By Peggy Rowe-Ward, Richard Brady in December 2002

Playing Sports? Is it Mindful?

Dear Dharmacharyas,

My name is Ethan Flint. I am nine and 3/4 years old. My dad is in the Sangha in New York City. I wanted to know your opinion about playing in a sports league, like soccer or baseball. Do you think it is just a way of occupying myself or is it a good thing because I have a lot of fun in it.

My dad and I are reading Old Path, White Clouds and that got me thinking about what things could occupy my mind in a bad way.

Sincerely,
Ethan Flint

Understanding What Makes Sports Fun

Dear Ethan Flint,

Thank you for the important question you raise about participating in sports leagues. It is clearly stated and, I believe, contains the beginning of an answer in your last sentence. You don't want to occupy your mind in a bad way. How can you tell if sports or anything else is a bad way to occupy your mind? One thing to look at is how you feel while you are doing the activity. You have fun playing sports. But don't stop here. Why do you have fun? For some people sports are fun because it gives them a chance to show off or to win. Their fun is based on the impressions they make or the results they achieve, and it depends on their doing or their team doing better than others. All the players involved cannot share this kind of fun. On the other hand, some people like the connection they feel with friends on their teams, or they like physical exercise, or they like to develop their skills. This kind of fun is always available to them and to all the other players. So I'm saying that having fun isn't reason enough to play on sports teams. Understand that fun and be sure that you feel good about it!

Fun may be an immediate effect of playing sports. There are also long-term effects. Your question makes me wonder whether you may be thinking of them. Perhaps you and your dad have already talked about karma, the principle that everything you think, say, and do now will affect the future. Playing sports affects the future. So does doing schoolwork and spending time with your family. Doing these things affects your future and the future of others. It is impossible to know what the effects will be. The main thing you have to go on is what is happening right now. Playing sports is providing you fun. What kind of challenges and opportunities for growth is it providing? How is it affecting your relationships with other kids? With your family? Very likely there are other important questions about sports participation to ask yourself. These questions may be as difficult to answer as ones about the future. But you do not seem to be a young person who shies away from difficult questions.

What I am trying to describe here is mindfulness of the present moment. As you ask questions and become more aware of what your present moment holds, you will probably find that your sports participation has both positive and negative aspects. The better you understand what these are, the better you will be able to choose how much and how you will participate, and what you learn from investigating this question about sports will serve you well as you encounter similar questions throughout your life. Good luck.

Many smiles,
Richard Brady

What Seeds Are Being Watered?

Dear Ethan,

Thanks for asking this great question. This is important. I am impressed that you have the courage to ask brave questions like this one. One thing I heard in your question was "is this the best use of my time in the precious gift of a human lifetime?" The only person who can ask and respond to this question is you, so that is good news.

Your question also addresses how you occupy your mind while you play. What is important is not whether to play or not play sports. What is important is how you occupy your mind while playing sports. It is about how you practice being human while you play.

If you practice soccer or baseball and water seeds of anger, frustration, jealousy, and violence, then this is not a good use of your time. If you use the team experience to practice with these seeds and to water seeds of mindfulness, support, caring, and Sangha building, then this is a good use of your time and your mind.

A soccer team and a baseball team are forms of Sangha. Being on a team is a wonderful opportunity to practice community building and to practice creating harmony and awareness.  At Plum Village there are volleyball nets, basketball hoops and soccer balls.  Many of the brothers and sisters enjoy playing together, exercising their bodies and sharing happiness in this way.

Thay has said there is no way to happiness--happiness is the way. It is good to know what you like. It is good to know what makes you happy.

Peggy Rowe