SUP Mag UK March 2015 issue 4 | Page 42

SUP and stress In this frantic modern world we have constant pressures on our time and our attention which can cause stress, a ‘fight or flight’ response and over time some serious health conditions. One way to deal with this stress is through mindfulness, which is the practice and ability to focus on ‘the present moment’ which is taught by Buddhism and has been adopted by talking therapies like CBT. There are plenty of organizations out there offering mindfulness training, but with SUP it’s a natural and integral part of a session out on the water. Yoga It is not an accident that Yoga has a special relationship with SUP. One of the reasons for this connection is that Yoga on a paddle board gives instant feedback to the Yogis: if they are not focused and mindful and have good form doing a pose on a SUP, then there could be a consequence which involves a short swim. When you are standing up and paddling normally, the same risk applies. If you are not focused on what you are doing, how you are holding your body or where the next wave is c