Shooting is not a hobby that just
anyone engages with – it’s not easy and requires a lot of concentration to do
it properly. Many individuals are bothered by shooting, as they see it as
something loud and violent. Thus, they decide to stay away from it.
However, did you know that
shooting can work just the same way meditation
does? Yes, it might be totally different compared to sitting down and thinking
about life, but it can have just the same effect. That being said, you can do
some practice for .308 rifles
and meditate at the same time.
Are you wondering how can
shooting be meditative, given its nature? You will find the answer to the
question throughout this article.
What
Is Meditation and How Does It Help?
You’ve most likely heard of
meditation, but although many people are aware of its existence, not all of
them understand what it actually means.
Meditation is all about training
to observe things without judgment, and
build awareness – thus, you get a healthy sense of perspective. That being
said, it’s not meant to help you become a new person, and it doesn’t require
you to turn off your thoughts. What it basically does is teach you how to look
at things without being judgmental, thus being able to understand them.
Moreover, you’re not only
learning how to observe these things, but you’re also getting to know yourself
better as a person and be at peace with yourself.
Shooting
and Meditation – What’s the Link Between Them?
It’s hard to think of shooting as
a way to meditate. After all, aiming a dangerous object and firing with a
powerful sound barely adds up to sitting down and trying to arrange your
thoughts.
However, you’d actually be
surprised to find out that shooting is not as far away from meditation as it
seems. Basically, when you first get into shooting, you are required to be
careful and reflect on each shot, like it’s the only one you’ve got.
Whereas many newcomers in the
world of shooting focus too much on scores and the target, that’s not the best
way to go about it. Where your shots go is not as important – what matters is
learning and mastering the technique. And this is where the correlation between
meditation and shooting comes into play.
Through a Zen
perspective, shooting focuses on the idea of getting the perfect
shot – in other words, The Shot. That being said, the most important
thing is to reflect and focus on each shot. Once you begin to work on getting
better with your technique, you encounter the “Seven Defilements” of mind. With
that said, you need to set them aside, which can be done through the Zen Art
aspect of shooting.
For this, you need to practice
all the time, and soon enough, you will notice that it’s not you who’s shooting
the target – the right mindset is doing it.
Your aim when
shooting is to polish and cleanse your mind of the everyday routine. This is
pretty much the same as meditation, which focuses on arranging your thoughts
and looking at them from a non-judgemental
perspective. So, you are not only trying to master your way of shooting at the
target, but you’re rather polishing the mind.
Shooting
– Not Only a Sport
Nowadays, it’s not hard to see
that people pick up shooting to entertain themselves, seeing it only as a
sport. Whereas it is indeed a way to have fun and quite a unique hobby,
shooting is more than that. It is used by a lot of people as a way to develop
their mental and spiritual discipline. With that said, many individuals who
wish to re-discover themselves pick up shooting, as the mechanics, equipment, and atmosphere are attracting them.
It’s easy to look at shooting
like it’s just a game that only needs some skill. Still, the mind needs to be
used a lot to get a precise shot, and that’s when personal development begins,
especially in the first stages of learning the skill. In addition, shooting can
be a great way to give you some peace of mind by letting you feel in power and
it also helps you overcome your fears.
Why
Should You Consider Shooting as Meditation?
Shooting can be used not only as
a hobby but also as a way of life. It’s
something that could help you find yourself and strengthen your mind. So, you
can simply choose some days when you want to be alone with your thoughts and
your rifles, thus trying to put your thoughts in order while focusing on
accuracy.
Basically, when you are aiming at
the target, you feel powerful, and suddenly your fear is gone. In other words,
it’s building a lot of self-confidence and reduces anxiety, so it’s a great way
to come at peace with yourself.
Moreover, it’s a way that allows
you to see your strengths, as well as weaknesses, in a much easier way. This
could also be obtained through usual meditation. As a result, it will be an
easier task to work on yourself and improve as a person.
Over time, you will be able to
sit back and observe your progress, and maybe even begin to understand other
people and see them in a new light without judging them. This is the power that
a hobby like shooting could have on you.
Final
Thoughts
Shooting is seen as an unusual
and dangerous hobby that couldn’t offer anything of value to those practicing
it, besides entertainment. However, that cannot be further from the truth, as
shooting can have the same effect on you that meditation
does. It opens up your mind, allows you to work on developing a technique,
while it polishes your thoughts the same way meditation would.
All in all, if simply sitting
down and meditating is not too appealing to you, maybe you can pick up
shooting. It has the same effect, and you will have a lot of great things to
gain from it.
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