I was talking with one of our yoga instructors recently about meditation and the many different forms it can take. It got me thinking: maybe we make meditation harder than it needs to be.
I’ve tried the classic stuff—apps with calm voices telling me to “let go of your thoughts” and “come back to your breath.” And honestly, it works for about 10 seconds before my brain takes off again. Not in a bad way, just… full speed, all the time. I’ve always thought that meant I was terrible at meditation. But maybe the problem isn’t me. Maybe that style just isn’t my style.
Because here’s the truth: when I’m snowboarding, I don’t have to “try” to meditate. It just happens.
When I’m flying down the mountain, I’m not worried about bills, emails, or what’s on tomorrow’s calendar. I’m locked in. I’m thinking about the edge of my board, the way the snow feels under me, the line I’m carving. Nothing else. For those runs, my mind is 100% present. It’s quiet. It’s free. And maybe that’s my meditation.
Even my buddy Wikipedia backs me up:
“Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.”
So if that’s the definition, then snowboarding is my meditation. It’s where I find my peace and my center.
And honestly? I get a version of that same feeling in the gym. During a WOD, I’m not thinking about anything else. I’m focused on the barbell in front of me, the reps, the clock, my breath. Just like on the mountain, I’m present. That’s meditation too.
Maybe that’s the real takeaway here: meditation doesn’t have to look like sitting cross-legged in silence with incense burning. It can be whatever clears your mind and centers you. For me, it’s snowboarding… and sometimes, it’s the middle of a workout at Missing Link.
Find your thing. Lean into it. That’s meditation.
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