Meta-Awareness Learning

[wmblake2000]

To those wondering why people just don't get right and take the fear away. ( appologize if I'm misunderstanding )

 

Just doesn't work that way I'm afraid. " getting your head right " is such a subjective thing. Who's head IS right ? What measure is used for that ?

 

Most of the hyper successful people in history have been described as borderline psychotic at certain times. It takes a unreasonable drive to overcome the fears described above. It's not about " getting your head right " in terms of some sort of help to be " normal ". Normal doesn't exist. It's a made up term to describe apathy in humans. Emotions like fear are healthy. IF we learn how to overcome it. The idea that " normal " people walk around " happy " without any issues is just false. There's no getting right to avoid these. It's deal with it as it comes. That's the same as any human. I say that as old school as anyone. But from a place where my fight or flight is always fight. I almost have no flight in me. But yet I have fears galore pop up. I've just been forced to deal with them all my life. Nobody to coddle me and allow me to " flee".

 

I'll stop my rant with this. My grandad who served in Europe and Japan in wwII attached to the 8th Air Force. Said this to me " if anyone ever tells you they weren't scared in war , they are a damn liar "... the man had 14 battle stars and enough points ( look up the points system ) to have gone home 8 months before the war ended. And he stayed. It's not about eliminating fear. It's about dealing with it.

 

I read Nicklaus way back... he was talking about fear. Said that when he had a 3 footer to win a major he was so nervous he thought he could throw up in his shoe. But he also believed he was the best in the world at making a putt when you're this nervous, so he paid it no attention and instead focused on what it took to sink the putt.

[wmblake2000]

Jim,

I've read that many people study zen, can do some of the exercises, but then loose interest and revert back to their old way of thinking. Is this what you see commonly? I wonder if it helps to have some affliction you are dealing with and you seek out MA to realize how profound it is?

 

The irony is, from the Buddha, is all of life is suffering. The second irony is, human beings have the capacity to bury/ignore their suffering (and thus, act out of it). I agree with those who believe they are fortunate to recognize their suffering, as it inspires a kind of quest that pays dividends, when done honestly.

 

I would describe my own life and process with meditation as most challenging (and more rewarding) aspiration of all I have done. In the process of growth, one encounters the whole truth of his/her being - the good, the bad, the ugly. The recognition of sublime beauty is not a trivial process - it requires the very best we can bring to the table over time to transform. This battle is at the heart of all religions.

 

In 2018, we are just beginning to grasp how consciousness works at a broader level. In the process, all kinds of popular notions spring up, most of which are tied to marketing a new car or something.

 

However, as we look at the prospect of 10 billion human beings on the planet in a few short years, and the impact of that incredible number of people has on the viability of humans, it is my personal belief that a large-scale embracing of the wisdom and sanity embedded in this kind of practice is critical for realistic hope for the future.

 

Way off topic. I don't go down this path here very often, but this seemed to be a little discussion where it's not just totally off-topic. (Well, yes it it. Apologies!)

Yep going a little Ken Wilber on us there? Haha nothing wrong with that.

 

Ha! Not many know who Ken Wilber is!

 

This is the kind of stuff I think about all the time. 10 billion and the real risks in the future and how to not feel powerless against such a prospect. My little goal is to influence as many as I can to adopt practices that expand their awareness of their own consciousness. Starting with me.

[bladehunter]

Jim,

I've read that many people study zen, can do some of the exercises, but then loose interest and revert back to their old way of thinking. Is this what you see commonly? I wonder if it helps to have some affliction you are dealing with and you seek out MA to realize how profound it is?

 

The irony is, from the Buddha, is all of life is suffering. The second irony is, human beings have the capacity to bury/ignore their suffering (and thus, act out of it). I agree with those who believe they are fortunate to recognize their suffering, as it inspires a kind of quest that pays dividends, when done honestly.

 

I would describe my own life and process with meditation as most challenging (and more rewarding) aspiration of all I have done. In the process of growth, one encounters the whole truth of his/her being - the good, the bad, the ugly. The recognition of sublime beauty is not a trivial process - it requires the very best we can bring to the table over time to transform. This battle is at the heart of all religions.

 

In 2018, we are just beginning to grasp how consciousness works at a broader level. In the process, all kinds of popular notions spring up, most of which are tied to marketing a new car or something.

 

However, as we look at the prospect of 10 billion human beings on the planet in a few short years, and the impact of that incredible number of people has on the viability of humans, it is my personal belief that a large-scale embracing of the wisdom and sanity embedded in this kind of practice is critical for realistic hope for the future.

 

Way off topic. I don't go down this path here very often, but this seemed to be a little discussion where it's not just totally off-topic. (Well, yes it it. Apologies!)

 

Man yes. That’s my kind of “ wondering “. Incredibly hard to find a soul in everyday life who gets that kind of cognition.

 

Soooo many questions. Sooooo few answers.

[jbw749]

Maybe Jim can speak to this. But I think people get hung up on what they want their swing to look like too much while playing golf and at the range. If there's a ball in front of you and you expect a good result then it's better to go with the guy or gal you brought to the dance even if he or she is unattractive.

Meaning use MA to get into the present, let the talking ego part of your mind focus on an external cue with no judgment and let the subconscious show you how it's done regardless of what it looks like. Take this approach on every swing and find out what you can and can't do.

If that's not enough to play where your satisfied, then you get and instructor and make changes.

 

 

[Jim Waldron]

One of my basic mental game rules is this ( and only a few exceptions to it and then only for very advanced players with good swing mechanics in the first place): do not ever attempt to try to change your swing mechanics during the swing when playing golf.

 

Doing so tends to make one flinch, which is the basic reason for the rule. This mistake is one of the root causes for the yips, which are now at epidemic levels in golf.

 

I would rather have a swing that manifests a flaw without a finch than a swing with that flaw plus a flinch.

 

The idea that a mid to high handicap has the swing smarts, skill and the strong mind-brain/body connection needed to change their swing mechanics (moving body parts) for the better - and consistently to do that, ie counting on random luck does not qualify - through effort or thinking or will power is absurd. The evidence is overwhelming that the opposite is the truth.

 

Play with the swing you have that day, and if it is a one way miss, you can shoot very low scores taking that miss into consideration when choosing your target and your aim.

 

And yet that belief is widespread in golf. 90% of the threads on this forum would disappear if golfers truly understood this fact.

 

Think of it like this: practicing mechanics and playing golf are polar opposite mindsets. When playing, you trust the swing you have at that point in time, and you turn over control of your body to your subconscious mind, which has a proven capacity for producing good outcomes. It has innate athletic intelligence and if you took the time to get good instruction and even more time in practice mode, to ingrain into your subconscious memory bank the proper mechanics, then its time to trust that all of that practice time (mainly slow motion mirror work but also range time) was done for a reason, which is to allow your subconscious mind to make your body do the right moves.

 

This is sport psychology 101 information and something known for hundreds of years in the Asian martial arts tradition.

[Jim Waldron]

Jim,

I've read that many people study zen, can do some of the exercises, but then loose interest and revert back to their old way of thinking. Is this what you see commonly? I wonder if it helps to have some affliction you are dealing with and you seek out MA to realize how profound it is?

 

The irony is, from the Buddha, is all of life is suffering. The second irony is, human beings have the capacity to bury/ignore their suffering (and thus, act out of it). I agree with those who believe they are fortunate to recognize their suffering, as it inspires a kind of quest that pays dividends, when done honestly.

 

I would describe my own life and process with meditation as most challenging (and more rewarding) aspiration of all I have done. In the process of growth, one encounters the whole truth of his/her being - the good, the bad, the ugly. The recognition of sublime beauty is not a trivial process - it requires the very best we can bring to the table over time to transform. This battle is at the heart of all religions.

 

In 2018, we are just beginning to grasp how consciousness works at a broader level. In the process, all kinds of popular notions spring up, most of which are tied to marketing a new car or something.

 

However, as we look at the prospect of 10 billion human beings on the planet in a few short years, and the impact of that incredible number of people has on the viability of humans, it is my personal belief that a large-scale embracing of the wisdom and sanity embedded in this kind of practice is critical for realistic hope for the future.

 

Way off topic. I don't go down this path here very often, but this seemed to be a little discussion where it's not just totally off-topic. (Well, yes it it. Apologies!)

Yep going a little Ken Wilber on us there? Haha nothing wrong with that.

 

Ha! Not many know who Ken Wilber is!

 

This is the kind of stuff I think about all the time. 10 billion and the real risks in the future and how to not feel powerless against such a prospect. My little goal is to influence as many as I can to adopt practices that expand their awareness of their own consciousness. Starting with me.

 

That Tibetan Buddhist teacher I mentioned was also Ken Wilbur's teacher....small world.

[FourTops]

In the last year my putting has "gone wild" on the course. On the putting green I can putt so well even the pro said "great putting stroke!". I putt for hours...literally. But on the course it's the polar opposite. I can take the same practice swings that replicate the putting green...and I know they are...but as SOON as I set the putter down behind the ball my brain seems to go into a frenzy and sends panic signals to my right hand. There are times I seriously cannot start the putter back...I have to back away. I have no idea how or why this started because not long ago I was under 30 putts consistently.

[Tanner25]

Ok, so, I am going to try this whole MA thing. But, I will ease into it. I've had some success with pulling down from the top with my left hand. It gives me some power. Today, I used this thought as a pre-swing thought away from the ball. Then after stepping into the shot, I just focused on my pre-shot routine (target, alignment, posture, balance) and then swing and noticing the outcome. So, far so good for 9 holes. The one thing that is enjoyable is just letting it happen is less stressful compared to taking to body parts.

[Tanner25]

I'm listening to this series in a whole different way. There are many elements of MA.

 

[jbw749]

I'm listening to this series in a whole different way. There are many elements of MA.

 

 

Pretty good I gave it a thumbs up.

[jbw749]

 

 

 

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in a dark room. Your staring at a pitch black corner of the room. That pitch black corner represents the part of your brain where thoughts come out. As thoughts materialize in your mind watch them in whatever form they take come out of that corner. No matter what the thought is do NOT judge it, just witness. Notice how being the watcher lessens the thoughts. Can you get them to not come out at all even for a few seconds? Those few seconds you are in the present.

Now, just be the one always watching the corner always the witness.

You are now taking your erratic thinking into your own hands.

 

I stole some this from Eckhart Tolley. "The Power of Now"

 

 

[FourTops]

Ok, so, I am going to try this whole MA thing. But, I will ease into it. I've had some success with pulling down from the top with my left hand. It gives me some power. Today, I used this thought as a pre-swing thought away from the ball. Then after stepping into the shot, I just focused on my pre-shot routine (target, alignment, posture, balance) and then swing and noticing the outcome. So, far so good for 9 holes. The one thing that is enjoyable is just letting it happen is less stressful compared to taking to body parts.

 

Great story! I would caution you that thinking "target, alignment, posture, balance" is too much thinking...just IMO. The reason I say that is because you probably don't think about any of that when you throw a ball to someone 10 feet away, or when walking down stairs. NOT minimizing your improvement...NOT! It's just that I know I am pre-conditioned to still "think" about stuff that should be 2nd nature....almost a reflexive action.

[Ghost of Snead]

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in a dark room. Your staring at a pitch black corner of the room. That pitch black corner represents the part of your brain where thoughts come out. As thoughts materialize in your mind watch them in whatever form they take come out of that corner. No matter what the thought is do NOT judge it, just witness. Notice how being the watcher lessens the thoughts. Can you get them to not come out at all even for a few seconds? Those few seconds you are in the present.

Now, just be the one always watching the corner always the witness.

You are now taking your erratic thinking into your own hands.

 

I stole some this from Eckhart Tolley. "The Power of Now"

 

When I read this, I started to hear the theme from the Twilight Zone.

[FourTops]

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in a dark room. Your staring at a pitch black corner of the room. That pitch black corner represents the part of your brain where thoughts come out. As thoughts materialize in your mind watch them in whatever form they take come out of that corner. No matter what the thought is do NOT judge it, just witness. Notice how being the watcher lessens the thoughts. Can you get them to not come out at all even for a few seconds? Those few seconds you are in the present.

Now, just be the one always watching the corner always the witness.

You are now taking your erratic thinking into your own hands.

 

I stole some this from Eckhart Tolley. "The Power of Now"

 

Hey Jbw....can you translate that into being 120 out with an all carry shot? This is a serious question...you've seen my posts. I'm trying to understand how MA translates on the course...which is probably a stupid question because it's bigger than "one shot"....but I'm interested in your thoughts.

[FourTops]

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in a dark room. Your staring at a pitch black corner of the room. That pitch black corner represents the part of your brain where thoughts come out. As thoughts materialize in your mind watch them in whatever form they take come out of that corner. No matter what the thought is do NOT judge it, just witness. Notice how being the watcher lessens the thoughts. Can you get them to not come out at all even for a few seconds? Those few seconds you are in the present.

Now, just be the one always watching the corner always the witness.

You are now taking your erratic thinking into your own hands.

 

I stole some this from Eckhart Tolley. "The Power of Now"

 

When I read this, I started to hear the theme from the Twilight Zone.

 

I liked your post even though you are being mean to us folks who want to learn MA. I have a sneaking suspicion it's not only about golf.

[Ghost of Snead]

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in a dark room. Your staring at a pitch black corner of the room. That pitch black corner represents the part of your brain where thoughts come out. As thoughts materialize in your mind watch them in whatever form they take come out of that corner. No matter what the thought is do NOT judge it, just witness. Notice how being the watcher lessens the thoughts. Can you get them to not come out at all even for a few seconds? Those few seconds you are in the present.

Now, just be the one always watching the corner always the witness.

You are now taking your erratic thinking into your own hands.

 

I stole some this from Eckhart Tolley. "The Power of Now"

 

When I read this, I started to hear the theme from the Twilight Zone.

 

I liked your post even though you are being mean to us folks who want to learn MA. I have a sneaking suspicion it's not only about golf.

 

No ulterior motive ... just funning so carry on.

[FourTops]

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in a dark room. Your staring at a pitch black corner of the room. That pitch black corner represents the part of your brain where thoughts come out. As thoughts materialize in your mind watch them in whatever form they take come out of that corner. No matter what the thought is do NOT judge it, just witness. Notice how being the watcher lessens the thoughts. Can you get them to not come out at all even for a few seconds? Those few seconds you are in the present.

Now, just be the one always watching the corner always the witness.

You are now taking your erratic thinking into your own hands.

 

I stole some this from Eckhart Tolley. "The Power of Now"

 

When I read this, I started to hear the theme from the Twilight Zone.

 

I liked your post even though you are being mean to us folks who want to learn MA. I have a sneaking suspicion it's not only about golf.

 

No ulterior motive ... just funning so carry on.

 

I actually thought it was funny because on #17 yesterday....i could have sworn I saw Rod Serling in the trees to my right...saying "In a world where people think they can land the ball near the pin....".

[Jim Waldron]

MA is not the same thing as mental focus in narrow mode,which is a huge part of the "art of shotmaking" in golf, although it is much easier to accomplish that when you have some MA.

 

Again, MA is simply the ability to notice your own internal "state" - thoughts, feelings, perceptions, beliefs, sensations, emotions as well as the external environment with a high degree of clarity with a sense of detached non-judgemental awareness.

 

Normal awareness or normal consciousness there is a tendency to identify with or absorb your sense of identity or "witness" like JB calls it, with whatever it is you are thinking, feeling, etc. "Enmeshed" like william says.

 

Any one who is on a long car drive in the desert with very little traffic (or none!) will have had the experience of day dreaming. You become lost in that daydream and literally 40 miles can go by before you "wake up" from that day dream and come back to the awareness of being in the moment, hurtling through space at 70 mph.

 

That in a nutshell is your "normal" consciousness for the most part. Folks can get a glimmer of MA when their job or another sport requires them to do a task that requires really paying attention to what you are doing or else "failure" will happen. If you still don't get what I am talking about, try rock climbing or even better try climbing frozen waterfalls. Let yourself slip into normal awareness and you could literally make a fatal mistake. (I know a bit about this because my son is one of the top ice climbers in the country. )

 

Downhill skiing is another good example, you have to really look down the slope ("target picture") and really pay attention to what is coming up, totally in the present, and you have to stop talking to yourself or using "turn thoughts" because that thinking part of your mind is way too slow to keep up with the speed your body needs to react to the slope. Most folks who are at least intermediate level skiing mechanics will instinctively learn very quickly to stop thinking and to trust their body. Golfers seldom do that because there is plenty of time to "think" and there is no actual physical threat to your health or survival.

 

Golf on the surface is a "static" sport where the ball does not move, no other athletes on the field that you need to react to, just you, your mind, body, stationary golf ball and stationary target. So golf "invites you" to think to use conscious mind non-athletic mindset. A really bad and very common mistake!

 

And by the way, nothing about this is new or revolutionary, except apparently to a tiny group of the "usual suspects" on this forum. I have been around the game of golf for over 50 years and every good player I have talked with about this totally gets it. Only on wrx is this stuff considered "strange"!

[FourTops]

MA is not the same thing as mental focus in narrow mode,which is a huge part of the "art of shotmaking" in golf, although it is much easier to accomplish that when you have some MA.

 

Again, MA is simply the ability to notice your own internal "state" - thoughts, feelings, perceptions, beliefs, sensations, emotions as well as the external environment with a high degree of clarity with a sense of detached non-judgemental awareness.

 

Normal awareness or normal consciousness there is a tendency to identify with or absorb your sense of identity or "witness" like JB calls it, with whatever it is you are thinking, feeling, etc. "Enmeshed" like william says.

 

Any one who is on a long car drive in the desert with very little traffic (or none!) will have had the experience of day dreaming. You become lost in that daydream and literally 40 miles can go by before you "wake up" from that day dream and come back to the awareness of being in the moment, hurtling through space at 70 mph.

 

That in a nutshell is your "normal" consciousness for the most part. Folks can get a glimmer of MA when their job or another sport requires them to do a task that requires really paying attention to what you are doing or else "failure" will happen. If you still don't get what I am talking about, try rock climbing or even better try climbing frozen waterfalls. Downhill skiing is another good example, you have to really look down the slope ("target picture") and really pay attention to what is coming up, totally in the present, and you have to stop talking to yourself or using "turn thoughts" because that thinking part of your mind is way too slow to keep up with the speed your body needs to react to the slope. Most folks who are at least intermediate level skiing mechanics will instinctively learn very quickly to stop thinking and to trust their body. Golfers seldom do that because there is plenty of time to "think" and there is no actual physical threat to your health or survival.

 

How would MA apply to this: There's an 18 inch wide wood plank on the ground. A person is asked to walk across the plank. The person looks at the requester like "are you insane?...piece of cake!"

 

Then the plank is placed between 2 buildings....40 stories high...and the same person is asked to walk across the same plank.

[Jim Waldron]

MA is not the same thing as mental focus in narrow mode,which is a huge part of the "art of shotmaking" in golf, although it is much easier to accomplish that when you have some MA.

 

Again, MA is simply the ability to notice your own internal "state" - thoughts, feelings, perceptions, beliefs, sensations, emotions as well as the external environment with a high degree of clarity with a sense of detached non-judgemental awareness.

 

Normal awareness or normal consciousness there is a tendency to identify with or absorb your sense of identity or "witness" like JB calls it, with whatever it is you are thinking, feeling, etc. "Enmeshed" like william says.

 

Any one who is on a long car drive in the desert with very little traffic (or none!) will have had the experience of day dreaming. You become lost in that daydream and literally 40 miles can go by before you "wake up" from that day dream and come back to the awareness of being in the moment, hurtling through space at 70 mph.

 

That in a nutshell is your "normal" consciousness for the most part. Folks can get a glimmer of MA when their job or another sport requires them to do a task that requires really paying attention to what you are doing or else "failure" will happen. If you still don't get what I am talking about, try rock climbing or even better try climbing frozen waterfalls. Downhill skiing is another good example, you have to really look down the slope ("target picture") and really pay attention to what is coming up, totally in the present, and you have to stop talking to yourself or using "turn thoughts" because that thinking part of your mind is way too slow to keep up with the speed your body needs to react to the slope. Most folks who are at least intermediate level skiing mechanics will instinctively learn very quickly to stop thinking and to trust their body. Golfers seldom do that because there is plenty of time to "think" and there is no actual physical threat to your health or survival.

 

How would MA apply to this: There's an 18 inch wide wood plank on the ground. A person is asked to walk across the plank. The person looks at the requester like "are you insane?...piece of cake!"

 

Then the plank is placed between 2 buildings....40 stories high...and the same person is asked to walk across the same plank.

 

 

Yes exactly, I told this true story recently here in another thread of that exact experience on a tight rope 30 feet in the air at a demo given by the famous "Flying Wallenda Brothers". No time now to re-type all that but perhaps someone can find it and post it here.

 

Controlling your mental and emotional state is obviously a Big Deal to any golfer who is paying attention and not totally brainwashed by "all mechanics all the time" reductionist bs.

 

And controlling your state starts with one simple step - paying attention to it.

 

How could you possibly control something that you have no awareness of?

[FourTops]

MA is not the same thing as mental focus in narrow mode,which is a huge part of the "art of shotmaking" in golf, although it is much easier to accomplish that when you have some MA.

 

Again, MA is simply the ability to notice your own internal "state" - thoughts, feelings, perceptions, beliefs, sensations, emotions as well as the external environment with a high degree of clarity with a sense of detached non-judgemental awareness.

 

Normal awareness or normal consciousness there is a tendency to identify with or absorb your sense of identity or "witness" like JB calls it, with whatever it is you are thinking, feeling, etc. "Enmeshed" like william says.

 

Any one who is on a long car drive in the desert with very little traffic (or none!) will have had the experience of day dreaming. You become lost in that daydream and literally 40 miles can go by before you "wake up" from that day dream and come back to the awareness of being in the moment, hurtling through space at 70 mph.

 

That in a nutshell is your "normal" consciousness for the most part. Folks can get a glimmer of MA when their job or another sport requires them to do a task that requires really paying attention to what you are doing or else "failure" will happen. If you still don't get what I am talking about, try rock climbing or even better try climbing frozen waterfalls. Downhill skiing is another good example, you have to really look down the slope ("target picture") and really pay attention to what is coming up, totally in the present, and you have to stop talking to yourself or using "turn thoughts" because that thinking part of your mind is way too slow to keep up with the speed your body needs to react to the slope. Most folks who are at least intermediate level skiing mechanics will instinctively learn very quickly to stop thinking and to trust their body. Golfers seldom do that because there is plenty of time to "think" and there is no actual physical threat to your health or survival.

 

How would MA apply to this: There's an 18 inch wide wood plank on the ground. A person is asked to walk across the plank. The person looks at the requester like "are you insane?...piece of cake!"

 

Then the plank is placed between 2 buildings....40 stories high...and the same person is asked to walk across the same plank.

 

 

Yes exactly, I told this true story recently here in another thread of that exact experience on a tight rope 30 feet in the air at a demo given by the famous "Flying Wallenda Brothers". No time now to re-type all that but perhaps someone can find it and post it here.

 

Controlling your mental and emotional state is obviously a Big Deal to any golfer who is paying attention and not totally brainwashed by "all mechanics all the time" reductionist bs.

 

And controlling your state starts with one simple step - paying attention to it.

 

How could you possibly control something that you have no awareness of?

 

It's quite interesting that the average golfer sees playing on the course as being similar to walking the plank 40 stories high. It seems to me that's why range practice never fully transfers to the course....the course is the plank 40 stories high.

[wmblake2000]

MA is not the same thing as mental focus in narrow mode,which is a huge part of the "art of shotmaking" in golf, although it is much easier to accomplish that when you have some MA.

 

Again, MA is simply the ability to notice your own internal "state" - thoughts, feelings, perceptions, beliefs, sensations, emotions as well as the external environment with a high degree of clarity with a sense of detached non-judgemental awareness.

 

Normal awareness or normal consciousness there is a tendency to identify with or absorb your sense of identity or "witness" like JB calls it, with whatever it is you are thinking, feeling, etc. "Enmeshed" like william says.

 

Any one who is on a long car drive in the desert with very little traffic (or none!) will have had the experience of day dreaming. You become lost in that daydream and literally 40 miles can go by before you "wake up" from that day dream and come back to the awareness of being in the moment, hurtling through space at 70 mph.

 

That in a nutshell is your "normal" consciousness for the most part. Folks can get a glimmer of MA when their job or another sport requires them to do a task that requires really paying attention to what you are doing or else "failure" will happen. If you still don't get what I am talking about, try rock climbing or even better try climbing frozen waterfalls. Downhill skiing is another good example, you have to really look down the slope ("target picture") and really pay attention to what is coming up, totally in the present, and you have to stop talking to yourself or using "turn thoughts" because that thinking part of your mind is way too slow to keep up with the speed your body needs to react to the slope. Most folks who are at least intermediate level skiing mechanics will instinctively learn very quickly to stop thinking and to trust their body. Golfers seldom do that because there is plenty of time to "think" and there is no actual physical threat to your health or survival.

 

How would MA apply to this: There's an 18 inch wide wood plank on the ground. A person is asked to walk across the plank. The person looks at the requester like "are you insane?...piece of cake!"

 

Then the plank is placed between 2 buildings....40 stories high...and the same person is asked to walk across the same plank.

 

 

Yes exactly, I told this true story recently here in another thread of that exact experience on a tight rope 30 feet in the air at a demo given by the famous "Flying Wallenda Brothers". No time now to re-type all that but perhaps someone can find it and post it here.

 

Controlling your mental and emotional state is obviously a Big Deal to any golfer who is paying attention and not totally brainwashed by "all mechanics all the time" reductionist bs.

 

And controlling your state starts with one simple step - paying attention to it.

 

How could you possibly control something that you have no awareness of?

 

It's quite interesting that the average golfer sees playing on the course as being similar to walking the plank 40 stories high. It seems to me that's why range practice never fully transfers to the course....the course is the plank 40 stories high.

 

That's part of the process... learning to trust in ever-more stressful scenarios. For me, I do it best when I deliberately 'forget' to worry.

[jbw749]

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in a dark room. Your staring at a pitch black corner of the room. That pitch black corner represents the part of your brain where thoughts come out. As thoughts materialize in your mind watch them in whatever form they take come out of that corner. No matter what the thought is do NOT judge it, just witness. Notice how being the watcher lessens the thoughts. Can you get them to not come out at all even for a few seconds? Those few seconds you are in the present.

Now, just be the one always watching the corner always the witness.

You are now taking your erratic thinking into your own hands.

 

I stole some this from Eckhart Tolley. "The Power of Now"

 

When I read this, I started to hear the theme from the Twilight Zone.

 

I know... it's kind of like what Marty Mcfly said at the end of singing Johnny Be Good at the Enchantment under the sea dance. "Well I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet, but you're kids are going to love it".

[jbw749]

Close your eyes and picture yourself sitting in a dark room. Your staring at a pitch black corner of the room. That pitch black corner represents the part of your brain where thoughts come out. As thoughts materialize in your mind watch them in whatever form they take come out of that corner. No matter what the thought is do NOT judge it, just witness. Notice how being the watcher lessens the thoughts. Can you get them to not come out at all even for a few seconds? Those few seconds you are in the present.

Now, just be the one always watching the corner always the witness.

You are now taking your erratic thinking into your own hands.

 

I stole some this from Eckhart Tolley. "The Power of Now"

 

Hey Jbw....can you translate that into being 120 out with an all carry shot? This is a serious question...you've seen my posts. I'm trying to understand how MA translates on the course...which is probably a stupid question because it's bigger than "one shot"....but I'm interested in your thoughts.

Well what I wrote was just a drill or exercise to understand what the witnessing your thoughts might feel like. But it probably does sound a little crazy, even though I didn't come up with it.

 

Your sitting 120 yds out trouble left pond in front of green.

You just observe the thoughts of fear coming in to your mind it can feel very deliberate. The more intently you witness the thoughts the less they materialize and your just observing things for what they are. To me that's being in the present.

There's no fear of failure in the present and therefore no flinch and no duff hitting 4" behind the ball into the pond.

 

The goal is to learn how not to flinch. Being in the present is how. The drill I posted can be done sitting at your desk at work.

[Tanner25]

Ok, so, I am going to try this whole MA thing. But, I will ease into it. I've had some success with pulling down from the top with my left hand. It gives me some power. Today, I used this thought as a pre-swing thought away from the ball. Then after stepping into the shot, I just focused on my pre-shot routine (target, alignment, posture, balance) and then swing and noticing the outcome. So, far so good for 9 holes. The one thing that is enjoyable is just letting it happen is less stressful compared to taking to body parts.

 

Great story! I would caution you that thinking "target, alignment, posture, balance" is too much thinking...just IMO. The reason I say that is because you probably don't think about any of that when you throw a ball to someone 10 feet away, or when walking down stairs. NOT minimizing your improvement...NOT! It's just that I know I am pre-conditioned to still "think" about stuff that should be 2nd nature....almost a reflexive action.

 

Thanks, FourTops. So, are you advocating "swing your swing", just step in and go? Like in traditional swing instruction, it's been said, "I use parts of it ( ie: stack n tilt or Venetos)". Can we use parts of this (MA) or one must be all in to see the benefit? Thx Tanner

[Nard_S]

Ever notice Pro's do an awful lot of thinking and calculus pre-shot and they do drills and practice swings too. What you also see is once they commit they step in and pull the trigger. They do all that outside of that 3 foot circle that's all about do. It's a good method to follow. Keep a physical zone between where you think and where you do.

[Tanner25]

Ever notice Pro's do an awful lot of thinking and calculus pre-shot and they do drills and practice swings too. What you also see is once they commit they step in and pull the trigger. They do all that outside of that 3 foot circle that's all about do. It's a good method to follow. Keep a physical zone between where you think and where you do.

 

Good call. We see many pros with exaggerated moves in a pre-swing. For the most part, they make the move away from the ball and step up and go. Some do it over the ball and then go.

[Nard_S]

Ever notice Pro's do an awful lot of thinking and calculus pre-shot and they do drills and practice swings too. What you also see is once they commit they step in and pull the trigger. They do all that outside of that 3 foot circle that's all about do. It's a good method to follow. Keep a physical zone between where you think and where you do.

 

Good call. We see many pros with exaggerated moves in a pre-swing. For the most part, they make the move away from the ball and step up and go. Some do it over the ball and then go.

 

They do an awful lot of conscious thinking. DeChameau is crazy level. I like the idea of setting up a physical zone where auto-pilot is only allowed and you step into it with clear objective and head. Outside that, wonk away..Slightly more elaborate than a standard PSR but for numbnuts like me,I could use that rule.

[FourTops]

Ever notice Pro's do an awful lot of thinking and calculus pre-shot and they do drills and practice swings too. What you also see is once they commit they step in and pull the trigger. They do all that outside of that 3 foot circle that's all about do. It's a good method to follow. Keep a physical zone between where you think and where you do.

 

Good call. We see many pros with exaggerated moves in a pre-swing. For the most part, they make the move away from the ball and step up and go. Some do it over the ball and then go.

 

They do an awful conscious thinking. DeChameau is crazy level.I like the idea of setting up a physical zone where auto-pilot is only allowed and you step into it with clear objective and head. Outside that, wonk away..Slightly more elaborate than a standard PSR but for numbnuts like me,I could use that rule.

 

This is Annika Sorenstam stuff. Think box and (I think) go box.

[FourTops]

Ok, so, I am going to try this whole MA thing. But, I will ease into it. I've had some success with pulling down from the top with my left hand. It gives me some power. Today, I used this thought as a pre-swing thought away from the ball. Then after stepping into the shot, I just focused on my pre-shot routine (target, alignment, posture, balance) and then swing and noticing the outcome. So, far so good for 9 holes. The one thing that is enjoyable is just letting it happen is less stressful compared to taking to body parts.

 

Great story! I would caution you that thinking "target, alignment, posture, balance" is too much thinking...just IMO. The reason I say that is because you probably don't think about any of that when you throw a ball to someone 10 feet away, or when walking down stairs. NOT minimizing your improvement...NOT! It's just that I know I am pre-conditioned to still "think" about stuff that should be 2nd nature....almost a reflexive action.

 

Thanks, FourTops. So, are you advocating "swing your swing", just step in and go? Like in traditional swing instruction, it's been said, "I use parts of it ( ie: stack n tilt or Venetos)". Can we use parts of this (MA) or one must be all in to see the benefit? Thx Tanner

 

Tanner...to be honest...i don't know what to think anymore. It just seems like thinking "anything" can be both good and bad. I can tell you this: last weekend I was somewhat struggling....so what I did was picture myself playing golf on TV as Fred Couples, and pretended an announcer was talking about my next shot...club selection, etc. I actually played much better. Don't know why...don't know if that will work again..but it was weird.