Imagine yourself going underwater, holding your breath. You can hear your heart throbbing, and your mind becomes in full control.
Freediving is all about letting go; the mental health of the freediver is the main anchor; the human psyche is the challenge to push through your fear—the fear of letting go and the fear of being attached, as you only depend on your body and its mechanisms to cope and expand your potential to its fullest, relying all on your strength and level of awareness.
Holding the breath in general has been associated with relaxation and meditation techniques. The idea of being fully submerged underwater, without any equipment, and looking at the sea surface from down, surrounded by the blue and even sometimes full darkness depending on the depth you dive into, but being at the same time fully present in the moment, fully in the depth of your own calmness, listening to your own body, your slowed heartbeats, feeling the calmness flow through your brain, and the peace that comes with it.
Freediving is not only about depth; it merely depends on your state of mind, on developing your abilities, pushing the limits beyond your thoughts, accelerating a strong mindset that goes beyond fear, and embracing the unknown.
While practicing freediving, you gain several psychological advantages, such as:
Anxiety reduction:
It helps you master relaxation and meditation techniques; it’s all about your conscious staying in the moment and your subconscious controlling your fears. Many people have a fear of depth, a fear of darkness, a fear of the unknown, or even a fear of water. In freediving, you learn to cope with these fears, and this is not an ability only used underwater but also on the surface and in your daily life, developing a great mechanism of problem handling, to look within and deep, and to find your answers.
Concentration and focus:
The most important thing in freediving is listening to yourself; your conscious mind knows the answer. This is why freediving has a noticeable effect on your focus levels, as it helps in developing a clear concentration level and being able to listen to the alarms your body gives you, not only physically but also emotionally. You will learn while practicing freediving the power to take over control of your mind and your thoughts.
Gaining self-confidence:
Beside gaining huge self-confidence, when you are so close to your inner self, you are able to make better judgements, assess the situation you are in, and have control over your life. Events that you can’t control can’t possibly affect you when you are living in the present moment and mastering your self-control habits. Your mind is always active and aware; you act in the moment; and your body and mind are fully awake.
Disclaimer 1: To maintain transparency, it’s important to note that Daniel Schönenberg freedive instructor is my spouse, and I have been overseeing the marketing efforts for his freedive section in mantacruz dive center.
Disclaimer 2: Never dive alone. Freediving should only be done with a certified instructor or a certified safety diver.
Disclaimer 3: Note, the information is provided for reference only, and is not a substitute for formal training. We strongly recommended that you complete a freediving course before taking up freediving in any form.
I love the way you wrote about pushing through the fear and letting go, it feels very empowering. Thank you for sharing this special perspective 🧜🏻♀️
Thank you so much Jenny 🙂