distress.
Exercise activates the parts of the brain that release feel good neurotransmitters such as endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Neurotransmitters are vital in regulating moods and are released when you participate in physical activity. So, when children are keeping active, they are effectively managing their levels of stress without even realising it.
Physical activities can improve academic performance: As a child progresses through school, provided his/her sporting achievement is credible , soon a time comes when the two progress lines intersect. Do I continue playing a sport or do I withdraw and focus on my grades ? This is an oft seen conflict for the child. Well, to my mind, there is no ‘or’ involved here but always an ‘and’. In fact one aids the other. Sportspersons will have- on average- better test scores, more positive attitudes, increased opportunities to excel outside of the classroom, as well as improved classroom manners and attention spans than children who do not participate in sports from a young age.
Harmony is often about balancing the pulls and pressures from your immediate environment. This aspect is seen as our Emotinal Quotient (E.Q.) and indeed sports can vastly improve it. Honesty, teamwork, commitment, having respect for others, understanding rules and handling both winning and losing with maturity.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, considered one of the co-founders of positive psychology, was the first to identify and research flow - a concept describing those moments when you’re completely absorbed in a challenging but doable task.
He researched people who did activities for pleasure, even when they were not rewarded with money or fame. He considered artists, writers, athletes, chess masters, and surgeons – individuals who were involved in activities they preferred. He was surprised to discover that enjoyment did not result from relaxing or living without stress, but during these intense activities, in which their attention was fully absorbed. He called this state flow, because during his research, people illustrated their intense experiences using the metaphor of being carried by a current like a river flow.
Another vital and character building outcome of competitive sport is the ‘inner conversation’ and reflection that is required to excel. The highest performers are competing with themselves and forever, intensely, in conversation with their subconscious negativities.
To be at ease with oneself even when driven is magical. It elevates human endeavour to a spiritual level.
Finally, when my son is back home and has a meal and sleeps peacefully, I feel that’s all the reward one needs.
Play on !
