Many of you will know that I’m a self-confessed golf addict. One of the key elements to playing good golf is tempo. It’s difficult to measure, but most professionals will tell you there are days when their tempo feels “a bit off”.

We’ve all got a natural tempo that is inherent, intrinsic and inscribed genetically. We can’t actually change that. It’s part of our make up or constitution. Even on the golf course there are players who have a quick tempo and others that are more rhythmic to watch. I was hitting some golf balls today and watching a friend work on some points. I observed that his tempo seemed unnaturally slow. He was taking the club back intentionally and unnaturally slowly and then his body would try and jerk it back to a faster tempo on the downswing. It clearly wasn’t working!

The thing with tempo is that we can use it’s positive attributes to our advantage. But we have to beware that it doesn’t go too far in the same direction. For example, a quick tempo golfer has a tendency to get too quick whilst a slow tempo one tends to get too lazy and sloppy.

The Ayurvedic system of medicine categorises people in 3 broad categories- vata, pitta and kapha. Vata is quick. Kapha is slow. Pitta is in between. A vata person has to be careful they don’t get too wound up and quick. A kapha person needs to ensure they don’t get too slow and sluggish. And pitta needs to be careful not to overheat! These categories are quite broad but can be useful in helping to know one’s own constitution in order to keep one in balance. Whilst a vata person may have an advantage from speed of thought and quickness of mind, they can balance themselves by getting enough sleep, consuming warming foods and drinks, and applying regular warmed sesame oil to the body.

So on the golf course and in your own lives, stick with your natural tempo but keep it in balance.

Stay well

In Health and Wellness