Rowperfect was privileged to be given this email exchange between Jim Joy (Rowperfect author) and one of his athletes.  Read and enjoy a contemplative rowing read.

Good Morning Coach.. Think we got enough snow eh? So this piece is spot on..the touch of the hand to the handle, the way we present ourselves to the shell .. All of it. However think about this.. Given what you are pondering within your thoughts…. expressing … Why is it that these thoughts are projecting into your writing time and time again? It seems to center around our ability to become interpretive sculling artisans vs mindless drones pulling upon the salve ships handles.. I think your writings are telling you something Coach about where you desire to take Joy of Sculling in the future. The is always woven into your writings …as it should be..the constant of art, movement, interpretation, living in an active moving world. I put forth that your writings are speaking to you and saying give us Sculling, give us a way of life … Bring us integration of our body mind and spirit. You are speaking to the “S” (sculling) in Joy Of Sculling. Not Joy of Sweep… I think your writings are attempting to subconsciously tell you something and that is that let your love of sculling shine thru with all the skills sets mentally, physically and spiritually that we know are true and needed.. I mean think about this… When we go to Regatta whom do we chat to the most.. Other scullers or other sweep heads? Right you are…other scullers. By their very personality they are singular but very friendly I think because of that. Sweep folks just unit along amounts unto themselves and never seem to interact.. So hence I think that as you say this lightness is and can be everywhere and if practiced and lived it is a wonderful experience…. I think your writings are speaking to you and are actually showing you a path if you allow them to. Well Coach more in a bit. Have a great day. Big hugs. Vincey

Here’s Jimmy Joy’s piece which inspired Vince

Hi Vince:

Our sculling should become lighter. Pulling what you can handle helps. Thinking that you are entangled and connected in this world helps. Sitting with an erect and open posture helps. Having great timing to the movements help. Flowing with the shell helps. To become lighter remains a primary goal of our sculling. The shell glides easily through the water. There is little effort involved. It is not a struggle. We see this in so many other aspects of our physical existence and our mental preoccupation. Our mind is complete with the body. It exists in every part of the body. The feet, the legs, the trunk and arms all have mind. They are intuitive and intelligent. They know how they should move with minimal direction from us. Sculling with this mentality becomes a form of art. We carry this art into our lives beyond the shell. We “tread’ lightly on the firmament of this earth. If we carry ourselves properly we tend to float. The lightness is present and very much a part of us.

In the shell to achieve this state of being the shell and our body must be one. They move as a unit. There is no perceived separation between the body and the shell. Some people refer to this as Flow. Our minds flow at the same moment and time. Our minds seem to grow and expand in each moment that we are sitting in the shell. It grows because of concentrated attention. It is a concentration in the now. Every aspect of our existence is taken into consideration, the water, the shell, our bodies and our minds. Everything is totally connected. We are quantum beings.

Vince, just a few thoughts tonight as I ponder where we are at.

Jimmy