The Bigger Picture:Flying through the air is the most wonderful feeling in the world. Gliding, turning, spinning, jumping . . . these are the sensations I associate with ice-skating. As such, it's a delight for me to see the activity increasingly become a part of the Irish Christmas.
I first learned to skate in Canada, aged four and a half.
It quickly became my first passion, and so my parents supported me to take lessons and compete. I achieved well, probably because I loved it so much.
However, because the sport was very expensive and highly political, I was retired at the age of nine.
Our passions bring us incredible experiences. I don't remember thinking too much about my skating, just feeling excitement, joy, relief, simplicity and oneness with myself.
Although it took me a long time to recover from the loss of it, it brought great lessons into my life.
The first lesson I learned was this: If you want to learn to skate - really skate - you first have to learn to fall. It strikes me this is a great lesson for life.
The fact is, if you're going to push yourself into unknown territory, especially if it's something that defies gravity, you're going to fall. Thus, the issue isn't how to stop yourself from falling, but how to fall in a way that benefits you the most.
What's paramount is that you don't want to damage your body. And so, you learn to slowly, consciously try out a new move in a way that lets you fall as you do it.
You explore how you'll fall, let your body learn to cope with it, and put your efforts into relaxing as you tumble towards the ice, rather than trying to achieve the skill the first time out.
When you can study and understand your falling - become comfortable with the sensation, be prepared and, probably most importantly, fall so that it strengthens your confidence rather than erode it - you'll gain the resources needed to attempt what you cannot currently do, what seems unimaginable.
On or off the ice, if we are to increase our skills, experiences, and even passions, we are going to take ourselves to places beyond the expected. The last thing we need is to be frightened, unprepared or to run during the journey.
The fact is that fear increases pain. If you can relax while falling (in whatever the situation), you will do less damage to yourself than if you tense up, panic and try to stop yourself from falling. The difficult moments in life require flexibility.
As I look back, I can see benefits I gained from having lost my skating then. First, it forced me to find new outlets, which in turn allowed me to grow in deeper and more diverse ways. I also learned a lot from my journey to move through the loss.
Most interesting, however, is the experience of having a life that took a different direction: I had a lot of promise as a skater, so much so that it was suggested to my parents to take me out of school, let skating be all I did, and see if I would make it or achieve anything on the international stage.
My parents chose another life for me: one that has been full of growth and connection. That has been irreplaceable.
I love to see people enjoy skating. I hate to see people struggle if something simple could make things better for them. As a result, I have the pleasure of giving some lessons for skaters in the rink organised by the Amusements & Pirates Cove in Courtown, Co Wexford (see What's New on my website or visit www.piratescove.ie/Santa.
If you can't make it there and plan to skate this season, here are a few tips to keep you safe, upright and help you enjoy yourself as much as possible:
If your ankles are falling inwards, the most likely reason is that your boots aren't tied tight enough. Start tightening from the middle of your boot and tighten as much as you can without hurting your feet, finishing at the top of your boot. This will give your ankle solid support.
Stand up straight. Most of us don't actually stand straight when we're in our shoes on solid ground. While we can get away with it off the ice, it won't work for us on it. Keep your head up and your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles in a line.
Don't look at your feet. This only makes your body lean forward. Trust they are there and that your brain knows how to control them without your eyes getting involved.
Use your arms as a balance, similar to how a tightrope walker uses a pole: straight outwards and slightly in front of you. Keep your arms open in the direction you wish to skate.
Finally, relax and enjoy yourself. Hold hands because it's fun and can keep you steady. If you're going to fall, let yourself. The more you skate, the better you'll get.
Still, if you find yourself landing on your tailbone hard, have it checked out. Happy skating!
www.shalinisinha.com
Shalini Sinha works as a life coach for clients in Ireland and internationally, and practises the Bowen technique.