Hang Loose Video - St. Louis, Missouri

Inside Surfing, with the Willis Brothers

Do you ever feel rushed? Are you chasing success like surfers chase waves? Do you feel like you're running late and need to speed up?

You're not alone. Hurry, speed up, get the job done, finish the report, get that escrow in, on and on. Cars, boats, jets and even Internet communication are moving faster and faster. Many adults and children are experiencing anxiety, stress and other aliments that are time-related.

Tube-riding surfers know a secret: Hang loose and slow down.

If you're a stickler for punctuality, consider how precise the timing in surfing has to be. Just to catch a wave, timing has to be perfect. The more critical the wave, the more important exact timing becomes.

Catching a wave cannot be rushed, especially if your life depends on it. Timing has to be more accurate than Greenwich Mean Time. One split second too early or too late will result in not catching a wave or possibly risking a wipeout.

This may explain why advanced surfers have such a keen understanding of time.

When catching a wave, timing and positioning merge into perfect harmony. Potential energy becomes kinetic energy. You are right where you are supposed to be, the right place, the right time.

In this state it is as if one can do no wrong. Everything is in perfect harmony. Many have felt this. Winning in Vegas, sinking a putt, closing the deal, catching a wave.

If you know the feeling, you have been in the zone.

Through devoted practice of riding waves, advanced surfers have learned to always be cool and hang loose when the situation is the most crucial.

One of the most famous sayings in surfing is "Hang Loose." More than just words, they describe an attractiveness. Surfers are well-known for an ability to remain calm and positive under high pressure in seemingly impossible situations.

Many would like to know how they do this.

Tube-riding surfers are able to slow their minds down while the environment speeds on. Moments that were blurred because they're going by so fast are now moving in slow motion, especially in the most critical situations. The mind operating at this high speed becomes ultra clear.

Demi-gods of surfing in tune like Michael Ho, Gerry Lopez and Bruce Irons are fully aware of the secrets of being on time, time travel, telepathic communication and harmonic convergence. These surfing devotees riding deep inside liquid time funnels whirling through the ocean are able to attain states of Nirvana.

The secret is in sustaining, rather than rushing, the moment. Even a nonsurfer will become a surfer when they practice this timeless wisdom. Philosopher, lecturer and writer Alan Watts who penned the cult classic "Be Here Now" said, "Surfing is the closet thing on Earth to having a sartorial Zen experience."

Surfers' ability to hang loose under pressure has fascinated many in the medical profession. Psychologist P. Santiago found the act of riding waves can help relieve stress, severe anxiety, attention-deficit disorder, depression and other obsessive disorders. Additionally, he believes the regular practice of surfing substantially raises happiness, awareness and a sense of well-being as well as I.Q. and intuition.

Del Mars' Dr. Lynn Mcguire knows firsthand the positive results surfing can have on autistic children. On top of all this, the American Psychiatric Association concluded that surfers are the happiest people in the world.

Try an experiment in your life. Become a surfer, slow your mind and actions down. While driving on the freeway, slow down one or two miles an hour. You will get there faster.

While saying good night or good morning to your loved ones, take just a little longer. You will find your relationships improve.When you give a hug, make it last a little longer. When working, take a little extra time. Your satisfaction and production will skyrocket.

You will see immediate results and improvement in the quality of your life.

Surfing a wave over razor-sharp coral in dangerously shallow water can be very risky business. Navigating the turbulent and unpredictable waves of life can be just as risky.
Just like extreme tube riders, hang loose and slow down.