Why freedivers take extreme risks to find peace deep under the water’s surface
Why freedivers take extreme risks to find peace deep under the water’s surface
Share:
The incredible sealife and invigorating challenges on offer through freediving are almost a given, but many who take up the sport are finding a unique healing process when holding their breath and going deeper – Tamara Davison speaks to those taking risks to explore the serenity of the water.
![[Aaron prepares for a breath hold, a crucial part of the sport]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/06/11/Aaron-Fisher-prepares-for-a-breath-hold---by-Varya-Azovtseva.jpg)
Aaron Fisher’s mental health, like that of many people around the world, suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic. “I started going through really bad depression at that time,” the Canadian says before a trip to Mexico changed everything. In the Yucatan Peninsula, Fisher discovered freediving – a sport where people dive underwater while holding their breath. After completing his first course, Fisher was hooked. “I would just dive every single day and hold my breath every single day in the cenote – and I just loved it,” he explains.
![[Freediving can be a therapeutic activity, but it comes with risks and requires proper training and safety measures]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/06/11/A-freediver-descends-down-the-line%2C-photograph-by-Jack-Lawes.jpg)
“What I loved about it was taking that breath, and once you’re in the water, it’s quiet,” he adds. “That peace, that absolute quietness around you. Hearing things you haven’t heard inside yourself, connecting to parts of yourself, that awareness within.”.
Fast forward to the present day, and freediving has become part of Fisher’s identity. He now focuses on static freediving (holding his breath in a body of water) and has set his sights on breaking national records. Fisher also firmly advocates for the power of freediving and its potential connections to improved mental wellness.
This narrative is not unique within the freediving community. Many athletes and recreational divers say they’ve undergone transformative journeys while discovering the sport. Most believe there’s a unique combination of attributes tied to freediving that can unlock deeply therapeutic benefits.
.jpeg)
