Strokes of Luck (Golf) - Ice Cream for the Soul by Joy Koenig, MD - Personal Growth, Wellness, Healthy Lifestyle, Meditation, Inspiration

STROKES OF LUCK
CATEGORY

        Meditation Game

DESCRIPTION

        Turn your favorite ball game or sport into a form of meditation.

INSTRUCTIONS

        Next time you go to the driving range to hit a bucket of golf balls, name your bucket of balls. Choose from one of the following categories, or make up one of your own. Then, choose a specific word for each golf ball before you hit it. Choose an adjective that describes how you currently see things, or how you'd like things to be in the future. If the word causes you to tense up, choose it's opposite for your next shot. For instance, if you associated "anger" with "family", hit your ball named "anger" and send it far away from you. Then, call your next ball "forgiveness", and send it after your "anger" ball. You may have to hit several "anger" balls to vent your anger, or several "forgiveness" balls to cancel out an "anger" ball. After you hit each ball, watch how far it goes, and whether it stays on course or not. If the ball doesn't stay on course, think of a word that might balance the situation, and use that for one of your next words.

My Relationship
My Career
My Family
My Problems
My Blessings
My Wishes

RELATED IDEA

        You can do this activity with any sport that uses a ball, including tennis, racquetball, handball, foul shots, croquet and batting practice.

JOY'S JOURNEY

        I find it interesting to learn which sport someone enjoys doing. There seems to be a psychological thread among players of the same sport, that goes beyond an interest in the game or activity itself. For instance, even though I have no interest in discussing times, techniques, or races, I am always more comfortable among a group of runners or triathletes than a group of tennis or golf players. I can't explain why, but I've yet to meet someone who plays golf or tennis that I connect with immediately and deeply. Time after time, if the conversation is clicking, our mutual avoidance of or disinterest in these games will surface. When the conversation is awkward and we aren't clicking, their love of golf or tennis often comes into the conversation unbidden. I still find them interesting and worthwhile people, it's just that the innate sense of comfortable isn't there -- for either of us. Perhaps, since passion is the language of our spirit, it has something to do with where we find passion in our daily lives.

QUOTES

Golf has probably kept more people sane
than psychiatrists have.
Harvey Penick

I'll know I'm getting better at golf because
I'm hitting fewer spectators.
Gerald Ford

The people who gave us golf and called it a Game
are the same people who gave us bag pipes
and called it music.
"Silk Stalkings"

Dr. Joy is available to present playful workshops (playshops) at your corporate training retreat, non profit organization gathering, or club membership meetings. She is located in Denver, Colorado, and travels throughout the US to deliver Serious Fun ™ Programs for personal growth, wellness, and inspiration. Please see the program pages for details and contact information.

This playful meditation activity is COPYRIGHTED. If you are a professional trainer, coach, human resources person, counselor, or therapist it is not ethical nor legal for you to use it or share it with your clients or those you supervise/train as part of your job. See the copyright notice on the front page of this e-book. Remember, character is what you do when no one is looking. Please take the high road, and pay me appropriately to use these materials professionally, even if you work for a church, school, non-profit or the government.