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Four Meditation techniques for every scuba diver

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By Margarita Solotskaya

Meditation is getting more and more popular in the western world. Many successful people use this method to help achieve their goals.

Meditation is often seen as one of the freediving preparation techniques. But – meditation and scuba? All this equipment, lead, heavy tanks and… lotus position? Weird idea, to say the least. Or not? How can meditation techniques be helpful for scuba divers?

1. Mindful preparation

Diving starts with preparation. Good planning, correctly assembled gear and a positive attitude are all elements of a comfortable dive. Some people don’t like preparation, but others (myself included) are fond of examining dive sites’ maps and planning the route, checking gasses and assembling equipment. So, what can we do to prepare better for the dive and make this step more enjoyable?

  • Try to find something that will cheer you up in this process. Pay attention to it. You should take your time anyway, so why not have fun? Studying the dive site map, I try to imagine how this place will look underwater. During the dive I compare this mental picture with the real one. It’s interesting, both when they resemble each other and when they don’t.
  • I like the process of preparing my equipment because it is well-thought out and logical. When everything is ready, I feel satisfaction because everything works well, is nicely arranged, and streamlined. If you don’t like your equipment, maybe it is time to make changes?
  • Try to notice whether you are nervous. What, exactly, are you nervous about? Sometimes it is an unfinished report at work, but in this case, diving is the perfect way to distract from it and have some fun. However, at times I feel somewhat anxious before a dive without any special reason. If that happens, I mentally recheck all my equipment, to be sure that nothing was forgotten during preparation. That gives me confidence, but if some doubts persist, I know that there will also be a bubble check underwater. Usually this helps to alleviate any worries and leaves me just thrilled with the depths that await me. At the same time, it’s ok to feel some anxiety. It stops us from being careless and negligent. Water is a non-native environment for humans and we must dive well prepared.
  • The last question that is worth asking is what exactly are you expecting from this dive? Sure, you have defined its purpose during planning, but now I’m talking about other things. You may want to have a calm underwater walk with a friend or your loved one, to experience weightlessness, to have a chance to spend some time alone or feel the total calm of the sea’s abyss, undisturbed by the waves passing on its surface. You can find your own purpose. By the way, if you have planned for a meeting with marine creatures, be sure to check that you’ve arranged it well. One of you might have the wrong time or place.

2. Seeing more

Diving is a contemplative sport. One of the most popular competitions among divers is “who sees more.” Have you ever won? Don’t cheat! Pay attention to what is already in front of you. You may notice something new, even in a familiar coral. During your dive, think about what in the unfolding landscape you have never actually seen before?

When I saw a tropical reef for the first time, I wanted to absorb it all at once. As a result, it all turned into a colorful spot inside my brain. My attention was skipping from one coral to another and I couldn’t concentrate on a single thing. Novice divers are usually attracted by bright large corals, schools of fish, huge pelagic creatures. They don’t notice small nudibranchs, shrimp, or worms that hide in their houses at the slightest movement. And then – a whole new world of tiny creatures opens to them!

Everything changes when you have hundreds of dives behind you. Everything is well-known and explored. But still, there is always possibility to look with more attention – this fish is unusually bright, that coral has such a lovely branch, and I have never seen it at this angle…

3. Be here and now

At my very first diving course in 2008, I quickly learned that I needed to fully concentrate on what I was doing; otherwise, I wouldn’t succeed. Before that, my whole life was marked by the “do two things simultaneously” slogan.

At that time, I was visiting Egypt with my 3 year old son was planning on spending my holidays at the beach. There was a diving center at our hotel, where I got acquainted with some divers. I wanted to see all the beauty of the sea that I loved so much. They told me that I could come on their boat with my child and somebody would take care of him while I was underwater.

The next morning, we were all ready and headed out to sea on a beautiful snow-white boat. Once onboard, I realized how much danger there were for a 3 year old – ladders, lines, heavy equipment, and finally the open dive deck! During my first dive, I was constantly thinking about my son – how is he, has he hurt himself, and is he bored? I don’t remember much of that dive, even though it was the renowned Red Sea. We were doing some exercises and I wasn’t very good at them (by the way, my son was absolutely fine).

I decided to take the course. While preparing to perform the hovering exercise – not an easy one for a beginner – I realized that if I continued to think about my son, I simply wouldn’t be able to do it. So, I concentrated only on what I was doing during the dive, because I was not near my son, not able to help him if… well, if what? He was fine. This dive is still in my memory. My hovering was irreproachable. I saw marvelous tropical reef fish of every color you can imagine. Afterward, my instructor told me that my eyes reflected my fascination with the underwater world. This dive was an immense pleasure and I still remember it eleven years later. That is not without reason. The feeling of happiness is directly linked to being in the present moment. Being able to think only about what we are doing and what is happening right now. I managed to accomplish this.

4. Breathing and getting relaxed

Usually, the first thing you are taught when learning meditation is to watch your own breath. In diving, breathing is practically the only thing that links us to the surface. Everything else is different – environment, vision, pressure, light, movement mechanics, etc. Pay attention to how you breathe. You should inhale and exhale slowly, calmly and deeply. This pattern ensures the most effective air consumption. Remember: never hold your breath. If you notice that your breathing pattern has altered, it may indicate that you are moving inefficiently.

Breathing and tension in your body are closely linked to one another. Tension makes us breathe more rapidly and use more air. It is important to relax during the dive, as it helps to feel more self-assured and spend less air. From time to time, pay attention to what is happening to your body and your breathing. This will help you to notice the first signs of excess tension in your legs or back. This may lead you to slightly change your body position, fin stroke or adjust your equipment before it becomes really uncomfortable.

Rapid shallow breathing is a sign of not only physical exertion, but of mental stress as well. If something underwater makes you nervous, you begin to breathe rapidly. The good news is that your breathing can help you to calm down too. Do you remember an old rule for diving emergency situations? “Stop. Breathe. Think. Act.” There is a reason for it. You should stop, not only to avoid worsening the situation, but also to concentrate on your breathing. By just paying attention to your breathing pattern, you will be able to calm down. But, if you do 2-3 conscious and deep inhalations and exhalations, anxiety will more than likely disappear and you will be able to analyze what made you nervous.

All these uncomplicated steps allow you to take a fresh look at diving and make each dive more enjoyable. After all, we all dive for the pleasure of being united with the wonderful underwater world!


To find out more about International Training, visit www.tdisdi.com.

From its humble beginning in 1994 to today, the group of training agencies Scuba Diving International (SDI), Technical Diving International (TDI), and Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI) form one of the largest diving certification agencies in the World – International Training. With 24 Regional Offices servicing more than 100 countries, the company today far exceeds the original vision the founders had when they conceived the idea on a napkin, sitting at a kitchen table in the early 1990’s.

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Four opportunities to go pro in 2024 with Dive Friends Bonaire

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idc

Dive Friends teaches the Instructor Development Course (IDC) several times a year to students who are eager to share their passion for diving with the world.

Dive Friends is known for the personal approach throughout the course. Their in-house course director will lead the students through every essential step, mentoring them to achieve their fullest potential as a dive instructor.

Applications for the following IDC start dates are now open:

  • 12 April
  • 5 July,
  • 20 September
  • 29 November

Partnership with Casita Palma

If the student opts for the IDC-Deluxe or IDC-Supreme package, their accommodation will be arranged for them at Casita Palma. This small and quiet resort is within walking distance from Dive Friends Bonaire’s main dive shop location and has everything you need to relax after an intense day of IDC training. Breakfast is included, so the student will always be fuelled and ready for their day.

Contact Dive Friends Bonaire’s Course Director Eddy for more information: coursedirector@divefriendsbonaire.com.

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Scubility: Achieving Success through Adaptability

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scubility

Introduction to Scubility

Being a scuba diving professional, I am always fascinated by the beauty of the underwater world, filled with colorful coral and a variety of marine species. Every dive site around the world has something unique to offer, attracting the diving community to immerse themselves time and time again. The feeling of being underwater is a unique experience, akin to being in space, where you can escape Earth’s gravity to enjoy the freedom of movement. However, water sports are often believed to be accessible only to those with good physical strength, leaving others to only dream of being there.

The Genesis of Scubility

Scubility was developed as a way to help people with disabilities experience the magic of scuba diving or snorkeling. A few years back we became involved in the SDI Scubility program as a way to use our diving experience and knowledge to bring disabled people beneath the ocean. To empower them with a feeling where they can forget their disability and limitations. The image of a Wheelchair Hero from the movie ‘AVATAR’, who could walk and run only in dreams, was the first seed of the idea for a local Scubility program.

scubility

Launching the Scubility Course

Since 2014, my friend has dedicated himself to helping disabled people. Knowing that I am an SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, he called upon me to help bring them into the world of scuba diving. Captivated by this idea, I decided to offer a special diving course adapted for disabled people: the SDI Scubility Course. The sole purpose was to bring happiness and a feeling of belonging back to our precious disabled students, by giving them an immersive experience under the sea. Perhaps, the mother ocean has a way of treating us all equally, to rebuild confidence and give hope of being alive.

scubility

Adapting Diving for All Abilities

Initially, most Scubility divers in our programs were wheelchair users. The main challenge was to design a unique technique suitable for each Scubility diver, based on their limitations. To do so, we set up a protocol keeping in mind all the scenarios that could arise during diving, starting from boarding the boat, to diving, and the communication signals during the dive. Training was also provided to volunteer participants, mostly instructors and assistant divers.

scubility

The Scubility Program in Action

In the last four events, we have enrolled many Scubility divers in the program. We also have a team of trained instructors and assistants; without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The main objective was to make safe and comfortable diving experiences for Scubility students. In fact, in the last Scubility program, which concluded in March 2023, we included a blind diver along with six other Scubility divers. We also had 8 instructors and more than 10 assistant participants to make this possible.

scubility

The main challenge for blind divers is to set up a communication signal. So, I designed a unique ‘touch signal’ for blind students where they just need to touch an arm to convey a message. For example, when an instructor touches your arm twice, it means he is asking, “Are you okay?”. In case of any emergency during the dive, the blind diver just needs to squeeze the arm of the instructor to get his attention to solve the problem. For each Scubility diver, there were at least two personnel, an instructor, and an assistant, assigned.

Impact and Emotions of Scubility

The most satisfying experience of this program was to see Scubility divers happy, with emotional, teary eyes. I could imagine that probably for the first time, or perhaps the only time, some of them could walk, stand, and move again underwater without a wheelchair, feeling alive again. Seeing a courageous Scubility diver overcoming all challenges and obstacles to make it possible definitely inspires me to organize more events like this.

scubility

“Scuba Diving for All” Event

The biggest local Scubility program, named “Scuba Diving for All,” was organized in Khao Lak, Phang-nga Province, south of Thailand, from October 30 to November 5, 2018. We invited international Scubility participant divers for this event. Leading up to this program, we put in lots of effort, preparing hotels and resorts in a friendly design, making sure of choosing good dive sites, and above all, to bring a smile to our precious Scubility students.

scubility

I hope that this endeavor will serve as an inspiration for people worldwide to achieve what may seem impossible, while also raising awareness about the importance of charity and kindness in our society. I look forward to welcoming you soon to our joyful underwater realm.

As an SDI TDI & Scubility IT, Dan Phutthakhun Prungkananon, owner of All Star Diving Academy located in Thailand, has a deep-rooted passion for ensuring safety and fun in the water. Keep up with Dan and the All Star Diving Academy via Instagram  or Facebook and by checking out their Dive Center Facebook.

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