SUP meditation combines the relaxation of being on the water with the sense of freedom gained from roaming the waters, in addition to all the benefits of conventional meditation.
Your SUP can serve as a silent vessel, floating you away into a state of blissful serenity!
What is meditation?
It’s often described as ‘a state of heightened awareness’. Meditation involves a process of calming your ‘inner voice’ by focusing on breathing, bodily senses, and the external world.
Some people meditate by focusing on a particular object; some focus purely on breathing. While it can be done alone, some – especially beginners – may prefer guided meditation. This involves listening to someone talk through the process, which you use to guide your own focus.
Why meditate?
Some of the physical benefits from paddleboarding can be attained through SUP meditation: as an activity, it is a great mood booster and offers stress relief.
Techniques learned during meditation can be applied to everyday situations, just as physical training can transfer to other forms of exercise.
Beginning a paddle boarding session with meditation can help your mind and body to adjust to your environment. In addition to improving mental clarity and situational awareness, meditation can both energise the body and relax it – making it a great way to end your time on the water too.
Why use a paddle board for meditation?
The very act of paddling itself can cast a meditative influence over the mind. The repetitive motion of paddle in water, along with the sound and gentle sensation of moving water, can be lulling and soothing – as any non-meditating paddler can already attest to.
In addition, paddleboarders make extensive use of core muscle groups to maintain balance and form. For SUP meditation, this constantly active – but often unconscious – physical state is combined with a developing awareness of what your body is feeling and doing.
Tuning into your breathing and small, individual muscle movements, is akin to a form of meditative practice.
How to practise SUP meditation
As with any activity on a SUP, safety is an important consideration. Choose a calm, sheltered spot, away from any currents, sudden tides, or strong winds. If you can, practise in an enclosed space such as a lake or reservoir, and stick to shallow water. This will allow you to relax without putting yourself in danger.
There is no ‘correct’ way to meditate. However, there are some common techniques you can use to get started. As you become more experienced, you will discover your own preferences.
Begin by finding a position that will be comfortable for an extended period and is easy to maintain. On a paddleboard, this is likely to be seated cross-legged, kneeling, or lying down.
You don’t have to close your eyes to meditate. If you feel safer keeping them open, that’s fine.
Focus on the sensation of breathing. You may feel compelled to start breathing slowly and deeply because of this, but you don’t need to. Try to breathe as you normally would, but focus on what your body does as you breathe.
You may wish to pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing; the way your belly expands and contracts; or just the sound of your breath as you inhale and exhale.
Remember: you are not trying to clear your mind. What you are doing instead is focusing it. When you notice your thoughts wandering, gently bring your attention back to your breathing, and begin again.
Congratulations, you’re meditating!
As time moves on, you can begin shifting your focus away from your breathing. Listen to the sounds of the water, feel the gentle bob and flow of the board, and notice the small adjustments your muscles make to stay balanced.
Grounding the senses by concentrating on your immediate experience can bring a feeling of clarity and peace.
Paddleboards for rest and relaxation
In essence, any paddleboard fit to kneel on will work for SUP meditation. However wider, thicker boards will provide the additional stability and buoyancy needed to keep you stable and balanced. You won’t want to feel like you are struggling with the board when you begin meditating.
A touring SUP will offer the space necessary for comfortable meditation. The extra width will help you maintain balance, while added thickness and volume will provide sufficient buoyancy.
At Two Bare Feet our high-quality boards are capable of being used for a variety of paddling activities – from specialised interests like SUP fishing and SUP photography, to beginners finding their niche.
Get started by browsing through our complete iSUP range. If you need more help, our experienced team of paddleboarding enthusiasts are on hand to answer any queries.
