It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

The philosophy of traditional archery and bow building

page: 1
1

log in

join
share:

posted on Apr, 20 2012 @ 03:17 PM
link   
Bow making and shooting is a great way to relax and to forget about all your problems.
When you are making a bow or shooting a bow you feel completely in the zone, immersed in the activity, and totally unaware of the passage of time or factors outside of your immediate activity. This feeling of being totally engaged is called "flow." I know, it's a very scientific term.

Flow is an idea first put forth by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi that we use in the recreation field to describe the ultimate state of enjoyment in an activity. When you are experiencing flow, the level of challenge is matched perfectly to your skill level. In fact, Csikszentmihalyi (prounounced chick-zent-ma-hah-li) states that that flow is:

“being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”

It's a pretty awesome feeling, and I'm sure you've all experienced it at one time or another. A person can enter flow in literally any activity. If you're interested in learning a bit more about flow, wikipedia (who else?) has a pretty comprehensive article.
en.wikipedia.org...



I also recommend watching these series of video's if you wan't to know more about traditional bow making and shooting.



edit on 20-4-2012 by Jauk3 because: (no reason given)


Happy shooting!
edit on 20-4-2012 by Jauk3 because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 20 2012 @ 03:39 PM
link   

Originally posted by Jauk3
Bow making and shooting is a great way to relax and to forget about all your problems.
When you are making a bow or shooting a bow you feel completely in the zone, immersed in the activity, and totally unaware of the passage of time or factors outside of your immediate activity. This feeling of being totally engaged is called "flow." I know, it's a very scientific term.

Flow is an idea first put forth by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi that we use in the recreation field to describe the ultimate state of enjoyment in an activity. When you are experiencing flow, the level of challenge is matched perfectly to your skill level. In fact, Csikszentmihalyi (prounounced chick-zent-ma-hah-li) states that that flow is:

“being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”



What you describe is the exact way I feel when playing pool and working on masonry projects... It's pretty amazing the effects of ego, and having thoughts that pertain to 'ego', such as thinking about what others think about you, or what people will think about you in regards to the actions you are currently involved in.

I shoot pool, on a team, and when shooting, we make 100% sure that we are not to effect one another with negative thoughts as to how we feel about particular moments in games. As soon as someone expresses any doubt in a teammate, or says anything that might inspire thoughts and emotions that pertain to someones ego... EVERYTHING falls apart. The person shooting no longer is able to focus, and feel their 'flow'.

We're not even the greatest group of pool players... but having taken this approach, we 2 years ago won our league playoffs, won the state tournament, and placed 5th in a national tournament. After placing 5th, there were many unwarranted comments made by certain members of our team about the skill level and especially the EGOS of a few people... The next season, the same sentiment carried on, and we were all shooting terribly. Knowing that we were going no where, all too fast, we dissolved the team and stop shooting.

This year, we all came back together... had a meeting. We all decided that we should try again, and go back to not making comments about one another, that we were there to have fun and progress as individual pool players. We now have our 'flow' back... we are doing so well, that we placed first in the first season, can skip the playoffs, and now have a spot in the state tournament. We are one tournament from another paid vacation to Las Vegas!

The power of mind, and not interrupting the flow is one of the most important parts to performance. If we just lived our lives this way.... just IMAGINE all the great things we would ALL be accomplishing!



posted on Apr, 20 2012 @ 04:05 PM
link   
Exactly the same way I feel when I'm doing audio projects, especially the wiring and the woodworking parts. Just a Zen type feeling.

Same feeling I got when I used to ride motorcycles, and just get lost in the roads.

It is a great feeling, thanks for the vids!



 
1

log in

join