Tag Archives: Body-Mind
Why write Golfer’s Palette?
In the summer of 2004 Doug, my son, with his very competitive spirit, expressed his desire to learn to play golf. Having played golf since I was seven years old, it felt like it would be feasible to help Doug start to learn the game of golf. We started with a first lesson at Indian Tree Golf Course, Arvada, Colorado. Doug’s interest sparked an interest in wife, Cindy, to learn the game, too. Together, Cindy and I we took lessons from Tom Thorne at Indian Tree Golf Course. Very soon, the three of us were frequently playing together. Because Doug started to beat me, I decided to hone my skills by working with seven different GolfTEC instructors, year-round, for five years.
Following a divorce and a tumbling economy that caused his construction business to experience financial difficulty, Doug decided in 2006 to change careers, move to Arizona and attend the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. Following graduation Doug went to work for Bourget’s, a custom motorcycle manufacturer. The economy was not kind to this business either; and Doug took his Harley Davidson mechanics training and went to work for Hacienda Harley, Scottsdale, Arizona. Again, a faltering economy took its toll on this business.
In the winter of 2008, Doug called from Phoenix, Arizona and said, “Dad, I am thinking about a career change and attending the Golf Academy of America.” My immediate response was, “Why don’t I come to Arizona and attend the Golf Academy of America with you?” We chatted about it for a few minutes; and the decision was made. In January 2009, it was off to Chandler, Arizona and 14 months living with Doug in an apartment adjacent to the second green on San Marcos Resort Golf Course. Golf Academy of America student life was exciting; playing weekly tournament golf was challenging; and studying the business of golf management was fun. Doug and I graduated in April 2010; and in early 2013 I returned to the Golf Academy of America to study Advanced Teaching.
Having been immersed in the Naropa University contemplative environment for three years, coupled with the training and practice of meditation, the very focused Golf Academy of America golf technical skills training and practice offered a fantastic opportunity to evolve a personal bridge between body-mind mastery skills and the technical skills associated with moving a golf club through the ball to a target. The genesis for Golfer’s Palette was the collection of reflection papers created during the 20 months of learning, practicing and experiencing the art and science of golf. Coupled with having played golf for some 68 years, the unique, central message in Golfer’s Palette is that uncovering and unleashing the artist within really works for golf and everything we choose to do. The formula is simple: go to the breath, quiet the mind and connect, in-the-moment, with things that make a real difference in our intended quality of life.
Why write Sitting in the Flames?
After retirement in 1993, bowling felt like a really neat activity for a new senior citizen. Three leagues per week, coupled with 40-50 games of practice per week, moved the average to 208. When the average peaked, burn-out and boredom arrived; and bowling was no longer fun. This triggered the search to discover a key to re-spark an interest in bowling and produce a higher bowling average. Competitive bowling was soon to fade from the journey; and sports literature became the menu.
Some of the literature included: Body Mind Mastery: Creating Success in Sport and Life by Dan Millman; Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior by Phil Jackson; The Warrior Within: The philosophies of Bruce Lee to better understand the world around you and achieve a rewarding life by John Little; and The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by His holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D.
What did the reading uncover? My athletic experiences were absent a link between the body and the mind. It appeared that the literature was offering that connected breathing might be the bridge between the physical and mental-emotional bodies, with an added benefit of improved performance in sport and perhaps even life. In one of the many books associated with connected breathing, Naropa Institute was mentioned as an academic institution where the student could learn to meditate. Little did I realize that Naropa Institute, now Naropa University, was located in Boulder, Colorado, a 30 minute commute from home in Arvada, Colorado. Starting in 2001, I was to spend three years in the contemplative environment at Naropa University studying meditation and the five wisdom traditions. This three years re-directed and may have saved my life; and added meditation practice to my daily ritual.
Sitting in the Flames was sparked during a Spiritual Models of Social Action class at Naropa University. Under the leadership of Dr. Judith Simmer-Brown, we were studying Martin Luther King, Jr., Sulak Sivaraska, a Thai social activist, Gandhi and Tich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. One day Dr. Simmer-Brown brought a book to class, placed it on her desk, pointed to the book, looked at me and said, “John, you need to read this book.” The title of the book was War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges, at the time a journalist for the “New York Times” and a professor at Princeton University. This book, complimented by the study and inspiration of Thich Nhat Hanh and his spiritual partner Chan Kong, gave rise to re-visiting, through study, reflection papers and sitting meditation, my two years of combat during the Vietnam War. These reflection papers became quite therapeutic and became the genesis of Sitting in the Flames when it occurred one day that perhaps sharing my experiences with finding freedom from the residual pangs of emotional chaos associated with combat, may help others who suffer from similar trauma associated with the reality of war.