Okay, so today I decided to give this “aum tennis” thing a try. I’ve seen some stuff about it online, and it looked kinda interesting, so I figured, why not?
Getting Started
First, I needed to, you know, actually figure out what “aum tennis” even is. I did some digging around, watched a few videos, read some articles… It’s basically tennis, but… different. The “aum” part, from what I gather, has something to do with mindfulness and focusing on your breathing, your body, and the present moment. Sounded a bit woo-woo, but I’m open-minded.
The Practice
I grabbed my old tennis racket – it’s been gathering dust in the garage for ages – and headed to the local park. There’s a tennis court there that’s usually empty. Lucky me, it was free!
I started by just hitting the ball against the wall. No opponent, just me, the ball, and the wall. The “aum” part was harder than I thought. It’s tough to, like, really focus on your breath when you’re also trying to hit a ball. My mind kept wandering – groceries, work stuff, that weird dream I had last night… you know the drill.
I tried to follow some of the tips I’d read. Things like:
- Focus on the feeling of the racket in my hand.
- Pay attention to the sound of the ball hitting the racket and the wall.
- Notice my feet on the ground.
- Breathe deeply and evenly.
It was… a process. I definitely wasn’t instantly zen or anything. But I did start to feel a little bit more… present. Less in my head, more in my body. It was kind of nice, actually.
Hitting Some Walls (Literally and Figuratively)
There were definitely moments where I got frustrated. My shots weren’t always going where I wanted them to. And sometimes, I’d completely lose track of my breath and my focus. But I kept trying. I reminded myself that it was about the process, not the perfection.
I messed up a lot. Sent the ball flying over the fence a couple of times. Tripped over my own feet once. Felt a bit silly. But I kept going.
Wrapping Up
After about an hour, I was pretty tired. Physically and mentally. But in a good way. It felt like I’d actually done something. Not just hit a ball around, but also worked on my focus and my, I guess, “inner game.”
I’m not sure if I’m going to become an “aum tennis” master or anything. But I think I’ll try it again. It was a good workout, and it definitely helped me clear my head a bit. Maybe next time I’ll even try it with a real opponent!
