First of all, I know this will seem like quite an un-conventional post for an Electric skateboard blog but bear with me…
When I first started riding the proto-type Magneto, I noticed that after riding from my house to a friends, that I didn’t really recollect much of the journey, ‘I just arrived’. Ever had that? Not remembering anything specific about a certain event?
OK, so what do I mean when I say ride an electric skateboard like a ninja? Do I mean riding around in full black, armed with death stars?
Ha ha.. No!
Have you ever heard of the term Satori?
Although there are many definitions, Satori basically means; ‘no mind’ its being present and in the moment. Let me tell you something, ALL LIFE HAPPENS IN THE MOMENT. Some people get caught up wanting to be in the future and others get caught up in the past, Neither is good, since we are never in the future, nor are we in the past the only moment that counts is the present one.
This is something the Ancient Japanese used to practice vigorously.
The truth is; humans used to be a lot more present, due to the fact we used to face constant danger and if we were not in the moment we’d get caught off guard and eaten by a bear!
So I realised, every time I got on the Magneto Electric Skateboard… I needed to be switched on and sub-consciously I knew that if I make a mistake doing 20mph the consequences will probably hurt! Therefore, I noticed every time I took a ride, my brain is literally in my body, I’m feeling everything and completely focused on my body, the feeling of the board under my feet, the wind in my hair, the noise of cars going past, nothing else matters only the feeling of the moment there and then.
I then started to notice the more I kept my focus like this whilst riding, my riding improved and I was calmer and able to hold my focus in other activities for longer too! Strange side affect from riding an electric skateboard eh!?
I’d suddenly come out of Satori every now and then and start thinking… I’d be like WOAH! I’m doing 20mph its gonna hurt if I fall off! My riding would go all sketchy, I’d tense up and start struggling to control the longboard under my feet, because my mind is in the future and thinking of possible consequences.
We are essentially talking about meditating and skateboarding in the same post here. Yup, deep.
Not thinking and feeling your body is a form of meditating, its something a lot of people try and struggle to do but mediating has so many benefits and I found whenever I rode my board thats exactly what I did, I’d clear my head and be fully in my body and arrive to where ever I was going clear and in a good state of being.
When ever we’re doing an activity that requires a flow state and it’s moderately dangerous the hard wiring in the human brain’s takes us straight into presence.
So ride like a ninja, keep your head off what you’re doing, keep clear and just ride, seriously just ride. There is nothing else.
I imagine some people reading this that were expecting a cool post about being a ninja skateboarding throwing death stars around and I’m talking about meditating but trust me, if you’re into extreme sports, you are already addicted to this feeling. Its hard to explain, but being completely out of your head and 100% in the moment is addictive as hell!
Can you imagine a long boarder riding 60mph down a hill is thinking of something better to do? Its being right in the moment, right in that moment is where he wants to be, all the shit thats happened in the past is irrelevant, the exams he has next week are meaningless, right there and then while he’s hitting 60mph around a bend……..Thats where he is.
The best thing now is all you have to do is turn on your skateboard and press up to go! For that exhilarating feeling time and time again!
Ride with presence. Be in the moment, that’s all that counts and that’s when we’re at our best.
Check out the Magneto here