Archery as therapy

I had the occasion a few days ago to accompany a friend to the outside shooting range in Florence where she practices shooting her bow and arrow.
She is a champion here in Tuscany and participates in many competitions.
We left before dawn because at 10am it is already too hot to shoot.  This is one of my favorite times of the day to be around, watching the day come in and the world wake up.  It is quiet, sleepy and empty, the lights from the night still are lit and behind the black contour of the hills is a clear light blue and pink sky promising the sun.  Like all “Italians” we grabbed a cappucc (short for cappuccino) and pastry and by 7am she was ready to practice.  There were three other “early bird” archers in this beautiful lawn surrounded by old walls and buildings.

Envisioning a goal or target outside of the daily thoughts in one’s mind, gives the archer a mental break from anything that occupies or worries him/her.  (This reminds me of my husband who says that one thing that can keep his mind off of work is fly fishing, because then his mind is where the fish are).  At the same time, the other part of the archer’s focus is on the correct position of his body (straight between heaven and earth), and the correct movement of his arms pushing the bow and drawing the arrow simultaneously and then releasing the arrow.  For this muscles in the back are used between the shoulder blades;  the beginner does not initially feel these muscles and gradually learns to use them.  The picture of a cross arises, the uprightness of the body, the arrow horizontally in front of the chest and the simultaneous movement of pushing and drawing opens and relaxes the area around the heart.
Releasing the arrow is the moment that all preparation, work and practice leads up to.  There can be no tension and no intention anymore.  Even though the archer aims at the target, in reality it is all about the release.  It is as if the target DRAWS the arrow to itself.

My friend got into archery as a young woman because she was enchanted by it but also she wanted to do something that was only for herself.  For many people, especially women, it is so hard to do something by oneself.  There are children, husbands, friends, parents, work, dogs and cats...there is no end to the needs that call on women (my friend used to practice midwifery).  And so archery in this case, (but it could be many other activities as well), was and still is a savior for her.

Archery, when not used for hunting, teaches how to give freely... to give (letting the arrow go) from the open heart without tension or intention.

My friend, as do also I in my humble efforts at archery, experience the therapeutic effects of shifting one’s focus away from daily concerns and cares.  This takes place in silence and often outside in nature and we feel gradually more centered and peaceful.  Breathing deepens and evens out. Repetition is comforting.  Trying again and again to release the arrow from a place of relaxed openness and freedom may help us to do the same in our lives.

To freely give is simultaneously deeply enriching for giver and receiver - a profound experience of what it means to be human.

~Claudia