Introducing: Basketball, Etc. with Claire de Lune

After several days of deep diving on this topic and talking to all the experts, I realized something I was learning so much about how powerful these practices are, how transformative they can be, what they feel like, look like, sound like, but I hadn't tried for myself.

The few times I had tried meditating in the past, I wrote it off almost immediately.

I felt like my mind was too busy, and my inner skeptic voice was way too loud.

But if I was going to really understand the power of meditation in basketball, I knew the ultimate truth.

I was going to need to set my skepticism aside and try it for myself with fresh eyes and an open mind.

So I went to Hakeem's beautiful sunny dojo in Larchmont Village.

Immediately upon entering, it had incredible energy.

There were plants everywhere, sun pouring in through a ton of windows, and the scent of warm, woody incense permeating throughout.

It was hard not to feel calm immediately.

So why don't you sit comfortable.

Okay.

I want you just to relax.

Be as comfortable as you possibly can.

And from here, I want you to just take in a big deep breath.

Take your time, and just hold it, and then let go.

Breathe out.

There you go.

At this point, I'm sitting on Hakeem's couch still wondering if I'm even capable of meditating well, whatever that means, but I'm trying to quiet the doubts.

And from here, all you have to do is just sit.

I don't want you to think about anything from today, this afternoon.

[laughs]

[laughs] The garbage truck in the background.

[laughs] And that's all good.

That's all good.

All I want you to do is just be present and be aware of where you are right now, and take in soft breaths in through the nose and out through the nose.