So I'm taking this Martial Arts class just for kicks and giggles and for part of the midterm we had an assignment to write a paper on the Philosophy of Taoism, and this is the result of that. I decided since Parkour was founded on many Taoist principles, I would just write it on pk. Needless to say, it's a pretty low quality and highly uninteresting paper, as the nature of the assignment demanded. alas... I also borrowed much from my previous writing so it'll be somewhat repetitive.
The Tao of Parkour
In this paper I intend to interpret the ancient philosophy of Taoism as it relates to the modern discipline of Parkour. Inasmuch as my personal philosophy concerning Parkour is primarily of my own construction, built from my own experiences, and inasmuch as my philosophy of life is largely comprised of these same ideals, by offering my views of Taoism as it relates to Parkour, I will also be providing my own personal interpretation and application of the philosophy of Taoism. As with any examination such as this, the terms must first be defined. Thus I will proceed by giving a brief explanation of both philosophies—Parkour and Taoism—before I begin to draw any conclusions on the matter.
Known by some as the art of displacement, Parkour is a discipline and a philosophy that has been developed within the past thirty years, with its roots grounded in the urban cityscapes of France. At its most basic level, parkour is a physical activity practiced in an urban environment, in which the practitioner (or traceur as they are commonly called) moves from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible while overcoming any obstacles in his path. Often described as skateboarding without a skateboard, the word parkour was originally derived from Parcours du Combattant, the obstacle course based military training exercises developed by the physical educator and theorist Georges Hébert. Using movements often derived from those found in the animal kingdom, traceurs train themselves both mentally and physically to adapt to the urban environment in such a way as to move easily and fluidly past any obstruction. This goal is often accomplished to the extent that a traceur might perform seemingly inhuman feats, appearing to defy the laws the gravity. On any given day, a skilled traceur might find himself running up walls, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, or hanging by his fingertips five stories in the air. This is the physical side of Parkour. However, as one of the founding fathers of the art put it, "without philosophy, action has no meaning.” (Sebastian Foucan, Jump London) The essence of parkour is not defined by the movement, but by the philosophy behind the movement. It is this that seperates Parkour from other urban activities, because at its core, it is not an activity, but a mindset. It is not an extreme sport, but a way of life. It is here, at that core, that Parkour and Taoism intersect.
The word Tao, denotes “a power which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the Universe." ("Our Beliefs," Reform Taoist Congregation at: http://www.reformtaoism.org). Tao is the driving force of nature. To live in accordance with that force will bring a person into a state of alignment with the natural order of life, which is considered to be the ultimate human ideal. A unification with this force of nature is what Taoism seeks to accomplish.
This unification embodies the first principle of Taoism; oneness. Taoism’s holistic approach calls for humans to become one with the universe. Only in uniting with nature in this way can true freedom be achieved. This precept of oneness is also fundamental to Parkour in two ways, the first to be considered will be classified as external. Acquiring a sense of external oneness means that the practitioner becomes one with his surroundings. In practicing Parkour, “you feel connected to your environment, you feel connected to your body and you feel connected to the forces at play around you and within you, and between you and your environment. You feel sort of not in control of them, but sort of half in control of them and half controlled by them. But you’re 100% there, in your environment, you can’t afford to be thinking about something else… it’s a very dynamic feeling, you feel very alive, vibrant, sort of full of power” (Dan Edwardes quoted in Angel, 2006). Gaining a profound respect and understanding of the world around him, a traceur is able to gain a full awareness of his own abilities and limitations, and as a result, he ceases to be enslaved by these things. By becoming one with his environment, he frees himself.
As the traceur develops a physical proficiency in the external realm, he also attains a sense of internal oneness. As the movements become fluid and instinctual, the traceur no longer has to think through what he will do. His thoughts and actions meld together into one unified purpose. “Activities such as parkour, place the participants body (and ‘mind’) within an experience that challenges social norms, due to its non-normal occurrence. Such activities also bring a reported sense of purpose through movement, an embodiment of intent. ‘Embodiment has as a principle characteristic the collapse of dualities between mind and body, subject and object’” (The Art of Displacement, Neill Brown).
Oneness of mind and body is also coupled with an emotional oneness. The emotional condition a person is in will have a profound affect on that person’s physical performance. The emotion most commonly experienced when practicing Parkour is probably fear. While many unexperienced Traceurs will attempt to deny or suppress their feelings of fear, this route can quickly lead to injury or worse. This is why the serious injuries are generally sustained by beginners, even though the moves they are attempting may be far less dangerous than those performed by seasoned Traceurs. Those more accomplished in the art will be quick to tell you that fear is a natural human instinct of self-preservation and that it is not something to be surpressed, but rather embraced. When a person begins to embrace his feelings of fear, he begins to understand them, and by understanding, he is set free. Many people are enslaved by fear, but learning to understand what it is, and control it, gives us the power to harness fear as a useful tool and avoid being ruled by it. Paradoxically, becoming one with your fear is the path to finding freedom over that fear. Once again, the principle of oneness is an all-important factor in Parkour.
Another one of the fundamentals of Taoism is the idea that opposing forces work in harmony with each other to maintain balance in the Universe. This concept is embodied in the Yin Yang symbol. This symbol can be understood to represent any number of different opposing forces, but in Parkour, it may be understood as the balance between hard style and soft style. This same perspective is held within many eastern martial arts systems. The soft style being the fluid, effortless movements, and the hard style, being the fast, high-impact movements. Both of these methods are essential for a traceur to move freely within his environment. Thus, balance is achieved only through the harmony of opposites. Equally important to this idea is the relationship that exists between the Traceur and the obstacle opposing him. There must exist a harmony between man and object. This is where the concept of “flow” comes into play. This is perhaps the most defining difference between seasoned practitioners and amateurs to the discipline; that smooth, natural fluidity of movement that comes only with training and experience.
The word “Tao” can be roughly translated into English as the way, or the path. This idea is inherently foundational to Parkour as both a philosophy and a physical activity. Physically speaking, a practicing Traceur must navigate a path through his environment, utilizing the most direct and natural methods to overcome whatever obstacles are in that path. This principle of finding the path easily transitions over to the philosophical side of Parkour, and it is this principle which gives Parkour its universal relevance. As human beings, we each make a series of choices and actions that will ultimately decide the path which our lives will take. The choices that we make will impact that path either for better or for worse. To walk ”the path” is to live in harmony with the natural order of things by making the choices that will allow us to fulfill our proper place in that order, and once again, become one with nature. To practice the discipline of parkour is to choose the most efficient path and learn to overcome all opposing forces in that path, whether they be physical, intellectual, or spiritual. To find this path is the ultimate goal of a traceur.
The truths revealed in Taoism are universal by nature. This is why many of the ideals found in Taoistic philosophy are also represented in Parkour. Contrary to popular belief, Parkour is not an extreme sport. It is not some passing teenage fad devised to satisfy the reckless desires of adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers wishing to prove themselves. It is a philosophy of life, a personal mode of expression, and a channel for the actualization of human potential. It is a means of conquering oneself, thus attaining freedom of movement and freedom of thought.
