I am unafraid as I prepare myself for that day when the artifices and disguises will be stripped away and I shall make judgment of myself. Is it just brave talk, or do I mean what I say? Were they for real, those defiant words I spoke against fortune, or were they just theatre – Just acting a part?
~ Seneca
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On Castbox.fm — Kasturi Torchia | Study into Lack of Progression
What can be learned from integrating therapeutic psychology into Parkour practices to address mental health and personal growth?
Exploring the therapeutic potential of Art du DĂ©placement within mental health contexts.
I wanted to show what a discipline of psychology that is human, humanistic person centered, could bring to this.
~ Kasturi Torchia (2:02)
The conversation focuses on Kasturi Torchia’s work integrating counseling psychology with Parkour through her model developed at Esprit Concrete. She discusses how Art du DĂ©placement can serve as a therapeutic tool, emphasizing the humanistic, person-centered approach that fosters self-awareness and addresses individual mental health needs. The talk also highlights the potential for retraumatization in Parkour training and the importance of recognizing and mitigating these risks through reflective practices.
Kasturi explains how movement can reveal unconscious patterns in participants’ lives, providing opportunities for personal growth and healing. She shares questions and strategies to encourage reflective practice, cautioning that probing too deeply without expertise can be dangerous. She underscores the importance of training coaches to apply these concepts effectively and safely.
Takeaways
Integrating counseling psychology with movement practices — Combining psychological interventions with Art du Déplacement to foster mental health and personal growth.
Humanistic and person-centered approach — Emphasizing individualized care while maintaining group values in Parkour coaching.
Risks of retraumatization in Parkour — Recognizing the unconscious potential for retraumatization and addressing it through therapeutic models.
Importance of reflective practice — Encouraging participants to explore patterns in their movements to uncover deeper emotional and psychological connections.
Challenges in coaching — Highlighting the need for caution and proper training when addressing psychological elements in Parkour instruction.
Movement as a mirror for life patterns — Exploring how challenges encountered in training often reflect broader life struggles.
Therapeutic questions for self-reflection — Using guided questions to help participants gain insights into their emotions and experiences.
Training coaches in therapeutic methods — Developing structured workshops to teach coaches safe and effective applications of psychological practices in movement contexts.
Resources
Esprit Concrete — The organization where Kasturi Torchia applies her therapeutic model blending counseling psychology and Parkour.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Everything there is, everything we know, hinges on this one bizarre, transient condition — existence — which just happens to be your current reality. We regard the miracle of existence as a goldfish regards water, which means we don’t regard it at all. But if you think about it, it’s an exceedingly peculiar fact — that we exist.
~ David Cain from, Our Lives Are Not What We Think
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My energy and drive to write waxes and wanes. But my desire for perspective is constant. Here’s a big ol’ chunk of a different perspective from David Cain.
My favorite sort of perspective—this has happened to me several times—is when I am completely exhausted. Not sleepy, but physically exhausted. Sometimes this has been when I have a slight fever, when a bout with the flu is beginning. But sometimes it’s just after a long day of physical labor. I lay down, and every muscle in my body is completely relaxed. There’s no urge to fidget, and no urge to move. When I’m completely relaxed like this, exhaling is such a delightfully emptying feeling.
…and sometimes my brain gets quiet enough to think, “oh! This is quite nice.”
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The conversation with Mandy was the first time I tried simply recording a long conversation, which we published with almost zero editing. I had been talking to people on our team about trying this form of recording, but at some point, you just sort of have to jump in the pool.
I don’t remember where or when I first met Mandy. I don’t remember if someone said, “you should interview Mandy.” “Who?” “Mandy, over there— here, I’ll introduce you.” …or maybe we first met training. I really don’t recall. But I do recall that after a conversation we were like, yeah, let’s do an interview. At some point. Somewhere. Some when.
Then a few more conversations. Then a few stories at Gerlev, and then we were at the 3rd Évry Move event and we kept saying, “we should make time for an interview.” So after dinner one evening, we kicked our feet up in a hotel room overlooking the fountain in front of the Évry Cathedral.
…and talked for more than two hours trying to decide what to talk about in her interview. Two terrific hours of great conversation. We kept looking out from the 4th floor, with the big window swung open wide to the warm night, and thinking, “This is Évry. We’re just casually chatting about communities and life and everything… in the middle of Évry.”
…and the huge water fountain in the plaza sounding like a waterfall.
…and we really should press record soon.
“…ok, so, we’ve now been talking for 2-and-a-half hours. We should probably press record soon.”
Finally, I was like, “fuck it. ready?” and I hit record. Then we talked for another two hours. We recorded this sleep-drunk rambling conversation, and the whole time I’m thinking, “this is going to be so bad. No one will ever want to listen to this.”
Weeks later, I finally listened to it.
There’s a team of people behind the podcast and they always want to know how each interview went. I bet you’ve heard the phrase, “like pulling a rabbit out of your hat,” used when—with a touch of panache—you manage something akin to snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
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Indeed, if you find anything in human life better than justice, truth, self-control, courage – in shrot, anything better than the sufficiency of your own mind, which keeps you acting according to the demands of true reason and accepting what fate gives you outside of your own power of choice – I tell you, if you can see anything better than this, turn to it heart and soul and take full advantage of this greater good you’ve found.
~ Marcus Aurelius
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This ongoing series of posts will contain my memories and thoughts from the interviews which I have been doing for the Movers Mindset podcast.
You can—obviously—listen to each interview. But in this series I want to share things about the interviews. I realized that I have begun to tell stories about the interviews, and people are fascinated by those stories as much as by the interviews themselves.
And so I want to share snapshots—imagery and ideas conveyed through storytelling—from the interviews. The podcast is about, among other things, sharing stories and for every interview I have at least one great story I want to tell.
Stories from before the interviews, or after. Or the people in the room you didn’t hear, or beautiful spaces I get to visit, or the time of day, the light, the vibe, the orgin-story of how I first met the guest, how they affected my life or my journey, …
I’m already 27 stories behind and even the most cursory romp down memory lane has brought countless stories to mind.
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I find myself using the word “wish” when I’ve decided I don’t like something the way it is, yet I’m not actually doing anything about it. There’s no real reason to declare my wishes. Whenever I start a sentence with “I just wish…” feel free to ignore me, I’m only wasting your time. My whiny face has probably made you tune out anyway.
~ David Cain from, Four Words That Make Me Suspicious of Myself When I Say Them
Then I have to ask, what does it mean when we say, “I wish you well?”
It means exactly nothing.
If someone is sick, don’t send prayers or well wishes. Instead, tell them you will miss them when they are gone—oviously only in cases where Death is the elephant-in-the-room. In more mundane situations, why not tell someone how much you enjoyed this opportunity to spend time with them. …or how much you appreciate their simply calling to say hello. Don’t “wish” them well. Don’t “try” to keep in touch. (Those are just a few examples that spring immediately to mind.)
Avoiding “wishing” is not easy. I’ve been actively and intentionally working on it for many years. So far, I’ve managed only to become aware of it each time I “wish” or “try.”
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On Castbox.fm — Niko Pal | Holistics Biomechanics
What is the interplay between the body’s systems and stress responses in shaping movement and awareness?
The integration of the nervous system, fascia, and circulatory systems redefines movement and stress management.
Holistic biomechanics is sort of the study of how the body works as a whole, how the mind and body are connected, as opposed to two separate entities.
~ Niko Pal (0:43)
The conversation explores the concept of holistic biomechanics, focusing on the interconnectedness of the nervous, circulatory, and fascial systems. These systems are discussed in terms of their roles in stress response, movement, and awareness. Nico explains how the body’s response to stress can be categorized into active and conservation stages, emphasizing the effects of prolonged stress on physical and mental health. He also introduces a reclassification of stress responses into adaptive and reflexive modes, offering a fresh perspective on how we perceive and manage stress.
Nico shares his personal experience presenting these ideas for the first time, highlighting the challenges of discussing complex topics in front of a large audience. He also discusses practical applications of mindfulness, such as developing sensory awareness of the body’s position in space. These techniques are presented as tools for enhancing movement efficiency and managing stress by fostering a deeper connection between mind and body.
Takeaways
Holistic systems — The nervous, circulatory, and fascial systems work together to support movement and stress management.
Stress response stages — Stress is experienced in active stages like fight or flight and conservation stages like collapse.
Adaptive versus reflexive — Stress responses can be viewed as adaptive (resting) or reflexive (survival-driven).
Fascial system’s role — Fascia connects the body structurally and influences how nerves communicate.
Sensory awareness — Developing body awareness improves both physical structure and stress response management.
Mindfulness in biomechanics — Practical techniques focus on integrating environmental awareness with bodily sensations.
Resources
Forge Parkour, Portland, Oregon — A parkour training center where Nico is the head coach.
Art of Retreat — A leadership and education conference for parkour and movement disciplines.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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What motivates individuals to embark on journeys that are deeply personal, yet intricately tied to the people and communities they encounter along the way?
Mandy Lam dives right into discussion about her travels, the characters she’s met and communities she has visited. She and Craig discuss the ethos and spirit of Évry Move, where they sat down to talk, as well as their experiences with the Yamakasi. Mandy also shares her thoughts on what makes a good community, the importance of solo training and self reflection, and finally gets around to discussing her major concussion.
It’s always the people. Even from the beginning, before my trip, it was always about the people.
~ Mandy Lam (7:34)
This conversation is a free-flowing discussion that centers on the intersections of travel, community, and personal growth. The dialogue reveals how connections with people—rather than places—become the driving force behind journeys. It highlights the serendipity of meeting individuals who profoundly shape one’s experiences and offers reflections on how cultural practices and storytelling enrich these encounters.
The discussion also examines broader themes such as how physical practices like Parkour serve as a medium for forming relationships and navigating personal narratives. It touches upon the challenges and rewards of creating and participating in events that foster community, drawing from specific examples like the North American Women’s Jam and training gatherings in Europe.
Takeaways
The essence of travel — Experiences are shaped more by the people encountered than the destinations themselves.
Curiosity as a driver — Following personal curiosity leads to deeper connections and richer experiences.
The power of communities — Communities often transcend geographical and cultural boundaries, fostering inclusivity and shared purpose.
Storytelling and connection — Sharing stories serves as a bridge between individuals and cultures.
Importance of shared practices — Activities like Parkour create unique opportunities for collaboration and mutual growth.
Flexibility in journeys — Approaching travel without rigid plans opens space for unexpected, meaningful interactions.
Emotional resonance in events — Events focused on community foster deep emotional connections among participants.
Resources
Évry Move event — Annual gathering in Évry, France, focusing on community and physical training.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Even from a seemingly unempowered starting point — a budget apartment in some forgettable corner of a society that has been designed to make you sick and impotent — these traits will do more for you than any “Anti” stance you can think of. Hating the system is a favorite American pastime. It feels good, is difficult to stop once you start, and gets you precisely nowhere, not unlike eating Doritos. This is not us against them, it’s us for us.
~ David Cain from, How to Make Trillions of Dollars
I don’t know about you. But it is definitely “me against me.” Not in the sense, “I need to conquer myself,” but in the sense, “I need to stop defeating myself.” What’s that old adage? …be kind for everyone you encounter is fighting a great battle? I need to learn that lesson, and I need to remember that the person I most often encounter is me.
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Lectures and learned seminars and sayings culled from the teachings of philosophers and educated conversation do not reveal the mind’s real strength. For speech is bold even where the speaker is timorous. What you have achieved will be revealed only when you breathe your last.
~ Seneca
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Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.You may never reach the summit; for that you will be forgiven. But if you don’t make at least one serious attempt to get above the snow-line, years later you will find yourself lying on your deathbed, and all you will feel is emptiness.
~ Hugh MacLeod
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I am way above the snow line. I believe my toes have succumbed to frost-bite. It has not escaped me that people die on Mount Everest. It has not escaped me that no one cares about your ascent unless you come back with a great story.
Unfortunately for my well-being, the sun is out, the sky is blue, and there’s no one left to tell me to stop climbing.
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They just assumed I must be just like all the other people they represent- hungry and desperate and willing to sign anything.
~ Jason Korman from, «https://www.gapingvoid.com/content/uploads/assets/Moveable_Type/archives/000896.html»
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People sometimes ask, when the Movers Mindset podcast isn’t available in their favorite podcast-player app, why not?
tl;dr: odious clauses in click-wrap contracts.
You should see some of the things! Obviously, there are “hold harmless” clauses obsolving them of any possible responsibility—sure, ok, that’s fine, I am deriving benefit from having our podcast distrbuted through your thing. But some of them want the right to insert ads—not just run ads before or after. Sure, ok, again, you need to pay for your thing; I get that. But insert ads in the middle? Or how about clauses that bind me to defend them in any lawsuit. Not even just related to the content we created—but any lawsuit. Or how about my not being allowed to mention in our advertising that we’re being carried by their thing . . .
sorry
i digress
These odious cases have arisen because it’s a lovers’ triangle: The thing/app convinces the users that everything is rosy. The users lean on me because they can’t hear the podcast, and then the thing/app extorts me. Which is all very closely related to Jaron Lanier’s comment about “our society cannot survive, if…” (And that’s a link to the web site where you can always listen to the podcast, for free, because we control our web site.)
Please—you reading right now—please start paying for things. Choose a podcast player app which is not free. That makes you the customer, and enables them to build a great app. Then they don’t have to strong-arm me. Choose a messaging system, choose a source of information, choose everything(!) by being part of a fair trade with another party.
If you find yourself in a position, where you’re thinking, “this is great and free!” please look around and try to figure out who is actually being taken advantage of… it’s clearly not you, but I assure you, it’s someone else.
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You get the job because you walk into the editor’s office and go, “Hi, I’m the best frickin’ sports writer on the planet.” And somehow the editor can tell you aren’t lying, either.
~ Jason Korman from, «https://www.gapingvoid.com/content/uploads/assets/Moveable_Type/archives/001070.html»
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It’s critical that you realize this works. It’s even more critical that you notice the “aren’t lying” caveat.
I’ve never liked the mantra, “fake it ’til you make it.” Don’t fake it! Just start working and start asking questions.
My favorite question is, “what would world-class look like?”
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On Castbox.fm — Evan Beyer | Games for Teaching Movement
What methods can be used to foster trust, connection, and personal growth through movement-based games?
Explore how movement-based games can dissolve barriers and build trust.
In movement you have to trust— you have to trust yourself, you have to trust the objects, and to trust the others in your space.
~ Evan Beyer (6:18)
This conversation centers on the idea of using games to teach movement, break down personal barriers, and build trust among participants. The discussion highlights the progression from non-contact games to activities requiring full physical collaboration. These games are designed to ease individuals into deeper connections with others, both emotionally and physically, by fostering comfort and trust in a structured, playful manner.
The dialogue also explores the challenges of creating a universally accessible framework. It emphasizes flexibility, creativity, and adaptability to cater to different individuals’ needs and comfort levels. The overarching goal is to provide tools that help participants feel safe and empowered while interacting within their communities through movement.
Takeaways
Movement-based games — Techniques that ease participants into trusting others through structured play.
Progression framework — A system that gradually increases the complexity and contact level of games.
Emotional and physical trust — The dual focus of teaching individuals to rely on themselves and others.
Adaptability in teaching — The importance of creativity and flexibility in meeting diverse participant needs.
Playful learning — The value of incorporating fun and engagement to facilitate personal growth.
Comfort through gradual exposure — Methods to guide individuals from apprehension to collaboration.
Social connection — How games can help break barriers and build a sense of community.
Resources
Parkour Generations Boston — The coaching organization where Evan teaches movement-based techniques.
Art of Retreat — An annual conference on parkour leadership and education.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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…if you can forgive as well as forget, if you can keep from growing sour, surly, bitter and cynical… You’ve got it half-licked.
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We forget that what we have is more than what we need. Obscenely more. I know it may sound perverse, but here in the future people often feel like they need more than they have.
~ David Cain, from A Day in the Future
There’s a sense of accomplishment in being prepared to sleep on the floor when traveling. There’s a sense of freedom in being able to carry a small backpack and live comfortably. I always knew this was at least partly due to knowing that I was prepared enough for important contingencies and free enough to roll with whatever comes up during the day.
But now I see that there’s a second dimension to why I enjoy it: The self-imposed hardship. Sometimes the floor is cold and drafty, sometimes there’s a cat (I’m allergic to cats), sometimes everyone stays up very late (I usually turn in around 9:30), sometimes I miss a meal, sometimes I don’t sleep much if there’s too much light, sometimes it’s noisy, … and so on. Still, I am invariably in a better mood than usual the morning after each of these choose-your-own-adventures-gone-bad. Cold, stiff, sneezy, tired … sure. But in a good mood. Well, that’s very interesting, now isn’t it?
I’m not making a call for you to take up Parkour-flooring. I’m only pointing out that when I occassionally reset my callibration by intentionally taking on some suffering, I’m invariably happier after.
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If civility is a kind of claim to regulating, or governing our disagreements on the basis of something shared, then what really matters is, what exactly it is we’re claiming that we need to share in order to have a civil disagreement.
~Â Teresa Bejan, from Teresa Bejan on Civility
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I’ve heard discussion about “controlling the conversation.” The idea being that when there’s a power imbalance, one side can control what can be talked about, and what can be blocked or suppressed as “beyond the pale.” This discussion on Philosophy Bites explores what it means “to be civil.” In my interpretation, it may not be possible to be civil in cases where there is insufficient common ground upon which to build civil discourse.
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Anyone can be an idealist. Anyone can be a cynic. The hard part lies somewhere in the middle i.e. being human.
~ Jason Korman, from «https://www.gapingvoid.com/content/uploads/assets/Moveable_Type/archives/001117.html»
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I’ve recently been on a run with posts about “balance” simply because that’s what I’m struggling with most these days. Confirmation bias then ensures I’m seeing things “about” balance everywhere.
realist: n., optimist with experience.
I’m not going to say the best place to be is always in the middle of a given spectrum. Actually, it’s not even perfectly clear to me that “idealist” and “cynic” are opposite ends of a spectrum; but I’ll run with that assumption for today. So given that acting from an entirely idealistic or cynical position is going to end badly… what can I take from that?
I think it’s pretty simple: Strive for the best, and plan for the worst. Running with that idea, I’ve been returning to my old, first step of my current journey: Self-awareness.
“Look, you’re freaking out. Simple fact.”
“Is this really the end of the world?”
“Is this maybe too far toward the cynical end of the spectrum?”
“Could I maybe do with a little less drama?”
“What if I turned around and looked back at what I’ve accomplished?”
“Would that at least bring me a little peace?”
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Set intentions at the start. When you start your day, or any meaningful activity, check in with yourself and ask what your intentions are for the day or that activity. Do you want to be more present? Do you want to move your mission forward? Do you want to be compassionate with your loved ones? Do you want to practice with discomfort and not run to comfort? Set an intention (or three) and try to hold that intention as you move through the day or that meaningful activity.
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Long ago—maybe ten years?—this idea of setting intentions made a huge impact on my life. I’ve talked about first learning the twin skills of self-awareness and self-assessment as the first steps on my journey. Once I began developing those skills, I was able to begin setting intentions and that lead to the long period of growth I’ve recently been experiencing.
But there’s a problem, or at least there’s a problem for me. Once I started down the road of setting intentions I’ve fallen prey to a vicious cycle. Practicing continuous improvement by setting intentions and assessing progress makes me focus forward, treating my intentions at targets before me. I used to think the “focus forward” part of that was a good thing. After all, it clearly has led me on a long journey of improvement.
I set good intentions which force me out into my un-comfort zones and it turns out that I usually don’t quite reach the goals. If I do reach a goal, then I realize I could have set a better goal by stretching for a farther intention. In that way, every assessment ends up reporting that I fell short, didn’t make it, didn’t live up, didn’t achieve, didn’t succeed, didn’t, didn’t, didn’t, didn’t… and that leads to a dark place.
Recently I’ve been more intentional about what intentions I set.
(That’s a red flag right there; I’m still intentions based.)
None the less, I’ve been trying to set easier-to-achieve intentions so that I can check off more wins. I find this very hard to do since it feels like artificially lowering the bar so I can cheer-lead myself away from the dark place. Worse, this is still looking forward and assessing progress made towards goals.
I wonder what would happen if I could manage to turn around, make progress towards the goals, (they now being behind me,) while staring back at the INSANE MOUNTAIN OF AMAZING THINGS I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED?
Maybe I should try that for a while?
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