If I didn’t use the word Golf, I wonder what your reaction would be? Would you be a little curious, open, intrigued, interested, playful, even a little unsure maybe wondering what on earth I was up to now?
One of my dear friends is a Golf Professional and he invited me to have a lesson. So much went through my system – My judgements were Many including the observation that I judged people that play golf as mainly middle class or privileged and rather stuck up. I had an image of the type of championship course you might see in America with seemingly impossibly perfectly manicured bright green grass, sunshine and everything so tight, regimented, clean, proper, serious…. I could imagine the hushed tones of the commentator whispering. I could picture the mainly male participants with their garish clothes and non smiling faces. I could feel the exclusion of the signs saying “members only” or places where women are not allowed. I always labelled myself as a non ‘sporty’ person so the minute you mention anything remotely sporty, I would probably switch straight off.
I watched the Thoughts that I would be Incredibly Rubbish, I probably wouldn’t hit a single thing in the whole session, I would embarrass myself and my friend, I would probably watch the club flying through the air, I would probably wallop my friend or someone else, I am really not a fan of rules and regulations and Having to do things a certain way because someone tells you to and all that just makes me want to rebel, what if the “technique” was too hard, it was a bit windy so how could you play in that, I’m too plump to play and my boobs would get in the way….. On and on and on – yeah my creative mind once its on a roll can really go for it!
However……
I met my friend through meditation and I Know he brings a different approach and there would be absolutely no judgement at all, just complete freedom to be my raw, wild, weird, imperfect, authentic self.
I was Really excited and happy walking along the drive and I could feel all the judgements just keep dropping away. There was absolutely Nothing to prove to anyone, this was Just some play time and I LOVE the sacred art of Play!!! I Adore hanging out with my friend and he is Such a great mirror to remind me over and over to come back to This moment and to get out of my head. He is just Brilliant at what he does and Everything was incredibly FUN.
Instead of starting with a ‘proper’ club I was handed a really short kids club with a smiley face on it that I held with just one hand – So Perfect! Then I tried a whole bunch of other clubs to see what they were like. There was a little goal to aim towards to start with and then other targets to aim for at different points and distances. The more I played, the more I really really didn’t care about the Outcome at all. I was surrendered into the moment, into the experience of this body moving with the club. I Kept getting feedback in my body, I heard what happened when I hit the ball with different parts of the club, I could feel the vibrations travel up the club into my arms, I could see where the ball went and what happened when I hit it with different parts of the club.
I adored all the playfulness. It didn’t matter how I stood, it didn’t matter what my posture was, where my hands were, it didn’t matter if I stood still or moved a little or stepped or danced. I didn’t care if I hit the ball 2 inches or walloped it further. How many people approach their game like this I wonder?
I Thought you have to keep your eye on the ball so I Adored playing like a Jedi and shutting my eyes and seeing what happened then.... I actually hit it straighter and further! Another shot that reduced me to giggles was ‘the Helicopter’ - starting with the club in front of the ball and moving it all the way round to then wallop it.
It was all about showing up, being, breathing, experimenting, observing, learning and laughing a Lot with a beautiful soul that I am privileged to call friend.
Whatever activity you are engaged in, play with the “Beginners Mind” what if Every time was your first time, what if you played with pretending there were no labels just presence and wonder? How would that change your experience?