The Inner Game

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Above: refueling and checking the files on the Transvideo monitor (partly visible in the distance) around wrap time: "[K]eep it simple, keep it natural […] Letting go of judgments, the art of programming with images and "letting it happen" are three of the basic skills involved in the Inner Game. [T]he fourth and most important inner skill [is] concentration."¹

"How do you increase your ability to maintain concentration on the ball for long periods of time? On this subject something can be learned from bahkti yoga. Bahkti is the yoga that aims at achieving perfect concentration of mind through devotion. Indian yogis in particular have recognised the power of love in overcoming distraction of mind. Bahkti yoga teaches that love of the object of concentration makes it possible to focus one's attention without wavering, and eventually to become one with that object.

There is a story told by holy men in the East which may make this point more memorable. A seeker after Truth sought out a yoga master and begged him to help him achieve the enlightenment of perfect union with his true self. The Master told him to go into a room and meditate on God for as long as he could. After just two hours the seeker emerged distraught, saying that he could not concentrate, since his mind kept thinking about his much beloved bull he had left at home. The Master then told him to return to the room and meditate on his bull. This time the would-be yogi entered the room and after two days had still not emerged. Finally the Master called for him to come out. From within the seeker replied, 'I cannot; my horns are too wide to fit through the door.'"

W. Timothy Gallway in 'The Inner Game of Tennis' first published in New York, USA by Random House in 1974

"What you fuel your body with is critical for developing strength, recovery, and mental acuity. [...] Processed grain, in the form of breads, pasta, cereal and most other things in a box with label, are the enemy to good health and fitness. These processed carbs enter our blood stream faster than glucose in the form of glycogen, and send our insulin levels skyrocketing throughout the day. When it drops back down we are sent a “hormonal hunger” message in the form of a craving to have more of the same junk.": http://bartvanbroekhoven.com/en-US/running/60-clear-fresh-30kms-happy-feet

"We heard rice is not food, flour is not food, bread is not food. All what earth produces is food; bread is only to blow the belly. But quinua, wheat, potatoes, beans, lettuce all these things, that is food. Don't drink soft drinks, eat sardines, candies, chewing gums and all kind of canned food, plastic, or made by a chemist. It is true.": http://bartvanbroekhoven.com/en-US/running/157-sar-sarsential-21-story

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¹ W. Timothy Gallway in 'The Inner Game of Tennis' first published in New York, USA by Random House in 1974