Buddhism is described as a body of philosophies influenced by the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as Gautama Buddha.

Some important teachings of this practice are what is known as the middle way, often described as the practice of non-extremism and a path of moderation. Another teaching is mindfulness, to stay present and be aware of your thoughts and the happenings around you. So how do these teachings contribute to poker? Let’s take a look.

The main goal, like in anything we do is to make the best decisions. Being mindful allows you pay attention to your gut feelings and listen to them. It’s often said that your first thought is usually the right one and being mindful allows you to actually hear that thought. When your actions aren’t in accordance to how things are, you suffer.

Being mindful also grants you the gift of allowing letting things go. Yes you should learn from and pay attention the past, but obsessing over past moves and plays to no end it will get you nowhere. Being fully present allows you to question what you are doing and realize if it’s actually working or not.

The middle way in poker is something we all can learn from. In any game extremism won’t keep you around for the long haul. Of course in poker you have to want to win but you can’t allow that desire to fog your judgment of what’s going on in the game. Always being the aggressor or the pacifist in any game will soon become predictable to other players so balance is something that is important to find.

The more the popularity of poker grows the more people are starting to realize that it’s not only just a game but it’s also a tool to help you learn about life and about yourself.