The Mindful Dipper

Photo by Jeremy Bishop

Drawing on my professional knowledge and experience in the field of mental health I’ve long been aware of the benefits of MINDFULNESS.  Sometimes people ask me what is Mindfulness, well simply it’s about paying attention to the present moment; this allows you to reconnect with your body , thoughts and feelings as they happen and this can help you improve your mental well being  and understand oneself a little better. Being a keen swimmer I recognised that I am at my most mindful whilst swimming and over the years the importance of this watery escape in terms of my own wellbeing has become more apparent.

The stresses of every day life can build up and we tend to rush through life without really stopping to take notice, additionally at the current time we exist in a strange world full of anxieties, new terminology and alien routines.  Take a moment right now and sit; close your eyes and take in the hustle and bustle around you; voices, TV blaring, children playing or crying, traffic – its all going on around us let alone the mash up going on inside our head! We rush here and there, packing every moment of our day with busy schedules and often don’t notice how  thoughts drive our emotions and behaviour. I’ve found mindfulness allows a break from all of this and time to gain perspective and reset.

Swimming lends itself perfectly to MINDFULNESS. 

Photo by Dave Goudreau

Mindfulness reconnects our bodies and the sensations around you.  Swimming involves coordination, rhythm, the senses; its easy to see how you can connect to the sights, sounds, touch, smells and tastes involved in a swimming experience. Swimming requires controlled breathing and of course the impact of breathing exercises to manage anxiety is well known.  When we open ourselves to the present moment it can lead to positive change and a more optimistic outlook about ourself, our life and the world around us. Taking time to ‘be’ mindful gives you time to be aware of the flow of thoughts and feelings and allows you to learn how to let the thoughts go so they don’t end up taking control.

To be perfectly honest I’ve always found it difficult to practice mindfulness as do many people! I lack patience and a calm mind and find it hard to sit still…. but fear not you don’t need all those things, you just need to find a way that works for you, it could be walking, dancing, yoga or in my case SWIMMING.

Photo by Channey on Unsplash

Swimming really is my happy place, I can swim away a headache, aches and pains, anxiety and distress.  It is very much a personal journey and for me….I think it is the rhythm of getting into a stroke - the repetitiveness of a stroke, the rhythm of breath, the feeling of the water on my skin, like silk and the feeling as it goes through my fingers; These all have a calming effect and its easy to focus in the moment on these feelings giving my overworked brain some respite.

Some of my most memorable swims have involved mindfulness. Noticing the sun rays streaming through the water and glinting off the top of the water every time I took a breath and every time I exhaled under water there was a stream of the most amazing golden bubbles ; it was mesmerising and I was in the most amazing mindful zone. I can feel myself relax even as I think of it now!

Photo by Cristian Palmer on Unsplash

More recently I was swimming in the rain which is always a great swim, the rain turned to hail.  It was my first hail swim experience. I focussed on my stroke and breathing and the sensations of moving through the water and the most glorious thing was feeling the hail on my face when I came up to breath…must sound a bit odd but I’m sure all the outdoor swimmers out there understand!

When I am swimming for a long time, after swimming mindfully I discover a clarity of thoughts.  I come up with my best ideas and solutions very often during a swim.  It’s like all the junk that isn’t needed has left my mind and I can see things more clearly and my mind resets.

©  Solent Swim School 2021