[Ansteorra-archery] Fwd: Re: [SCA-Archery] Clearing the mind: was Olympic Trials (caution long)

Fri Dec 14 10:56:13 PST 2001

All good things to do.  However, before one can put all theses things into
use, one must do one important thing.  And that thing is to over come
inertia.  Inertia is that force which tends to keep bodies at rest, at rest.

Gilli

-----Original Message-----
From: Harry Bilings [mailto:humble_archer at hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2001 12:32 PM
To: eulenhorst at juno.com; ansteorra-archery at ansteorra.org;
djshipman at earthlink.net
Subject: [Ansteorra-archery] Fwd: Re: [SCA-Archery] Clearing the mind:
was Olympic Trials (caution long)

Some things for thouse of use that have problems with clearing our "minds"
when shoting.
plachoya

Thank you for the compliment.  I have no problem with your cross posting
my message (I did put it out for public consideration), however, I would
like to mention that Evian has published (or will be soon) it as an
article in Bodkin and Bolt and I would like you to consider posting an
edited version with a reference to the published version.  It's only fair
to support our on-line publishers first.  I would like to receive a copy
of any emitted post and any replies it generates to evaluate new ideas.
In service to the dream,Carolus von Eulenhorsteulenhorst at juno.com

>From: eulenhorst at juno.com
>Reply-To: SCA-Archery at yahoogroups.com
>To: SCA-Archery at yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [SCA-Archery] Clearing the mind:  was Olympic Trials (caution
>long)
>Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2001 21:53:05 -0800
>
>Thank you for your take on this, Nest.  It gives me a great opening and a
>caution.  First, the caution.  Never, ever say "Oops, lousy shot".  The
>act of saying it, even mentally, is like shooting it again.  Totally
>ignore the bad shots, compliment yourself on the perfect shots.  That
>shot you lined up and saw hit dead center in the target seemingly without
>effort is the one to remember.  Archery is 90% a mental game.  An
>excellent resource is "Zen and the Art of Archery" by Eugen Herrigel.  If
>everything is working right, the archer and his equipment become one.
>The draw of the bow is a fluid movement, the release simply a natural
>extension of the movement, and the archer soars with his arrow to the
>target.  I like to call it the existential art of archery.
>
>"Wiping your mind clear" is a goal which must be achieved by each archer
>in his or her own way.  I'll go over my process as an example.  Each
>archer will have to find what works for them.
>
>I begin several days before competition by going over all my equipment.
>Go over each arrow, clean it, polish it, check and repair or refurbish
>the fletching, check each nock to make sure they are identical.
>Disassemble my bow, clean and polish each part, make sure anything
>mechanical is clean and lubricated (note: this really doesn't apply to my
>SCA gear as sights, cushion plungers, and the like are removed), Make
>sure my string is in good shape and my backup strings are shot in and
>conditioned.  Reassemble the bow and test shoot it.  When everything is
>ready I pack it for carrying to the event.  At the event I set it all
>back up, retest it at the practice range, and leave it set up until the
>event ends (even if it goes on several days).  This obviously isn't
>possible with a wood bow because of string following but I will stay as
>close to this as possible.  After returning to the line after each break
>(lunch, end of the day's shooting, whatever) I recheck brace height,
>tiller, all fittings, and generally go over my equipment.  With this
>done, I don't have to think about my tackle while I'm on the line.
>
>On the line I take time to find my perfect position and mark it with
>talc, chalk, or any other appropriate method.  Before drawing an arrow I
>check my quiver and make sure my arrows are ready and loose.  I check to
>be sure my bow is comfortable and my grip balanced.  I close my eyes and
>go over all my gear, including my shirt, shoes, and whether my underwear
>is comfortable.  If not, I return to the preparation area and make the
>required adjustments.  I make sure I am aware of everything about myself
>before reaching for that first arrow.  I then follow a ritual which I
>have internalized though hundreds of hours of practice.  With my eyes
>still closed I check my balance, make sure I am centered and steady.  I
>reach for the arrow, nock it, and position it on the rest.  I then take a
>moment and visualize the perfect shot; sight picture, draw, anchor,
>release, follow-through, perfect hit on the pinhole.  I raise the bow and
>take my initial position to the target.  I then open my eyes.  If
>everything is right the tip of the arrow should be over the gold and the
>view I see should match what I pictured as my starting point.  If I'm too
>far off I start over.  With both eyes open, I concentrate on the sight
>picture as I draw to my anchor.  The sight picture includes the target,
>the tip of the arrow, the edge of the bow, any sights or sight marks, and
>the bowstring.  Focus should be on the target and other elements may be
>blurred but you'll know what looks right with practice.  I check my
>breathing to be sure I started with a full breath and let half of it out
>while drawing, that my teeth are closed, that my anchor point is right.
>Hesitate for a moment at anchor, finish drawing through the anchor,
>release, and follow through.  Check the position of all parts of your
>body and tackle when you hear the arrow hit (yes, you can even hear a hit
>at 90 metres).  Let down and count to 10, slowly.  Now the shot is
>finished.  Then I check the position of the arrow in the target - I don't
>try to follow its flight, I'll only mess it up.
>
>I begin the next shot by closing my eyes, counting slowly to 20 and
>resume with checking my balance.  If I have to let down early because
>something isn't right, I still start over with the count.  This builds a
>pattern and almost results in a trance state while I am shooting.  Be
>careful though, this is why marshals are necessary.  There on people on
>this list who can confirm this, they were there.  I was getting a sight
>setting for 70 metres in college when a jogger cut across the range
>between me and the target.  My concentration was such that I heard the
>people yelling at me and the jogger.  I completely blanked on it and the
>jogger ignored it.  My shot passed within a foot or so behind the jogger
>at ear level.  Now, I am aware of the cry of "hold" and it penetrates my
>consciousness but nonstandard noise is still blocked.  This is why
>mundane ranges use whistle signals for emergencies, they are short and
>distinct and make it through to the archer.
>
>If something starts to go wrong with my shooting I simply close my eyes,
>concentrate on the darkness, then bring up the perfect shot sequence.  At
>the end my mind is blank to everything except the shot before me.  This
>is what I was trying to get to.  Hope this helps someone out there and I
>didn't bore too many people.
>
>In service to the dream,
>Carolus von Eulenhorst
>eulenhorst at juno.com
>

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