| Spirit in Sport: peak performance & the zone in | | | | coherence, quantum physics, sacred geometry, |
| sport | | | | spiritual manifestation and emotional intelligence. I |
| Book Intro (Preface) | | | | was spending over twenty five hours a week on |
| By Fiona Taylor, 1992 Olympian, mystic, coach | | | | research. I was desperately searching for |
| and former World Champion Windsurfer | | | | answers. |
| “The board glides smoothly across the water. | | | | I then went to a doctor who practiced western |
| Under my feet the board feels light and | | | | and eastern medicine who threw the book at me. |
| responsive. It is purely an extension of me,there | | | | He told me that my body was shutting down. He |
| is no resistance. | | | | said I was a toxic waste dump. My lymph system |
| The sail is an extension of my upper body. It | | | | was not working efficiently. I had a build up of |
| feels comfortable. | | | | cancer cells in my body. He wanted me to go on |
| The rig feels right. It responds effortlessly to the | | | | his strict diet and have treatment each week at |
| increase in wind. | | | | his clinic to get me back to health. At the time I |
| My body feels lean and strong. | | | | had no money to even pay for extra vitamins, let |
| I love being on the water. I love being here. | | | | alone weekly treatment. I was under huge stress |
| I have an inner knowing of all that is today. I am | | | | and as a result had begun to drink too much |
| at home on the water. | | | | alcohol. For a period of 8 months I had buried all |
| The wind, the waves and the water are my | | | | my pain in drinking to numb myself from feeling. |
| friends. | | | | When I left the doctors clinic that day, after he |
| I am at One with them. | | | | threw the book at me, deep down I knew that |
| Unity. No hesitation - just inspiration | | | | even if I did everything he told me to do it would |
| A feeling of Lightness of being. | | | | not have made any difference. An inner voice told |
| Joy, a rush of energy as I accelerate in a 3 knot | | | | me I had to find the answer at the spiritual level. I |
| gust……… | | | | felt that I would slowly die if I did not find the |
| Whee. I am free. | | | | spiritual answer. And I felt so exhausted at the |
| The six minute start signal is about to go. | | | | time that I did not really care if I did die. In fact |
| My timer is set for the 6 minute count down to | | | | at the time all I wanted to do was to curl up in |
| the start. | | | | bed go to sleep and not wake up. |
| It is about the wind and me. | | | | My search continued and I went to a naturapath |
| There are other boards around. I know who they | | | | healer who did a chakra balance on me and helped |
| are, and I know that I know this place better | | | | clear my body at the astral level. This seemed to |
| than them and I will win this race. There is no | | | | help me for a short while. Very soon after this I |
| doubt whatsoever. | | | | went to Sydney to meet a French lady who had |
| My focus is on just being in the moment.. | | | | a new electro-magnetic machine that could bring |
| I am not thinking. | | | | your spirit back properly into the body. I was |
| I am just feeling. Everything feels surreal, my | | | | willing to try anything at this stage. When I arrived |
| focus is not on any ‘one thing’ but simply | | | | at her clinic I held on to these two metal handles |
| being at one with all that is. | | | | and she said my spirit was eight metres away |
| Intuitively I approach the line. I have already | | | | from my body. In other words I was not |
| chosen where I want to start. | | | | spiritually grounded and balanced. Somehow she |
| No one is in my way. I have claimed my starting | | | | brought my spirit back into my body. Within two |
| position. | | | | minutes my lymphatic system started to gurgle |
| As I look up wind towards the top mark, the | | | | and move. I went to the loo about ten times that |
| wind has remained steady. I have a race plan and | | | | day emptying fluid. I certainly felt more grounded |
| I just know. I am just in the now moment. | | | | after her treatment. |
| Bang – the start gun, with four pumps I am | | | | But still a deeper part of me kept searching for |
| off the line with a clear start. | | | | answers. My stomach was still bloated and I still |
| I am fast, I feel fast as the board glides up | | | | had constant pain in my pancreas, like a knife in |
| wind…………… | | | | my back. A year before I had prolapsed a disc |
| My focus is on being at one with the wind, as I | | | | and had a knee reconstruction to mend my ACL |
| round the top mark first. | | | | that I tore snow skiing. I had never felt the same |
| My focus is on feeling light and at one with the | | | | since being on anti-infalammatory drugs for my |
| board. I am so far ahead now that I can still sail | | | | prolapsed disc. These injuries had also caused me |
| completely free, me and the wind, without | | | | to lose confidence in my physical ability to |
| needing to protect my position from the | | | | exercise. As a result I had lost all the fitness I had |
| windsurfers behind me. This race is mine. I knew | | | | taken for granted in all my years of windsurfing. |
| it was before the start…… | | | | Finally I met a metaphysical counselor and mystic |
| I love windsurfing……I love just being out here | | | | Yvonne Evans who also worked as a corporate |
| on the ocean………..” | | | | coach in Melbourne. In one session with her she |
| This was the natural state that I was in when I | | | | cleared my energy field (aura, mind field, at the |
| was spending every spare minute of my day at | | | | astral and spiritual level). Immediately after she |
| Davey’s Bay Yacht Club as a young | | | | cleared my energy field my hips shifted back to |
| teenager. | | | | their correct posture and the pain went from my |
| In 1983 I was a 12 year old who spent her entire | | | | pancreas. |
| summer either in the water swimming, snorkeling | | | | She told me to rest afterwards and I went home |
| or in boats. My dad had introduced me to sailing | | | | and had the deepest and most restful sleep I had |
| as a young girl and had thrown me into a sabot | | | | had for a long time. A week later I had the first |
| which is about 7 feet in length with a small sail. It | | | | mystical experience that woke me up about the |
| is the first boat usually that kids learn in. My sister | | | | nature of the soul and past lives. |
| and I used to call them ‘bath tubs’. Dad | | | | I was sitting in a coffee shop with Yvonne and |
| bought a sabot for my sisters and I to sail in and | | | | we were talking about what could be the cause |
| we called it ‘Bubbles’. Bubbles was a | | | | of my swollen stomach. We had discussed much |
| sturdy, heavy and slow sabot. | | | | of what had happened to me in this life including |
| I was the middle child of three girls and my older | | | | several operations I had had as a baby and child |
| sister Anna was three years older than me, so | | | | on my small intestine. (At four weeks old the |
| she got to steer the boat, and I was the crew. I | | | | doctors cut out one fifth of my small intestine |
| have a vivid memory of dad sending us of to sail | | | | because of a cyst. I then had plastic surgery on |
| in Sabot Week at Frankston Yacht Club when I | | | | the scar tissue that spread right across my |
| was 9 years. The first race Anna and I spent | | | | stomach when I was eight.) The answers |
| arguing and fighting on which way to go and who | | | | didn’t seem to reside in this life time. Then |
| was better at steering the boat. We were so | | | | out of my mouth came “I think I have been |
| engrossed in our own chaos that we had no | | | | stabbed in another life.” |
| awareness of the rest of the fleet. | | | | Yvonne, being a mystic, was able to tune into my |
| After some time a rescue boat drove up to us | | | | soul story and access the relevant information at |
| as told us that the race was finishing (as all the | | | | that level. She said that I had been disembowled |
| other boats were finishing) and that we had | | | | on a battle field as a soldier. I immediately felt a |
| better head back to shore. We had not even | | | | shiver up my spine as I saw flashes of this past |
| made the first mark yet because we were | | | | life. I went home and went to bed. I felt |
| absorbed in trying to get our own way in our | | | | exhausted. For over two hours this past life |
| boat. After that I realized that I really was more | | | | trauma was released from my memory at soul |
| suited to sailing on my own, and was much | | | | level. My body shook and trembled and contorted |
| happier that way, being my own person and | | | | as the memory was released via the physical cells |
| making my own decisions. | | | | in my body. This is called a physical catharsis. All I |
| Soon after that when I was 12 the sport of | | | | could do was surrender to it and consciously allow |
| windsurfing came along and it was the ‘new | | | | it to happen. Meanwhile I had the visual images |
| thing’ to do. In 1983 and 1984 more and | | | | and memories of being disembowled. It was not |
| more people at the yacht club and other clubs | | | | physically painful, but extremely overwhelming and |
| started windsurfing and there was soon a regular | | | | exhausting. |
| weekend windsurfing race that was attracting | | | | After I released this memory my body literally |
| more people than sabot sailing. | | | | morphed. My stomach went in three inches, all the |
| Our good friends the Gold’s lent me their | | | | aches and pains I had been feeling for two years |
| windsurfer and gave me my first go at it. I could | | | | disappeared. My face changed back to its normal |
| hardly reach the boom when I first started, and | | | | state and I felt spiritually grounded for the first |
| as a 12 year old I had to use the adult equipment | | | | time in over three years. |
| with larger sail, as the manufacturers had not yet | | | | The physical change in my body was so profound |
| made boards for kids. My fierce determination | | | | that my neighbour saw me the next morning and |
| allowed me to overlook the bruises, cuts and sore | | | | couldn’t believe the instant change in my |
| hands to keep on trying to pull the sail up out of | | | | appearance. This was when I realized that if we |
| the water. I eventually did, thanks to the support | | | | change at the mind-field level, in this case at the |
| from those on the beach who egged me on. The | | | | level of the unconscious – the soul, then our |
| first time I managed to get going and glided along | | | | body can change instantly. A friend of mine had |
| the surface of the water I was on a high. I only | | | | also done this herself when she was diagnosed |
| managed to go 20 meters before I fell off, but | | | | with a brain tumour. She tuned into her Soul Self |
| that was enough to get the feeling of it. I was | | | | to get the answers. She received the answers |
| hooked on the thrill of windsurfing across the | | | | and released the energy (in the mind) that caused |
| water on my own. | | | | the tumour in the first place. She went back for |
| It used to take me a long time to pull the sail out | | | | an x-ray a week later and her brain tumour was |
| of the water because I was small, but once I got | | | | gone. |
| it up and going it all felt so natural to me. I had a | | | | I had read a lot of material including books by Dr. |
| natural feel for the board and the wind and by | | | | Valerie Hunt from the Bio-energy fields foundation |
| the end of that summer it just seemed to | | | | and Professor William Tiller, head of materials |
| ‘click’ for me and I could sail in all | | | | science at Stanford University who all confirmed |
| directions, go where I wanted to go, and more | | | | that mind precedes matter. I had read that we |
| importantly get back to the beach! I lost count of | | | | create our own reality with our thoughts and our |
| how many times I fell in, crashed, dropped the sail | | | | feelings. But it was not until I connected with my |
| or got stuck out at sea needing to be rescued. | | | | Soul did I realize the truth, that yes, we create |
| One thing that worked for me was that I did not | | | | reality. The good, the bad and the great. |
| have any fear of the sea. We grew up 200 | | | | (Quantum scientists have confirmed since the |
| meters from the beach on the Mornington | | | | 1920s that we create our reality. Spiritual mystics |
| Peninsula and I learned to swim at an early age. In | | | | and teachers throughout time have told us that |
| fact I felt more at home on or in the water, than | | | | we in fact create our own reality. The mind/body |
| on the land. | | | | spirit and new age movement have repeated |
| At the end of that summer mum bought the | | | | over and over again that what we think about, |
| family our first second hand windsurfer. But you | | | | we bring about. It is only when we connect to our |
| can guess who used it most of the time. My poor | | | | spiritual intuition do we realize the truth of this. |
| sisters, mum and dad had to really work hard to | | | | The rational mind, or ego, cannot fathom that we |
| get me away from it, and actually have a chance | | | | create our reality.) |
| to use it. Soon all my friends and I at the yacht | | | | From this point on I was able to reconnect again |
| club were having fun, mucking around on | | | | with my spiritual intuition and inner guidance from |
| windsurfers, trying new things, new tricks and | | | | Soul. I was able to wake up to all the unconscious |
| racing against each other every weekend. | | | | themes that had played out for me in my |
| I am eternally grateful to the wonderful support I | | | | windsurfing career. I realized that I had caused, or |
| received from the members at Davey’s Bay | | | | allowed in the chaos, illness and so called ‘bad |
| Yacht Club. Everyone was so supportive in helping | | | | luck’ at the unconscious level when I |
| me learn to windsurf. Very shortly after I starting | | | | competed in windsurfing. I was responsible for it |
| racing I started to win the races. Men and women | | | | all. There was no such thing as bad luck. |
| of all ages entered. I vividly remember sailing | | | | During this time I had started to facilitate |
| towards the finish line and I was coming second. | | | | workshops on reality creation and transforming |
| Another guy Ashley was winning the race and he | | | | unconscious themes that were holding people |
| was about 50 meters ahead with only about 200 | | | | back in their lives. My mystical abilities returned |
| meters to go. The finish line was just inside the | | | | and I was able to assist others to heal past lives |
| cliff face where the wind started to shear away | | | | that affected their current reality. (A mystic is |
| and get gusty. I naturally kept an eye on the wind | | | | someone who can access information at the level |
| and where the next gusts were coming from. I | | | | of the Soul whilst remaining grounded in physical |
| could see Ashley sailing a bit too close to the Cliff, | | | | reality. Information at the Soul level vibrates at a |
| even though it was a more direct route to the | | | | higher frequency than the information we receive |
| finish line. But there was less wind in there, so I | | | | via our five physical senses.) I realized that two in |
| decided to stay in the gust a bit further out, and | | | | three clients had deep Soul themes playing out for |
| then turn towards the finish line inside the cliff at | | | | them that originated from another lifehood (or |
| the last minute. This paid off and I passed him | | | | past life). Once we healed these deeper themes |
| and won the race. He had not seen me coming | | | | their reality would change instantly. They would be |
| and was quite surprised to see me pass in front | | | | free of pain and fear. |
| of him. There was no doubt he was stronger | | | | My clairvoyance, clairsentience and clairaudience |
| than me and had good windsurfing skills, but I was | | | | returned and I was able to communicate with the |
| able to read the wind better on the day. I rushed | | | | Arch Angels again. I had had this ability as a child |
| home and told mum that I had won the race. Her | | | | but had lost it in my teens. This enabled me to |
| comment was “Gee darling, were you the | | | | help people heal physical ailments together with |
| only one in the race?” | | | | assisting them to intellectually understand the |
| Such faith I thought. But mum and dad soon | | | | origin of their pain and crisis. I could vibrate them |
| realized that winning the race at the club was a | | | | up so they could access this information and |
| weekly occurrence for me. I then moved on to | | | | transform it to higher awareness. |
| race the regional clubs and in those days 120 | | | | I had read as much as I could find on emotions |
| windsurfers would turn up to race, people of all | | | | and emotional intelligence and one of the people |
| sizes and abilities. I ended up winning those too, to | | | | who discussed emotions in a way that I |
| the surprise of all the strong guys with the latest | | | | understood them, and had worked with them, |
| and fastest equipment. But again it was my ability | | | | was Dr. Valerie Hunt. She too had helped people |
| to read wind shifts that enabled me to win the | | | | heal past life (or lifehood) themes. She understood |
| races. In the early days, a lot of the people who | | | | the nature of emotions held at Soul level that |
| started windsurfing did not come from a sailing | | | | were deep and profound and shaped all other |
| and tactical background with knowledge and | | | | perceptions and behaviour. In her book Infinite |
| understanding of the wind and so they could not | | | | Mind she shares over forty years of research into |
| quite work out why I used to win, even though I | | | | the human energy field (the mind) and the spiritual |
| was 13 and they were 25. | | | | nature of who we are. She stated that emotions |
| From the beginning I always windsurfed with the | | | | were the organizer of the energy field (the mind). |
| guys and always aimed at beating everyone. | | | | Her work greatly appealed to me as it blended |
| Because of that I never saw myself as weaker | | | | the scientific research together with the spiritual, |
| or lesser ability by being a girl. And in the old days | | | | eternal, nature of who we are. |
| men and women raced together, but they were | | | | I realized that you could not change limiting beliefs, |
| scored individually, so that you could be the | | | | that resided at the subconscious and unconscious |
| ‘first woman’ or ‘first man’. | | | | mind, by using the power the conscious mind |
| When I was 14 I had the opportunity to compete | | | | alone. I discussed this with two friends who were |
| at the Australian Windsurfing Championships in | | | | both NLP experts and hypnotherapists who had |
| Adelaide. Mum and dad decided to make a family | | | | also done the deeper spiritual healing work on |
| holiday out of it and we drove over to Glenelg in | | | | themselves. They both agreed that you could not |
| January that year. I had recently placed third in | | | | heal these deeper themes without going first |
| the women’s event at the State | | | | finding the cause of the theme – the origin of |
| Championship but the Nationals were a little more | | | | behavior. |
| daunting and the ocean waves at Glenelg caused | | | | You could use self affirmations until the cows |
| me to come to grief on the downwind legs. | | | | came home but they were not going to change |
| Anyway, I met some wonderful fellow | | | | unconscious behaviour. Traditional psychology also |
| competitors who I became friendly with and I | | | | did not discuss the nature of ‘past lives’ |
| placed 8th that year. From 1986-1990 I won | | | | or the fact that we are multi-dimensional in nature. |
| several Australian Open Championships. During | | | | And most psychologists assist people from the |
| that time I would go out and windsurf around all | | | | perspective that they are victims of their reality, |
| on my own as training and I had no coach or | | | | rather than the fact that they create their reality. |
| lessons or feedback from anyone. I just went | | | | So they treat the symptoms rather than the |
| about it on my own and did well, won and never | | | | cause. |
| really analyzed anything about my performance. I | | | | After healing my own Soul themes I was finally |
| watched and learned and just did what I always | | | | free from regret and the disappointment of |
| did, felt how I always felt and had an | | | | never attaining my dream of Olympic Gold. I |
| unquestionable knowing that I was the best out | | | | thought about all those athletes who had retired |
| there and that I would win. | | | | from sport never having realized their own |
| And I did. The space I was in when I raced was | | | | dreams. If only I had understood and healed my |
| like being on auto pilot, I felt the wind, I felt when | | | | unconscious themes (beliefs and emotional |
| to tack or turn; I did not have to ‘think’ | | | | wounds) whilst I was at my peak in windsurfing. |
| about it. | | | | What could I have gone on to achieve if I did not |
| In 1988 the International Yacht Racing Union had | | | | have sabotaging behavior? |
| managed to include Women’s windsurfing as a | | | | I thought about those athletes that have |
| Full Medal Sport to be introduced at the 1992 | | | | ‘accidents’, ‘illness’ or keep |
| Olympic Games in Barcelona. The men’s | | | | coming second when they have the ability to win. |
| windsurfing event had been included in 1988, and | | | | If these athletes healed their own unconscious |
| the sport was an exhibition sport at the LA | | | | beliefs they could change their reality and |
| Olympics in 1984. In 1988 I was studying for my | | | | performance quickly. |
| VCE (Higher School Year 12), in my final year of | | | | The times when I had won in windsurfing I |
| high school and I was ranked number 1 in | | | | realized were the times when I was physically, |
| Australia. I made a decision then that I would go | | | | emotionally and spiritually coherent. When I felt in |
| the 1992 Olympic Games. | | | | the flow where everything felt easy; I was |
| During my final year of High School I was | | | | spiritually connected. My mind was present and I |
| windsurfing after school each night to train up for | | | | was more in a feeling, rather than a thinking state |
| the World Youth (Under 19) Championships in | | | | of mind. To me being in the zone was a spiritual |
| Spain in July that year. I had been selected to go, | | | | experience. |
| and the whole trip was funded by the Australian | | | | In 2004 I decided to write a book about the |
| team. It was my first international event and the | | | | nature of ‘spirit in sport’. Rather than |
| standard was very high. There was a team coach | | | | simply sharing my own story I wanted to speak |
| which was new to me, as I had never had a | | | | to other athletes about their own personal |
| coach before. He was a nice guy but mainly | | | | experience of the zone. I was intrigued as to |
| focused on the boat classes as he did not know | | | | whether or not other athletes felt that the zone |
| much about the Mistral Windsurfing Class so he | | | | was a ‘spiritual experience’. |
| left David, my fellow male counterpart, and me to | | | | After speaking with other athletes I realized that |
| do our own thing. David was a brilliant windsurfer | | | | each of them had their own understanding of |
| and he won every race at the Youth Worlds and | | | | how the mind works; their own relationship with |
| I only won one, to finish 6th overall. I returned to | | | | their own mind, the Self, spirit, and a higher |
| Australia, back to homework and the world of | | | | source or God. Some athletes referred to the |
| school. | | | | zone as being fully prepared and doing the training |
| On finishing high school Mum and dad at the time | | | | necessary to win. Others suggested it was when |
| were concerned that I get a proper education and | | | | they were able to mentally focus without chatter |
| not be side tracked by this ‘windsurfing | | | | in their head. Whilst other’s shared that their |
| thing’. But nevertheless I convinced them that | | | | experience of the zone was more a spiritual or an |
| I would travel for a year overseas, compete at | | | | out of body experience. |
| some events, work and have some fun before I | | | | In my book 'Spirit in Sport'I share some of my |
| return the following year to start University. | | | | experiences and those of fellow world and |
| My first event after high school was in Palermo, | | | | Olympic Champions about the zone in sport. |
| Sicily. It was the World Windsurfer Team’s | | | | There are times where I share my story from |
| Championships where they have two men and | | | | the perspective of me the windsurfer and there |
| one woman from each country. We made the | | | | are times that I put my ‘teaching hat on’ |
| final against the Sicilian Team and there was much | | | | and share it from my perspective now – |
| cheering going on from the side lines for the | | | | Fiona the mystic. |
| Sicilian Team. A floatilla of boats came out to | | | | From the perspective of an athlete I realize that |
| watch as we raced the best of three races. It | | | | all we really want to do as an athlete is achieve |
| came down to a grueling last race win, whichever | | | | our dreams, whether it is to win, be top three or |
| team won would win the event. I was coming | | | | top ten. As an athlete I was totally focused on |
| ahead of the Sicilian girl and all I had to do was | | | | my training and competition schedule. I would plan |
| cross the finish line and we won the regatta. | | | | for four years ahead, each Olympiad. |
| However, the Sicilian team wanted to win ‘at | | | | Whereas today I can look back in hindsight and |
| all costs’ and Alfredo decided to sail downwind | | | | have the luxury of seeing my windsurfing career |
| and try and stop me from crossing the finish line | | | | through the eyes of my own Soul’s evolution. |
| before Giarda, the female member of their team. | | | | I understand the nature of Soul purpose, divine |
| Team tactics can get pretty nasty, especially in | | | | timing and the spiritual lessons I needed to learn. |
| Sicily where the race committee did have a | | | | Which leads me to pose the following questions: |
| reputation for turning a blind eye to what was | | | | What makes athletes great vs just good? |
| going on. There was much yelling as Alfredo came | | | | Are we pre-destined to be great, or do we |
| down and literally pushed his boom into my head | | | | become great? |
| to try and knock me off. In the end I dropped | | | | Why do some people have more chaos than |
| my sail unable to keep my height towards the | | | | others? |
| finish line and Giarda crossed in front of me. It | | | | What are our own spiritual lessons to learn in this |
| was pretty obvious to all the other teams and | | | | life? |
| the jury boat that Alfredo had broken a rule. | | | | Can we change our destiny? |
| After much commotion and yelling, in Italian and | | | | Can we fast track our evolution? |
| English the protest flag went up. We had no | | | | These are all questions that all of us ask at some |
| choice but to protest. After two hours of | | | | point in our lives. Are the great athletes |
| testimony the jury awarded us with the win. This | | | | throughout time born to be great or is it by pure |
| was a good start to my first campaign over seas | | | | chance that they are great? |
| winning the World Team Windsurfing Champs. | | | | If we view our life through the eyes of the ego |
| From 1985 to 1999 I won a total of seven world | | | | self, or rational mind, we do not know. But if we |
| windsurfing titles in the Windsurfer and Mistral | | | | connect to our Soul Self, our bigger story, we are |
| Classes and thirteen Australian titles. There were | | | | able to feel our divine truth and Soul purpose, |
| many times where I felt in the zone and in my | | | | whether it is to be a great athlete or simply be a |
| magic, where winning was effortless and | | | | competitor and learn along the way. If we take |
| enjoyable. | | | | responsibility for our own reality creation we can |
| But there were times, particularly from 1994 | | | | transform any unconscious themes that are |
| onwards where I lost my magic and sense of | | | | getting in the way of winning much faster than if |
| feel. I had illness, injury and chaos which I could | | | | we deny we have them. |
| not pinpoint the origin of and the flame of my | | | | From the perspective of our Soul we choose the |
| inspiration went out. By the time I retired in 1999 | | | | story of our life before we incarnate. At our |
| I was angry and exhausted feeling that I had | | | | highest level of play we choose the major events |
| never actually realized my dream of Olympic Gold, | | | | and wins in our sporting career and any chaos |
| particularly when I knew I had the desire and the | | | | that we experience. Chaos provides the |
| natural ability to achieve it. | | | | experience to learn and grow. For without chaos |
| On retiring from competitive windsurfing at the | | | | and challenge the ego experiences very little |
| end of 1999 I launched myself straight into a | | | | growth in consciousness. |
| corporate sales role. It was the first time I had | | | | We all have a bigger story, a divine Soul purpose |
| been a full time employee in the corporate | | | | with spiritual lessons to learn in this life. |
| environment. During my windsurfing years I had | | | | Sport provides a play ground for this learning, |
| run my own event management business and had | | | | growth and self awareness. |
| been self employed since I was 17 so I was used | | | | I postulate that the ability to experience the zone |
| to being my own boss. Within a year I realized | | | | in sport, and reproduce optimal states of |
| that I was not suited to working for a large | | | | performance over and over again, relates to a |
| corporate and decided to go back and do | | | | person’s level of consciousness. The more |
| contract marketing and sales work instead. | | | | spiritually evolved we are, the higher our |
| Up until this point in my life I had always lived with | | | | consciousness level. The more we can access |
| clarity of purpose. I made decisions and had the | | | | power at the universal/spiritual level the more we |
| determination and drive to make them happen. | | | | can access the zone. |
| But in 2000 and 2001 every thing I touched | | | | This brings us to the nature of authentic power |
| seemed to fail. Within 12 months my personal | | | | vs force. When I personally accessed the zone |
| relationship finished, my health had deteriorated | | | | state in my windsurfing I felt ‘spiritually |
| significantly and I had clients who failed to pay me | | | | powerful’, like I was connected to All that Is. |
| which sent me into to the red financially. My | | | | In my book I have written about this as being |
| stomach had swollen up, I had pain in my | | | | Authentic Power as opposed to force where we |
| pancreas and liver all the time, my face had | | | | feel we are forcing things to happen. Authentic |
| bloated up. I was now twenty kilos overweight. I | | | | power feels effortless. |
| felt terrible. My self esteem hit the floor. Financially | | | | When we compete with pure desire from the |
| I worked one sales contract after the other | | | | Soul and spirit we not only achieve greatness in |
| trying to play ‘catch up’ financially. I | | | | sport we live a fulfilling and rewarding life. |
| worked seven days a week. As a result I burned | | | | I share my story and those of 15 other World |
| out completely – emotionally, physically and | | | | and Olympic Champions in my book 'Spirit in |
| spiritually. | | | | Sport. The book is for fellow athletes, sports |
| During this time I read every book I could find | | | | coaches, psychologists and the sports fan who |
| about health, psychology and spirituality. I | | | | want to discover the ‘missing pieces of the |
| attended workshop after workshop: including | | | | puzzle’ in performance. |
| Qi-gong, emotional freedom technique, heart | | | | |