Skateboard: The Divine Chariot II

'You have created the lower realm to reflect the upper realm...'

       [Zohar]
 

The spiritual and material realms are designed to reflect each other so that people may learn about one from the other. This system works in a two directional manner: by studying Kabbalah which describes the spiritual realm one discovers much about material existence. Conversely, everything in the material plane serves as a metaphor, a window, through which the spiritual plane can be better perceived.

From Ezekiel's vision of the spiritual chariot we have learnt about human nature and purpose. Yet, even the ostensibly mundane act of skateboarding reflects the heavenly chariot, albeit in a coarser manner. At the most concrete level, the four sides of the skateboard and the skater on top evince the Chariot. A skater's psyche reflects the chariot as well. In order to progress in the skateboarding craft, one must balance the four human qualities intimated by the faces on the Chariot:

1. Lion: A skater must have the aggression, fearlessness, and hunger to excel. And, like a lion crouching before it pounces on its prey, a skater must learn to crouch down before performing difficult tricks, to access the explosive energy within his legs. He must muster up and channel all his power in order to perform each trick optimally.

2. Ox: A skater must train himself to tolerate the often long and frustrating process of mastering new tricks. Like an ox repeatedly trods around a furrow, he must practice a trick over and over and over again - sometimes hundreds of times - until he finally grasps it and reaps the reward.

3. Eagle: When his approach at mastering a trick fails, one must learn more about the trick by receiving tips from more adept skaters. One should ascend to a higher understanding of a trick rather than attempting his former technique again and again. Alternatively, one must sense when he's unprepared for a certain trick and casually let go of it until he's more proficient and better ready for it, despite the trick being so alluring. Finally, he must refine his technique until he executes tricks smoothly and seamlessly. A trick should appear as one flowing and continuous motion rather than a forced series of steps. He must soar gracefully like an eagle.

4. Human: A skater must have the self awareness that's unique to a human. He should know when he's impatient like a lion, too monotonous like an ox, or when he lacks the lightness of an eagle, etc. And, with that awareness he's free to choose which quality he needs to exercise more or less of in order to improve his game.

A skater that manges this will function at his best, both psychologically and in practice. He will then draw a greater revelation of the 'Infinite Light' upon himself. Meaning, he'll continue advancing rapidly and without limit, and he'll feel at one with his skateboard and the natural world in which he skates...