Skating Do – The Style of Consciousness

Skating Do – Part III. Is skateboarding an art form?

So…does skate boarding measure up to the true art label?  Does it have the substance buried beneath the untailored clothes to be honored as such? What does skating boarding offer up to be worthy of a life pursuit?  Let us examine principles I have learned from past masters of different disciplines.

For skate boarding to receive the title of Skate Boarding Do, it must fulfill certain criteria.  There must exist a tradition of etiquette, perhaps not presented with traditional symbols such as loin-cloths or dark belts around the waist, but nonetheless it needs to be present.   And we know that such a tradition of etiquette is indeed present in skateboarding, reflecting with sharp clarity that it is not just a sport, but also a set of principles.  For example, take some damned fool who hasn’t the awareness of where the local drop-in is.  This causes confusion, and the timing of other skaters gets out of whack, which can lead to dangerous conditions for everyone in the bowl.  Respect is the operative word when anyone new enters into a skate park.  We do not skate in a vacuum.  Stand back and observe how things work then slowly join in.  Skating is only exclusive to Kooks, people who don’t know the way.  When infractions occur, the individual is surely dealt with quickly.  For the land has rules, and without them the art cannot evolve.

To be considered an art, it must be available to a wide spectrum of ages.  Further, skateboarding must be open to both genders, and all creeds.  As a true art form, skateboarding must transform the practitioner, evolving him to higher states of consciousness.  This is done by the practice of continual refinement of techniques, which reveal character limitations the practitioner must overcome.

I see riders that have been skating for over twenty years.  They have incorporated the art into their personal lives, and have passed the art down to their children (or new members).  I am reminded of grand masters that started as young boys in their art, and follow the code to the day they pass on.  The art is the way, it’s the path they use to make sense of the world.  It’s the way that they develop themselves throughout their lives.  Practiced over a lifetime, the art becomes the manifestation of the knowledge the practitioner has acquired.  The art becomes the vessel, the medium for the artists to express their unique perspective of the universe.  By conquering the boundaries, they break through their own fears.  So what better example of positive development than as a skater?

There must be etiquette and tolerance to achieve this art. Respect to follow comrades and artists when practicing, for without this there is no exchange of knowledge.  The path is not for fame and glory, which may or may not happen.  No, the path of the artist is self-enlightenment.  If you find yourself in the burning light of fame, remember to give as much as you receive.  And remember, the demon is always lurking below the surface of the concrete…waiting.  The land is the environment where we grow.  Always give it your utmost respect for the higher the state of consciousness shown causes the flowers of creation to bloom more vibrant and bountiful than ever.