Even for folks deep into their skydiving careers, there is a near-endless fountain of new things to learn, achieve, and overcome. If we're lucky, we might take this newly-empowered sense of self into our daily lives too.
Before I started skydiving, I never knew that landing a parachute on a beach was within the scope of possibility of things I could do in life. Photo courtesy of Caroline Hsu.
Skydiving is blissful and fun, and for many folks, it offers a pathway to expanded horizons and a new sense of self. For those that enjoy the rush, it's without a doubt a wonderful experience. But for those who are less keen on the adrenaline, there's a whole other world of possibility too, much more than meets the eye. If you're interested in learning to skydive, May is Learn to Skydive month.
To find one of these courses, visit the USPA's website. Learning to appreciate my Korean and Taiwanese roots during the coronavirus pandemic. So, are you ready to take the plunge? There are just a few things you should know…. For folks who love adrenaline, learning to skydive is almost universally exciting. For the rest of us, there are still several reasons to take that leap of faith!
If you see something you want to try, go for it. You may even inspire someone else along the way! Kyra Poh's distinct style of indoor skydiving is the product of immense dedication and over hours of body flight in wind tunnels across the world. In between busy training and competition schedules, Kyra graciously spent some time sharing her thoughts about her journey thus far—her recent projects, sources of inspiration, and creative process.
Team Blackstar gave me the freedom to stop pretending I don't notice when I'm the only person of color at my drop-zone. Yes we see color. And we realize the lack of diversity isn't a neutral thing. I started skydiving six years ago. I had recently returned from a combat deployment in Iraq and had fallen back into the sleepy routine of life in Kentucky. Beer, bourbon and BBQ and usually in that order. It did for us. To understand it is to experience it. This makes sense when you consider that many of us go through life in a defensive or reactionary way because of how we respond to our worries, fears and insecurities.
We all have a facade which thinly covers something that lays below the surface, and skydiving strips the facade away which to some, is more scary than sitting in the open door of an airplane ready to leap. But there is power in vulnerability and when one sits in the open door of a plane, our cover is blown and we are exposed. All the trivial stuff we worry about no longer matters, and we are faced with only one decision: Do you move towards the fear or do you let the fear consume you?
When you decide to move towards the fear, you become empowered. The physical act of skydiving is actually enjoyable, but the process of working through the fear of leaving the safety of the plane is where the enlightenment happens! During the skydiving experience, the brain is treated to a psychological cocktail of happiness as the brain secretes adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine!
Adrenaline surges when the brain senses danger and this hormone is powerful as it can force a physical change in the body immediately. I know people with millions of pounds in the bank that jump, and I know people that have to make a packet of ramen noodles last 3 days, but we all jump together.
Race, religion, gender, age, none of these things matter. All that we care about is that we can hang out and have fun. Do you golf? If you do, have you ever turned up to a course and been able to play a round with Tiger Woods? Well in skydiving, the lowest of the experience can easily turn up to a DZ and jump with world champions.
Did someone say beer? Whether you have skydived 1 time or 1, times you will know that it does something special to you. Skydiving is very much a mental game of overcoming fear and battling with your sense of judgement. When you place yourself in a situation where you must overcome these obstacles you come out a changed person; for the better! Skydiving creates confidence. Skydiving creates optimism and positive feelings.
The more you skydive, the stronger and more assertive you become. It's good for your mind and your soul. It's no secret that people who participate in extreme sports have strong, Type A personalities - but which came first, the chicken or the egg? Are these people Type A personalities who chose to participate in these sports, or did they become Type A's after participating in these sports?
All the things mentioned above work together to create a thing we like to call ''Sky Therapy. You're able to momentarily forget about the things that cause you stress on a daily basis while you fly around and play in the sky with your friends.
What makes you forget your troubles?
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