Mindful Adventures are super excited to invite you to our summer retreat, in the beautiful location of Anglesey, North Wales

Mindful Adventure with Sarah Daly

Archery

The early morning air is crisp about you as you take in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as you quiet your mind. You raise your bow towards the target, fingers gently resting on the string and focus your eyes on the far away circle of yellow. Another deep breath and you pull back the string, hitting the familiar anchor points on your cheek and chest while your eyes never waiver from the target. You wait for the moment where everything feels right ... and then you release. The arrow hisses as it speeds towards your intent, ending with a satisfying thud as it reaches your goal. You lower your bow and draw another arrow from your quiver.

Archery is a sport for everyone, it’s fun and enjoyable for all. It involves shooting an arrow at targets big and small. They are also many benefits off archery.



Archery eases arthritis pain for some people through consistent practice and muscle memory. In addition, it improves hand-eye coordination, which benefits anyone needing that practice. For mental health, archery provides active meditation, which can improve your mood, and ease anxiety and depression.

Most people have heard of meditation, but have you ever considered archery meditation? Whether you know it or not, there are several similarities between the two and why so many people consider archery a calming experience. Meditation also improves your focus and plays a large role in your accuracy.

While traditional meditation can be helpful for archers, the process of shooting is active meditation. Archery is a mindful practice. You must be aware of what you’re doing and focusing on what’s most important. Done correctly, the process of doing this helps provide archers with calmness, relaxation, and a clear mind. The result is improved accuracy and an improved state of mind.

When practicing archery you must be aware of a thousand different little details. Are you anchoring correctly? Is your stance the same every time? Are you aiming consistently? What are the weather conditions?

The trick is to have all of these things in your mind but placing focus on the most important part. Come along and find out for yourself.

Mindful Adventure with Sarah Daly

Paddle Boarding

It probably comes as no surprise that paddle boarding is great for the body.  It is an ideal form of exercise as it works your muscles while challenging your core at the same time. 

However, did you know that it is also extremely effective in helping to deal with stress and anxiety, depression, PTSD and trauma?

In a time when our bodies are often stuck in fight-flight mode with our adrenals working overtime trying to protect us, it is more important than ever to have a plan in place to help with mental health.

Most of us need help reducing our stress levels at the best of times but right now with everything going on in the world we might need a little extra help to stay calm and positive.

Paddle boarding provides a low impact, repetitive motion while deep breathing in nature. 

The combination of this repetitive motion combined with breathing in fresh air while out on the water can very quickly get you into a zen state. The effects are amazing.

Doing this repetitive motion for a very short period will calm the body and decrease your levels of cortisol, the main stress hormone.

Whereas high impact sports can temporarily increase your cortisol level, a low impact and repetitive sport like paddle boarding will significantly decrease your cortisol level with only 30 minutes of paddling.  As you continue to paddle your body releases  chemicals that help your muscles and organs relax, and increase blood flow to the brain.

The overall effect will have you amazed at how good you feel.

Another bonus to being out exercising on the water is that it forces you to be in the moment.  All of the mind chatter disappears as your brain focuses on those same repetitive paddling strokes while staying balanced on your board.

It can truly be a fantastic form of meditation.

You might notice you feel more connected to your body as you focus on each muscle group working.

Without even realizing it you will get into the zone. You will feel a deeper connection with yourself, as well as with the water, as you paddle with and against the flow.

Being in this mindful state will cause an automatic relaxation response in your body.