Tiger Woods, the world’s most well-known golf pro, may need his Buddhist faith to restore him to his former glory.
Since he exploded on the international scene in 1996, Tiger Woods has consistently played golf at the highest levels. Exceptionally good golf. But recently, he announced plans for a sort of sabbatical as he takes his game back to the basics. Observers have been able to tell that the golf superstar has not had his mind in the game for a while, as he performed poorly in multiple top-tier tournaments. While swing practice may benefit him, the reality is that golf is as much as mental game as it is physical.
Tiger Woods may already hold the key to getting his mind back in the game, he just needs to figure out how to use it to open that mental door. As a Buddhist, he is already familiar with a meditation technique called Mindfulness, in which one identifies each element of his surroundings without making a value judgment. The practice of Mindfulness is meant to help a person get in touch with her true self and put surrounding emotions and stimuli into their appropriate place. This hyper-consciousness could be performed while holding a certain posture, or carried along with a person while she goes about her everyday activities.
A lifelong Buddhist, Tiger Woods has re-connected most strongly with the teachings of his religion since a private affair went public in 2010, leading to his divorce. Woods later apologized to his public, affirming that his faith was the foundation on which his future actions would be built. If Tiger Woods can learn to apply Mindfulness to his golf swing, he may soon be able to channel his legendary swing to achieve the highest levels of golf success once again. But of even greater importance, he may find an inner peace that has been elusive of late.