How can movement practices, particularly parkour, serve as tools for self-transformation and personal growth?
Rafe Kelley dives deep into his thoughts about the hero’s journey and it’s relevance to parkour. He shares his own journey and research into parkour and movement, finding meaning in practicing, and why he trains in nature. Rafe discusses parkour’s power as a transformative practice, the spirit behind it, and what makes it unique.
What parkour does is it provides a mini hero’s journey that can be approached over and over again in your training sessions.
~ Rafe Kelley (3:23)
The conversation explores the idea of using movement practices, particularly parkour, as a means of personal and psychological transformation. Parkour is likened to a mini hero’s journey, where practitioners confront challenges, overcome fears, and grow through deliberate practice. The discussion goes into the concept of combining elements from martial arts, natural movement, and mindfulness to create a holistic approach that transcends mere physical skill, addressing deeper aspects of human growth and connection.
The narrative extends into the philosophical underpinnings of movement, discussing how metaphors and embodied cognition play crucial roles in shaping our understanding of life and self-improvement. Insights from mythology, evolutionary anthropology, and cognitive science are woven throughout, emphasizing the importance of integrating physical practice with psycho-technologies. This integration seeks to cultivate wisdom, foster resilience, and inspire meaningful transformation.
Takeaways
The hero’s journey in movement practices — Parkour serves as a repeated framework for experiencing and mastering the hero’s journey through physical challenges.
Embodied cognition and metaphor — Movement reflects and informs our mental processes, revealing how metaphors and physicality shape our understanding of life.
Evolve Move Play framework — A structured approach combining parkour, martial arts, mindfulness, and natural movement to foster self-transformation.
Cultural insights into parkour — The origins and evolution of parkour reveal its potential to act as a transformative practice beyond mere athleticism.
Wisdom versus intelligence — True growth lies in applying intelligence to cultivate wisdom, balancing physical and mental development.
Psycho-technologies in practice — Practices such as meditation, play, and storytelling integrate to enhance personal growth and wisdom.
Resources
Evolve Move Play — Rafe Kelley’s organization focusing on integrating movement practices with personal transformation.
Awakening from the Meaning Crisis — Lecture series by John Vervaeke exploring the loss of wisdom traditions and the pursuit of meaning.
Breaking the Jump — Julie Angel’s Book exploring parkour’s history and philosophy.
Metta Meditation Guide — Explanation of the loving-kindness meditation practice discussed.
Njáls Saga — A classic Icelandic saga referenced for its stories of physical feats and heroism.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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