The practice of meditation, especially Za-zen, can lead athletes—including tennis players—to develop a deeper awareness of their mental and emotional resources. It’s no coincidence that I write the word “Athlete” with a capital “A”. For me, becoming an Athlete with a capital “A” means that the player is not simply focused on winning but also on growth and evolution.
In today’s society, there is a risk of athletes becoming like “donkeys pulling a cart”, as the modern world pushes us toward robotic and unfulfilling lives. We spend most of our time “clocking in” at work, hiding behind masks of who we think we should be, or succumbing to societal pressures that value youth over wisdom. This mindset can lead people to cheat, lie, or even resort to doping, all in an attempt to succeed.
But an Athlete is not just someone who practices a sport or attends university. An Athlete is someone who asks questions, who has doubts and uncertainties. You know the most common response I get when I give technical or psychological advice? “Yes, I know.” But when I see someone truly listening—not just passively or pretending—they are embodying what it means to be an Athlete. 🧠
The Athlete’s Journey
An Athlete like this sees their sports experience as a journey. In my book, “The Zen Athlete”, I describe this journey as a union of physical and mental activities that stimulate constant new beginnings. The real journey is self-discovery: learning about your possibilities, becoming aware of your potential, and understanding your limits in order to overcome them. 🌱
Through this process, you evolve, constantly transforming and adopting new ways of thinking. By shifting your mindset and embracing what is possible, you’ll discover that everything is achievable when viewed with renewed intention.
Just like in life, the highs and lows, successes and failures in sports mirror the emotional rollercoaster we experience in our everyday existence. Practicing a sport allows us to experience the full range of emotions and psychological conditions.
Meditation and Mental Functions
Returning to the practice of meditation, it’s important to clarify what I mean by mental functions. These include sensations, emotions, impulses, intuition, imagination, and thoughts. This approach follows the psychosynthesis model proposed by Roberto Assagioli, who introduced a new vision of psychology in Italy that embraced spirituality after initially building on Jungian ideas.
Often, tennis players are driven by their mental functions rather than consciously mastering them. The most overused function is thought, which is frequently clouded by judgments and rigid mental frameworks. In such a competitive environment, meditation serves as a vital resource for maintaining psychological and physical balance.
Meditation: A Tool for Enhancing Tennis Performance
With the advancement of training methods, nutrition, and technology, athletic performance has been pushed to physiological limits—sometimes at the expense of health. Achieving improvements requires increasing effort for diminishing returns. This effort is compounded by the intense stress placed on athletes, which can compromise their performance and consistency, even for the strongest competitors.
Here are some ways that meditation can improve tennis performance:
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Unlocking and recovering blocked energy resources.
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Developing unused potential—scientific studies show that meditation can help athletes optimize their mental and physical abilities, often only using less than 5% of their potential.
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Meditation enhances:
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Psycho-physical efficiency
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Stress management
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Coordination and reaction times
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Energy, vitality, and endurance
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Effective use of personal resources
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Meditation practice is also highly effective in reducing anxiety during competitions, transforming nervous energy into productive energy. It allows athletes to recover faster from fatigue or injury, and when practiced in team settings, it fosters better interpersonal relationships and team cohesion.
Meditation means being present in your actions—“Meditation = Meditated Action.” It involves accepting your inner complexity and learning to manage the flood of emotions, thoughts, and impulses within you.
Western Meditation: A Balanced Approach
For many of us, we weren’t born at the foot of the Himalayas but in bustling cities full of chaos and stress. So, meditation must take on more Western tones. Meditation isn’t just about formal practice—it’s about living a more contemplative life, finding space for yourself, asking meaningful questions, and seeking honest answers.
Even Gandhi said, “My most powerful weapon is silent prayer.” Prayer, in its own right, is a form of meditation.
How to Start Meditating
Here’s a simple way to get started:
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Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed.
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Sit or lie down comfortably, but respectfully.
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Focus on your breath—seek depth, calmness, and slow, steady breathing.
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Try to let go of thoughts, emotions, and impulses; aim for inner silence.
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Stay there, balanced and centered.
At first, it might feel challenging, but with patience and perseverance, you will eventually reach an inner place of profound clarity and awareness. You simply need to stick with it and embrace the process with confidence and persistence.
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