'Sport' Articles
Sport has two primal roots to it. A way of inspiring trust in the community, and a form of simulation. The outcome of these sport rituals was often considered an omen of future well being or misfortune. It was often also read as evidence of the favour or disfavour of the Gods. The arena or magic circle of sport is an agreement between members of humanity, and between humanity and the divine. The area was a holy place, and the sport an observance of divine order as well as a demonstration of gratitude to the divine for the strength and wit we are gifted with as beings under heaven.
Sport is the unification of mind and body, faith in practice. An effort undertaken not because you are assured of success but because the undertaking itself is sacred. The Greek muses, and other inspirational divinities as well, were considered to favour games and sports.
“Sports do not build character. They reveal it.” John Wooden (American , b.1910)
“Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting.” George Orwell (English Novelist and Essayist, 1903-1950)
“I don’t know anything that builds the will to win better than competitive sports.” Richard M. Nixon (American 37th US President (1969-74), 1913-1994)
Metaphysics Of Sport
The topic is sport. I would like to invite you first to share your personal definition of sport. I usually think of it as physical competition although that is often debated. Sport could mean play as in being a good or bad sport. Fair or foul play. Competition too, even if just with yourself. Indeed, self challenge is valid sport. Now onto the metaphysics of it. Sport is almost synonymous with ritual. Originally it was, but it differed from temple ritual in that rather than seeking divine intervention it instead was an observation and affirmation of the natural cycles of the world.… Seek More
Fairness In Sport
We teach that in a game, no matter what the outcome, as long as you do your best then wining or loosing doesn’t matter. But some leaders of the sport teach that winning is all there is. That sends a mixed up message. Yes. It is a huge spiritual dilemma in this day and age. Aren’t there two trains of thought going on here. Indeed. There are two sides to that coin. The two schools of thought regarding fairness in sport are actually very old, and neither is really seen very much in this day and age. The first school… Seek More
Faith In Practice
People should choose their participation in sport in the same way they choose their spiritual path? Neither is right or wrong? Yes. The reason perhaps for the spectacular falls and failings of our modern hero Gods is their lack of spiritual grounding. Sport is left brain? Spirit path right? Sport is the unification of mind and body. Faith in practice. An effort undertaken not because you are assured of success but because the undertaking itself is sacred. Otherwise, it ceases to be sport and instead becomes craft like professional sports are today. More a matter of craftsmanship than spirit. Though… Seek More
Performing By Proxy
Don’t you go into an altered state when performing sports? This is well established. Sports can alter the brain in ways that it can’t normally achieve in any other way. Something about the extreme effort makes the brain reconfigure itself to adapt, and makes it see the material world in a much more primal way than people normally do. It makes everything seem inherently meaningful. A state of oneness where you exclude nothing and seek nothing beyond the immediate activity. Transcend normal consciousness. So whether you are pleasing the Gods without or seeking the God within, you move into that… Seek More
Sexual Sport
What would you say is the oldest sport that we still play today? Running and wrestling. The only one older than these two is sex, but today we don’t let that be sport. Sex is a competition? Instinctively, it is. Instinctively, the sexual act is undertaken as an expression of passions, all passion, channelled into the act of union itself. Violence itself is not a passion, it’s a behaviour. So if I’m done first, I win? Actually, no. If you are done first and refuse to engage any further, you lose. It’s a test of endurance, among other things. If… Seek More
Sacred In The Prize
How do we become more comfortable with besting another in competition? Excellent question. You become comfortable at besting another when you see the sacred in the “prize”. The totem represented by the symbol that marks victory was not as important as the change it marked in you. I am still confused about the walk of the ascetic. Who are you besting then? You are besting yourself in the ascetic sport. The ascetic confront fear of themselves, fear of their limits. A small school of Buddhism practices baptism by combat, specifically mud wrestling. They get into a pit with a senior… Seek More
