40 Days of Meditation
FREEDIVING IS FOR ME the other side of the scuba-diving coin. If you enjoy being under the water you tend to try out different methods of exploring that world. However, without the appropriate training, the freediving experience is likely to be an extremely short and shallow submersion when compared to dives on scuba.
Sara Campbell has broken four freediving world records in various disciplines in her time, yet first and foremost she is a yoga instructor. Freediving was not even a sport she would have considered had not one of her students observed her breath-holding ability, and suggested she try it. Remarkably, only nine months after starting out she broke three world records in one 48-hour period!
Yoga for Freediving: Deep Relaxation is her first packaged course, and it’s accessible online. It is easy to navigate, has good reproduction and playback quality and contains plenty of material of varying lengths (videos range from 3-40 minutes).
Included are four introductory, six relaxation and 18 “how to” videos designed to further explain specific practices with which you may be unfamiliar, and covering everything from how to sit (not as simple as you might think) and how to chant mantras to specific physical exercises for freediving such as “reverse packing”.
Initially I found the switching of camera angles in the videos distracting, but I soon got used to this, and for some of the exercises in any case you need to have your eyes closed, with the audio providing the main point of reference.
Some of the audio lectures are also available to download as mp3s, which can then be listened to in the car before training etc.
All the lectures and meditations were well explained and placed into context, and even as a freediver who is familiar with yoga I found them useful.
As well as the video and audio tutorials the course is designed so that the user undertakes 40 consecutive days of meditation. This is not as demanding as you might think, and the PDF guide describes how to undertake this programme, along with useful tips to keep you on track.
The course retails for US $300, but for that you are effectively getting one-on-one tuition.
Being able to return to the course and re-watch or re-listen to parts is also advantageous, unlike a taught course on which, if your attention lapses, you’re unable to hit the rewind.
Despite some specific techniques being described for the sport, this product is not designed to be a basic introduction to freediving. The course would suit those already familiar with the sport and seeking to improve on their current expertise.
Available to buy separately are the six relaxation videos for $50, which would be ideal for those with a good understanding of yoga and freediving alike.
Sara has a unique style and approach that I have not experienced before on apnea courses. Becoming a freediver through yoga appears to have led her to adopt an all-encompassing approach to the sport, as opposed to the predominantly physical training on which some courses focus primarily.
While I can’t see myself smashing world records any time soon, my training focus has shifted more towards the mind as a result of this video package.
This has already allowed for more relaxed dives and further enjoyment of my time below the surface.
Lauren Smith
Discover Your Depths
www.discoveryourdepths.com
Premium video set US$300
Appeared in DIVER August 2016
