NFL and Yoga: Keith Mitchell
Keith Mitchell, the NFL, Yoga and Athletics
Keith Mitchell talks about his experience of football leading him into the world of yoga and meditation in the attached video made for NFL films.
Thoughts on Keith Mitchell NFL and Yoga Video:
As a former player I can only agree with everything Keith says. After putting more than fifteen years into the sport and it all ending so suddenly, I too was forced to reevaluate life. Yoga helped this process. Instead of looking for external validation and others to tell me that I was still a success, the practice and process on and off the mat taught me to appreciate the moment and to not worry about the things I couldn’t control. I have yet to experience any feeling so incredible as some of the meditation experiences both during and after challenging yoga practices.
Athletic Yoga
We feel that the trend of yoga for athletes will continue for years to come. Think of ten years ago when yoga was widely perceived in the US athletic sector as a feminine irrelevant matter. In more recent years, professional athletes are leading the charge, showing the broader public that yoga is a practice that can help on and off the field. Through Gaiam, former NFL runningback Eddie George and NBA Star Kevin Love are developing an “Athletic Yoga” program for athletes of all ages. Also at the forefront are amazing teachers such as Sage Rountree.
B,
Great video…. your reflection is on point.
Yoga helped me “sort things out” after football ended. The lessons that yoga philosophy & yoga practice have taught me have been invaluable. I always have friends (many former athletes) tell me that they’d like to get into the practice. Western misconceptions complicate the true lessons of yoga but my advice to all my friends is always to go into yoga with an open mind and to stick w/ it. After the first few classes, it might seem like a fruitless effort…. stick w/ it. At some point, it will “click.” You’ll able to still your mind, breathe & focus on the now, & that’s when internal peace comes. 🙂
Glad to hear Keith’s injuries have been healed. Best of luck, Keith, would enjoy an opportunity to practice w/ you one day!
~Paz
Paz,
Right on. When meditation became the goal, the entire practice changed. Grateful to Rory for introducing me to these concepts. Some may go in looking for the physical effects of the practice, while these are nice, they are almost nothing in comparison to the mental practice of stilling the mind and trying to become no thing for that hour or two.
Peace.