Arrow Whispers - Mental Strength in Archery

There's a wealth of information on archery that you can literally dig through. From the equipment and shooting techniques to historical, traditional, and cultural perspectives. As fascinating as it is, I believe there are certainly more qualified writers on the subject than me. My passion for this topic is much more focused on the mental aspect. And that, at least in my opinion, is still not receiving enough attention.
 

What is mental strength anyway?

We hear about it all the time. But I have the feeling that no one really knows what it actually means. Mental strength begins with awareness. We all have subconscious programs stored within us that are based on certain beliefs. These beliefs have already formed within us. Unfortunately, not all of them are useful in our lives. Now you might be wondering what all this has to do with archery. As a passionate archer, you probably know that feeling when you're about to release the string and you already know that the arrow will hit exactly where you wanted it. Or when you're getting ready for your next shot and you don't even believe you'll hit it. If you think about it a little more, it's no big secret that these thoughts influence our performance. And many studies confirm this. But what if we learned to become aware of these moments so that we can influence them specifically? The best way to do this is to first become aware of our beliefs. For example, how do I think about myself when I can't achieve something, and how do I feel about it? How do I deal with situations and, above all, with myself when they overwhelm me? Unfortunately, most people still believe that how you deal with such situations is a matter of character. But the essence of a person lies much deeper than mere habit. If you have the courage to look and begin to confront your experiences in life, you can learn a great deal about yourself. Even then, you begin to grow a little. I have been involved with consciousness development for several years now, and I cannot even begin to imagine the scope of this topic.

Here is a little exercise

Take five minutes before you go to bed for a week. Close your eyes and try to imagine yourself walking through an unfamiliar course. Imagine your bow between your fingers. What is the texture like, smooth or rough? Is its material cold or warm on your skin? You hear the birds and the light refracts through the leaves. You see a shooting peg in the distance and you get closer and closer. You feel good in your own skin and the weather is fantastic. You know that today is a great day to go shooting because you are completely at peace with yourself. Deep down you know that you can trust yourself completely. Now you are standing at the peg and you can see your target. You probably have a favorite target. Imagine it, what it looks like. Imagine it exactly. The colors, the size. Now take a deep breath. Your eyes adjust to the lighting conditions and suddenly you can see exactly where you want your arrow to go. You prepare, nock your arrow, draw the bow, and concentrate solely on your target. You look precisely at the spot that feels right for you. You wait for the right moment. And then it happens: you release your fingers from the string and know exactly where your arrow will hit. The arrow flies, hits, and you cheer with joy.

The most important thing about this exercise is that you have to empathize with the situation emotionally. Otherwise, the whole thing is pointless. You might feel silly at first, but if you do it consistently, you'll not only get practice, you'll even learn to recall it on demand. What do you think will happen the next time you stand in front of your "feared opponent" and imagine the practiced situation? But that's only the first step toward developing an awareness of your own power. I hope it has already helped one or two of you to become a little more aware.

Because archery is more than just a sport.

If you really get into it, it can even become a way of life. Depending on what you define as archery. For me, it's all about growing through challenges and trusting in yourself.

Bettina Platzer

Bettina Platzer is a great nature lover. She is also very interested in the connections in life. She loves being able to see things from new perspectives in order to make sense of them.