Deep Relaxation While Gaming

[Raptorsin7]

I have a question about learning to relax while gaming. I've noticed that i'm easily triggered, and I tense up, while playing online competitive games. It really affects my performance, and it's difficult for me to just relax and have fun playing.

Any thoughts on how to overcome this resistance?

I was thinking maybe I should meditate in my gaming chair to get used to relaxing while playing, but I wonder if there are other techniques or methods that have worked well for alleviating this kind of performance anxiety.

Any insights are appreciated.

[JessiChell]

@Raptorsin7 The book I'm reading right now that says whenever you feel an emotion come up, you just have to notice yourself experiencing it. Be conscious of your feeling and just feel how your body feels through it. 

Idk if that makes sense. But it said eventually after noticing when it happens and you dont try to change your reaction, it will go away. 

When I'm gaming I let it go when I die or if I don't perform well. Most of the time I have zero reactions. But I notice if I'm around people who get angry when gaming, I start to get angry. So maybe limit your environment to only calm players around you.

There's also calming video games you can play with zero conflict. They're meant to be relaxing. 

[DrewNows]

bring attention to the breath. Let go of all judgement you may have for the anxiety being produced. continue to bring your attention back to the breath, allow slow easy stomach breathing (release any tension you may have in the stomach). Finally, whenever you play keep the focus/pressure point always stemming from the stomach region where you breathe. This will allow for subconscious activation straight into flow

 

[cetus]

It's only pixels on a screen.

[DrewNows]

5 minutes ago, cetus said:

It's only pixels on a screen.

Yeah he plays fucking dirty doesn’t he? Using spiritual techniques as an attempt at virtually destroying himself ?

honestly! @Raptorsin7 what are we, 7? (joking, but wouldn’t that be something, you fucking die in the game and boom, a beautiful awakening causing you to drop the controller once and for all) 

[SamueLSD]

29 minutes ago, Raptorsin7 said:

 and it's difficult for me to just relax and have fun playing.

you are playing the wrong games, for the wrong reasons. ( Competitive )

 

[cetus]

1 minute ago, SamueLSD said:

you are playing the wrong games, for the wrong reasons. ( Competitive )

 

@SamueLSD Yea games of survival. Got the old Default Mode Network all activated. The fight or flight  mechanism is fully engaged.

[Preety_India]

The kind of   gaming  you are talking about is supposed to give you a dopamine punch, and it's gonna stress you out to the max. 

Lol you are like a cat that gorges on a cake and says - how can I lose weight!! 

You are hilarious 

 

 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by Preety_India

[SamueLSD]

@cetus Yep.  Can't say I don't do it myself though 

[cetus]

Q: Where do you think you would be after the crash without your years of meditation training?

A.

Probably dead. When the plane crashed, everything became chaotic. I was fully aware of the danger, but I was not caught up in it. I was calm. My wife was calm. We were then engulfed in this thick, black noxious smoke. Still we didn’t panic. I looked over to the side and there was an emergency exit, but it was already engulfed in ferocious flames. The only way to get out would have been to jump through the flames.

[The observer]

1 hour ago, Raptorsin7 said:

Any thoughts on how to overcome this resistance?

Play to play. Not to win, or avoid losing. Probably a cliché, but still true.

[DrewNows]

@cetus wow ? ?

[cetus]

@DrewNows https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/20/the-zen-of-plane-crashes/

[nistake]

Try to be as mindful as possible during the gaming session. Focus on your body and thoughts/emotions while playing. Notice when and why you get triggered and try to relax your body as much as you can. It takes some time to get used to this conscious way of playing but it's worth it.

[Raptorsin7]

@DrewNows I guess right now when i'm playing myattention is on efforting, extreme focus on the game etc. So really just playing with attention continuously returning to the breathe?

My mind is very active while playing and i'm almost always thinking incessantly at some point during the game. I also have a hard time handling it when the game gets out of my control or my teammates are making mistakes. 

I've always thought fun from playing would come from just being really good, i've always had the mentality it's not fun to be a loser so i'd take losing hard. 

I want to be the kind of person who just plays for the fun of it, and is really indifferent to winning or losing but i'm not sure how to make that happen.

13 hours ago, DrewNows said:

honestly! @Raptorsin7 what are we, 7?

I'm playing as part of my life purpose. I want to start a blog about topics like toxic elements of video game culture , and how gamers struggle to have fun due to toxic competitiveness, like what i'm growing through right now with the game.

My hypothesis is that if i learn to relax and play from a place of joy and happiness, then that in and of itself will lead to better performance then the current way i play which is highly goal oriented and striving based.

[Raptorsin7]

13 hours ago, SamueLSD said:

you are playing the wrong games, for the wrong reasons. ( Competitive )

But the enjoyment of any game is really dependent on the person and the conditions surrounding the game. Like i played a lot of basketball growing up, where it was about competition and i played for the "wrong reasons" but there were still many times where i would have a ton of fun and really play well. But there were lots of times where it wasn't fun, and i would just crack under the pressure and not play well.

I think the games are largely neutral, it's the way we play them that determines the quality of experience.

I want to learn to play this game in a way that provides more joy and happiness, but there is also tremendous business opportunity in pursuing this game which is why i chose it.

 

[Raptorsin7]

6 hours ago, nistake said:

Try to be as mindful as possible during the gaming session. Focus on your body and thoughts/emotions while playing. Notice when and why you get triggered and try to relax your body as much as you can. It takes some time to get used to this conscious way of playing but it's worth it.

@nistake So would this mean trying to detach as much as possible from what's actually going on in the game. So no matter what's occurring within the game, just bring attention to breathing, and observing the thoughts and emotions that arising while playing? Should i do anything with the thoughts or emotions or just try and let them and come and go without getting attached to the content?

12 hours ago, The observer said:

lay to play. Not to win, or avoid losing. Probably a cliché, but still true.

What does this look like in practice? I understand that the ideal is play each game the same way, independent of whether i win or lose, but it's easier said than done. I take losing hard, and just playing not well, and i'm not sure how to just change that mentality over night even though i want to.

[traveler]

LMAO, I have a tendency to get riled up too when I occasionally game. I play Rocket League, such a toxic community but still a good ass game. Secret is to realise that it is just a game, you're playing for the fun of it, this should be obvious but ego gets very attached to outcomes and often blame others for losing. If you play for the fun of it alone, there is nothing that can trigger you, you might get a little tensed when it gets intense in the game, nothing wrong with that, it's part of the fun. It's only wrong when there is a person there playing to win that it gets uncomfortable. Even then it isn't ACTUALLY wrong, ofc.

Gaming can teach you a lot about life. There is no real meaning to it other than what you give it, there is no actual outcome that matters. When the attachment to outcome is lost, there is much more space for a sort of grace and flow, well being and fun with what is happening. 

Edited May 29, 2020 by traveler

[DrewNows]

@Raptorsin7 keep going within buddy, I’d say it’s developing a new kind of attention. I respect your focus on this purpose but I wouldn’t get too attached, it helps to be flexible to promote the growth you wish to see. The created meanings are like sticky tape in our hands. There’s a great book I’ve recently jumped back into called the way of the peaceful warrior, it seems to be a gem of a story about a young guy who learns or unlearns to develop a new look at the world and his experiences 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by DrewNows

[DrewNows]

@traveler love that game and I’ve never even played it 

stumbled onto it through YT and being a soccer player it naturally pulled me in to enjoy the strategy and mechanics