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Hey guys, Chris Sajnog here. In this post, I want to talk about the importance of having a daily meditation practice and give you a few simple meditation tips to help get you started.
What Is Meditation?
We tend to associate it purely with Eastern religion. When I teach meditation, it has nothing to do with religion. So if you have a hang-up on the word meditation, just don’t use the word meditation.
I have been meditating for about 35 years. When I started doing martial arts as a child, I was required to practice meditation. I’ve continued doing that through this day. Today, I meditate twice daily for about 15 minutes, and I will go over exactly what I do in my meditation practice.
Different Methods
There are literally hundreds of ways to meditate. Find one that works for you. Some of the more popular ones are guided meditation. You can get an app called Headspace. They have like a 10-day meditation course where they teach you how to meditate. I highly recommend you just check that out and try it out. I’ve done it and it’s great.
How To Start
What I’d like you to start out with is to sit somewhere where you can put your feet flat on the ground. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. You can focus on a word such as LAM. It’s called a mantra in meditation.
You want to use a word that you don’t associate with anything. Any word that you can associate something with, you kind of start associating stuff in your mind, and you won’t be able to focus.
Common Misconceptions
Next on these simple meditation tips, One of the reasons that people don’t meditate or think that meditation is hard is because there’s no goal that you associate with it. It’s not like playing a sport, playing a game, or making money.
There is no goal to meditation, the whole goal is to meditate. So if you sit down for five minutes, or even one minute, close your eyes, and practice focusing, you’re meditating, and you will see improvement.
Now I recommend, just like with anything else, give it 30 days. 30 days of sticking with it every day and doing it consistently before you say it isn’t for you. There are going to be times when your mind is going to be rushing and thoughts are going to come into your mind. When that happens, realize that’s the whole purpose of meditation.
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How Does Meditation Help With Shooting?
Say you’re at a shooting competition and there’s a lot of stress going on. There are noises and there are buzzers and there are people running around. Those are all distractions in your mind. Because you practice meditation, you know how to control what your mind is focusing on.
You can choose your thoughts direct your thoughts and focus your thoughts.
It also works the same way with front-sight focus. Say you’re in a gunfight and somebody starts shooting at you. That’s a lot of mental distraction going on. But because you practice meditation, you know that for a split second, your front sight being crystal clear, is going to be the difference between life and death.
Tips
If you can’t do five minutes, do three minutes, two minutes, or one minute. What I don’t want you to do is sit down for the first time for 20 minutes and you hate it. If you try too much too soon, you’re not going to stick with it. If you just start off slow, you can always add more time later.
The second tip is don’t look for an outcome. The biggest problem is people want to expect an outcome and the only outcome you should have is you saying “I sat down and I meditated today”. So pat yourself on the back for that one.
The final thing that many people get hung up on is they tend to think they’re doing it wrong. Thoughts are going to come into your head. You need to realize that is part of meditation. If ideas aren’t coming into your head, there’s something wrong with your head.
The whole purpose of meditation is going from those thoughts, acknowledging they’re there, and going to what you want to focus on. Don’t get upset with a thought. I hope these simple meditation tips help. Until next time, keep paving your path to perfection.
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22 Comments
I’m curious to know more about the different methods of meditation and how they can be applied to improve shooting skills, maybe there are other techniques that can be used in conjunction with meditation.
The fact that Chris Sajnog meditates twice a day for 15 minutes is a great example of how to make meditation a habit, I’ll try to follow a similar routine and see if it works for me.
I’ve tried meditating with my eyes open and focusing on a point in front of me, but I find it harder to quiet my mind than when my eyes are closed, maybe I just need more practice.
The fact that Chris Sajnog has been meditating since he was a child and was required to practice it as part of his martial arts training is remarkable, it shows that meditation can be a valuable skill to develop from a young age.
The tip to use a word like ‘LAM’ as a mantra is useful, I’ll try that in my next meditation session to see if it helps me stay focused.
The concept of choosing your thoughts and directing your focus through meditation is powerful, it can be applied not just to shooting but also to other areas of life where concentration and mental discipline are essential.
I’ve found that meditation helps me stay calm and focused under pressure, which is essential for competitive shooting, I’m grateful for the tips and techniques shared in the article.
The PDF summary of the article is a great resource, I’ll definitely check it out to get a quick recap of the meditation tips and techniques discussed.
The idea that there’s no goal in meditation except to meditate itself is enlightening, it makes sense that it can help with focus and control in high-pressure situations like shooting competitions.
Exactly, by practicing meditation, you can train your mind to focus on the present moment and block out distractions, which is crucial in competitive shooting.
I’m skeptical about the claim that meditation can improve shooting skills, but I’m willing to give it a try and see if it makes a difference for me.
Chris Sajnog’s 35 years of meditation experience is impressive, I’m curious to know how he handles distractions during meditation, especially when he’s meditating twice a day for 15 minutes.
He probably uses a technique like focusing on his breath or a mantra to calm his mind and avoid distractions.
It’s also possible that he’s developed a pre-meditation routine to prepare himself for the session and minimize interruptions.
It’s interesting that Chris Sajnog recommends meditating for 30 days consistently before deciding if it’s effective, I think that’s a reasonable trial period to see if it works for me.
The connection between meditation and front-sight focus in shooting is fascinating, I’d like to learn more about how to apply meditation techniques to improve my aim.
I’m excited to start incorporating meditation into my daily routine and see if it improves my shooting skills, I’ll make sure to track my progress and adjust my technique as needed.
The idea that meditation can help with stress management in high-pressure situations is appealing, I think it could be beneficial not just for shooting competitions but also for everyday life.
I’ve been meditating for a few months now and I can attest to its benefits in reducing stress and improving concentration, I’m excited to apply it to my shooting practice.
I’m interested in learning more about the scientific benefits of meditation and how it affects the brain, maybe there are some studies or research papers that can provide more insight into its effects on cognitive function and focus.
I’m concerned that meditation might not be suitable for everyone, especially those with certain mental health conditions, it’s essential to consult a professional before starting a meditation practice.
I’ve tried guided meditation using the Headspace app and found it really helpful in getting started with meditation, I’m interested in trying other methods as well.