Card 01 · Pre-dive
ARRIVE
Sixty seconds on the deck, before the kit goes on. Read it aloud, or hand it to the diver.
- 01A — AttentionWhere is your attention right now? Name it without correcting it.
- 02R — ReadinessSleep, food, hydration, alcohol, medication. Anything off, say it now.
- 03R — RespirationThree slow, continuous exhalations. Longer out than in. On the surface only.
- 04I — IntentionOne sentence: what is this dive for?
- 05V — VigilanceConditions, plan, gas, buddy, exits. The plan is the practice.
- 06E — EntryEnter as you mean to dive: unhurried, deliberate, together.
Mindful Diving™ · The Open Toolkit · Free to print and use. Every practice fits inside your existing agency standards and dive plan. Slow, continuous breathing only — never breath-holding or skip-breathing on scuba. No practice during descents, ascents or gas management: safety is the first mindfulness practice.
Card 02 · In the water
The open protocol
Four steps. Any dive, any agency, any level. Never during a task-critical phase.
- 01DedicateBefore descent, dedicate the dive — to a person, a place, or the reef itself.
- 02Three exhalationsOnce neutral and stable, three slow exhalations. Continuous breathing throughout.
- 03One still minuteAt depth, in trim, one minute of nothing but attention. Guide signals the start and the end.
- 04GratitudeBefore the ascent, one silent thanks — to the water, the buddy, the day.
Mindful Diving™ · The Open Toolkit · Free to print and use. Every practice fits inside your existing agency standards and dive plan. Slow, continuous breathing only — never breath-holding or skip-breathing on scuba. No practice during descents, ascents or gas management: safety is the first mindfulness practice.
Card 03 · Before entry
The Buddy Agreement
Two minutes, spoken out loud, both ways. Attention is a shared resource.
- 01How I am todayEach buddy says one honest sentence about their state. No performance.
- 02What I want from this diveRest, practice, photography, skill work. Say it so it can be supported.
- 03How we will call itAnyone can end the dive at any moment, for any reason, with no explanation owed.
- 04Our signalsAgree the still-minute signal, the check-in signal, and the turn signal.
- 05Our promiseI will notice you. I will stay findable. I will not hurry you.
Mindful Diving™ · The Open Toolkit · Free to print and use. Every practice fits inside your existing agency standards and dive plan. Slow, continuous breathing only — never breath-holding or skip-breathing on scuba. No practice during descents, ascents or gas management: safety is the first mindfulness practice.
Card 04 · Surface interval
FFLN — the debrief
The surface interval is not a gap between dives. It is where the dive becomes yours.
- 01F — FactsWhat actually happened? Depth, time, conditions, events. No interpretation yet.
- 02F — FeelingsWhat did it feel like? One word is enough.
- 03L — LearningWhat did the water teach? Name one thing, not five.
- 04N — NextWhat changes on the next dive? One small, specific commitment.
Mindful Diving™ · The Open Toolkit · Free to print and use. Every practice fits inside your existing agency standards and dive plan. Slow, continuous breathing only — never breath-holding or skip-breathing on scuba. No practice during descents, ascents or gas management: safety is the first mindfulness practice.
Card 05 · One page for guides
The Mindful Briefing — a script for guides
Open (10 seconds)
“Before the numbers, one thing: today we dive slowly. Nothing on this dive needs to be rushed.”
Standard briefing
Run your agency briefing exactly as always: site, plan, depth, time, gas, hazards, signals, entry and exit, emergency procedures. Nothing here replaces it.
The three additions
1) Dedicate — “Choose someone or something this dive is for.” 2) The still minute — “At depth, when I give this signal, one minute of nothing. Keep breathing slowly and continuously; hold nothing.” 3) Gratitude — “Before we go up, one silent thanks.”
The safety line, spoken every time
“Breathe slowly and continuously. Never hold your breath. If anything feels off, end the practice and dive normally — safety is the first mindfulness practice.”
Close (10 seconds)
“On the surface we will do a short FFLN: facts, feelings, learning, next. One sentence each. Then coffee.”
After the dive
Invite one still line into the logbook: one site, one date, one sentence of what the water taught. Nothing else.
Mindful Diving™ · The Open Toolkit · Free to print and use. Every practice fits inside your existing agency standards and dive plan. Slow, continuous breathing only — never breath-holding or skip-breathing on scuba. No practice during descents, ascents or gas management: safety is the first mindfulness practice.