My only accident was on a day when I decided to take off despite the conditions having turned bad (back wind on the takeoff). I had been waiting for my friend the entire morning and he showed up too late. Instead of accepting the lost day, I tried to take off anyway and put myself into a tree. I survived with literally zero damage to myself nor my gear. Initially I was annoyed at my friend: he was the cause for the late takeoff. Had he shown up earlier, none of this would have happened. I was dead wrong. The cause was myself. I had made that wrong decision. I had decided to take off despite the bad conditions, not him. So I started looking into why I was so desperately trying to fly that day. Why was it so important? It became clear that at that time I was using paragliding to alleviate the pressure I was feeling from the relationship I had with my girlfriend. This triggered a discussion and we ended up breaking up on that same day. Bottom line, I agree with you: you need to understand why you fly, because if you don't, you will make irrational decisions. I was lucky that day, but I won't always be. Get to know the irrational part of you and put this person in the back seat, you want the adult in control.
" I had made that wrong decision. I had decided to take off despite the bad conditions" - actually, you did not set the boundaries with your friend right.
Ari, of the 80 00000 paragliding videos I've watched over the years, this one just landed as my #1 pick. I was absolutely choked up as you spoke the purest truth I've heard in a long time. Every word you said about needing fathers validation, creating an identity and so on... hit the nail right on the head. Thank you for your vulnerability and honesty. You are a wonderful human :)
That was deep on so many levels! Paragliding is exhilarating because it's dangerous. It is a right of passage for bravery , one way or another. Achieve not dying by: 1. Don't fly in strong conditions 2. Fly a wing one level under your skill level 3. Don't rush
Thanks for making a great video. Good discussion to be had. I wouldn't have watched this video due to never having enough time but am lying in bed for the past two weeks after smashing my L1 vertebra in, you guessed it, a paragliding accident. Short story is coming in for a landing, big thermal lifted my from 2m to 20 m in seconds and them BAM, 3/4 collapse and I'm here writing this now because the wing recovered right before impact. These past weeks have given me time to think about 1) why did I fly and hurt myself, and 2) why I have already agreed to fly again when I get to again. Your video is really helping bring these two questions into focus. WHY the F do we engage in such a gnarly sport? I've had other accidents in climbing, MTBing, skiing, kayaking and as a result really pulled back from them but continue to do them. Paragliding captures the slivers of amazing feelings of those sports and condenses it into a nonstop stream from the second we pull our canopies up to the second we drop them to the ground. But I still wonder why I want that feeling and what that feeling is. A sense of freedom to not be constrained by the dullness of being on the ground, a sense of adventure where you can be like a boy and believe anything is possible, and a sense of wonder where we can see the beauty of our planet in a way only possible by paraglider (I'm also a airplane comm pilot and no, you don't get the same feeling in an aeroplane). I want that feeling because my mind's imagination is bigger than the constraints of our physical world and paragliding more so than any other sport opens up the world to be as grand as I can imagine it. The harsh reality though, is we are simply manipulating physics to allow ourselves the experience and I and so many others have learned that as soon as we lose our ability to manipulate the knife edge balance of opposing forces we meet our demise. I wish there were a way to get what I get out of paragliding in a safer way but it will always be dangerous. I will say I'd rather die impacting the dirt with a genuine sense of happiness than die in a hospital bed having lost my mind while crapping my pants like the 60 year old that was in the hospital next to me not having done anything (as per his wife who wondered why I would ever fly again because they had never done anything extreme). So it's all about perspective. Everyone who dies in this sport will still have died at some point (death being the only real guarantee in life) the real question is have they lived enough to make it worth it? I'm not here to live my life to work, to create, to provide, to save anyone, to prove anything to anyone else or any other purpose that people claim. I live because I love living and part of living is having the experiences that give us joy. Thanks again for a great video helping me think about why I do what I do and why I will fly again and again (hopefully accident free).
Thanks Ari I'm doing my pg2 I had my 23rd logged flight two days ago and I was ridge thermaling and exploring. I felt sense of achievement and proud as I stood out compare to other peers with more logged flights. Found your channel while I was researching thermaling and I'm rethinking my motivation for doing it.. thanks for opening up, I would have "motivated" myself to a dangerous place if not for this video, thank you for saving my life. Btw you have great content, but there are so many if you could categorize those videos into playlist etc philosophy/motivation, tutorial/launching, tutorial/thermaling etc that'd be great! And I'll for sure checkout your podcast, you're great!
Ari, what a great motivational speaker you are. I'm taking my first flight in tandem today and am looking forward to it. I've always chased the Zen moment and this will be one. I expect to obtain my P2 as well. I put myself through college as a rodeo clown and now teach construction in a jail. Solo sailer, motorcycles etc and I think this afternoon will be a peak experience and I can't tell you how much I appreciate this vid along with your others. You have a fan here my friend. Peace and love from a 69 year old
Heart felt and intense. These are some of the things I appreciate about you Ari. I vehemently agree that paragliding is a transformational tool and I definitely use it as such. The mind altering experiences I've had under the nylon, most of them, no one will ever know about. But, those moments of pure zen or sheer terror, sometimes in the same single flight, are treasures in my mind where I go to remember what it is like to completely commit to something, and usually that commitment is just to stay 'up' in the sky. I still can't fathom the opportunity of sitting at the edge of clouds watching them churn at almost 15,000 feet while flying over mountains that I've always just hiked up. And then the moments of 'fuck this' and top landing on the edge of canyon fire road to end a flight that scared the shit out of me after getting caught in the lee of a ridge. There has been so many moments. I battle with commitment and paragliding has been a sport for me that forces me commit deeper than I ever had before. Sometimes I ask myself, "What do I have to prove here?" and the answer should always be "Nothing". But, many times I've done it just to prove to myself that I can scratch out super low on mountainside on. Pride and ego is present in everything we do, male or female. Humility and appreciation is so much harder to come by. I egotistically don't want to be the person that says "I don't know how to do that." In this sport, I've learned that you better be honest with yourself and others and take it slow. An early flying buddy taught me that. This feeling has poured over into my life and business. It has helped me understand that it's ok to learn at your own pace and to be honest those around as tough as it may be on your pride. I was not this way when I first learned to fly. Transformation and improvement in life is inevitable just pick up a glider and take it slow.
One of the major reasons I have been drawn to paragliding is I have issues with irrational fear. I have some combat related stuff as well as other things from my past that have created it. Paragliding is risk that I can manage for the most part. It’s real risk I can control vs the imaginary risk I can’t control that sometimes takes over my mind. I don’t know if that makes sense but paragliding has changed the way I think about fear/risk in a good way I think. I really appreciate your videos. They are helping me immensely.
Wow Matt, thats some real insight brother. Combat related shit is a tough thing to manage, I can't imagine. Especially with paragliding! Really appreciate your honesty here. I'm glad the videos can help in some way. I've got your back!
I realise that this is a 3 year old video, but it was just what I needed to hear today. Thank you for sharing your thoughts here for me today. Nailed it
Thank you for your honest clip and also for your honest and really interesting podcast! Doing things for the right reason is hard and doing things for yourself without being pushed by others is even harder. Ive been climbing and skiing mountains for 30 years and just recently tried paragliding. For the first time it feels that Im doing something thats for me and not just for being able to say to others what a achievement Ive done! It took me 45 years to realize this but I hope that more youngsters will find out sooner to get an even more awarding life! Thanks for your insights! 🙏
Thanks for sharing so openly and honestly. You nailed so many things in that piece. I stopped myself from starting to Paraglide for 16 years because I KNEW how it would consume me and I couldn’t do that to my wife and young son. Finally at 48 yrs old I felt the time was right ( 6 months ago) and got licensed, now looking forward to a lifetime of growth and development, both in the air and in my heart. And doing it for the right reasons now... no pressures or self imposed expectations.
Ari, thank you for asking these important questions and sharing your thoughts about paragliding. I recently crashed and am on the mend. You have helped me to begin to recognize the "whole me." I wish you well.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts. This video is the type of information i am looking for before i take my first flight this spring. I love the honesty.
Dude! “The most powerful tool for transportation” 🙏🏼🦅🤙🏼🪂💚⛰ keep it up, keep it real, achieve the impossible... inspire other and ourselves to be better! Much love from the peaks of Utah! ~JP~
After watching your last video, and now this I have somehow come back to the idea of "seeking" or being a seeker. I think it's easy to become a thrill SEEKER and always be in search of the next rush. I need to remind myself that it might be better to be a thrill SOAKER, soaking up the experiences that I've gained from my activities. I'm glad you're keeping it real and investigating the real reasons we all engage in these activities. I ask myself what is the big draw of paragliding and why I've been OBSESSED with getting into it at this somewhat latter stage of my life (I'm 56). It's not to impress anyone, and certainly not to fit in. It may be as you say that I'm still seeking the "feeling" of happiness, accomplishment, thrill, etc. I'm glad you pose these hard questions. I certainly don't want to die or become seriously injured. Thanks brother!!
Ive absorbed about as much paragliding stuff as most and this is the first time ive seen this really adressed and it was good for you to show your instance and how you adressed it as an example. Cheers banji
Hi Fellow haha, a video 2 years old,... To be honest, thank you for this speach or preach. Great man, I will take it as an inspiration to reflect my motivation. 10 years ago I wenn to a paragliding course. From this camp I quit my management job. Since that I did my development and made my experiences in our sport. I regret no second or decision. It is a kind of fate. So you are perfectly right. A 2h lecture in 12 minutes. Thats effizient. Like a 5m/sec lift. THX
Absolutely awesome! Exactly, exactly, word by word, the way I've always viewed it. Powerful, deep-seating, hard-to-swallow... Congratulations - form a 63YO former private pilot(since '86), ultralight p, paragliding p, presently paramotor pilot/SCUBA diver; as you finely stated, another emotional player of many, many, many emotional games - and gambits...
I want to start paragliding because I love aviation, and I would love to learn as much about aviation first-hand as possible. I'm actually the opposite of a thrillseeker - I would NEVER go on a rollercoaster, I drive carefully, I have no desire to take chances to "be cool". I suffer from anxiety, which I take a couple of medications for, which I hope to get off of eventually (although which is something that might scupper my dreams of having anything to do with aviation anyway, I accept that). I'd be happy to stick to ONE beginner wing, and master it as far as possible, and learn as much about the weather and aviation as a whole, as I said before. I don't see the need to impress anyone - the only reasons I would have for paragliding would be to learn and be able to say when I look back on my life when I am older "I was able to do that, and that was pretty cool". I'd maybe eventually consider moving into other areas of general aviation - microlights, light aircraft etc., but none of it would really be about thrillseeking - challenging myself, yes, but not being "cool". Paragliding/paramotoring would probably be the easiest, cheapest, most accessible form of aviation for me here in the UK. Don't really know why I'm typing all of this out, suppose I just want to know your thoughts?
It's interresting: " I have no desire to take chances to "be cool". " (…) "be able to say (…) that was pretty cool". " (…) "yes, but not being "cool"."
Thanks for the courageous perspective on this sport. In a sense it could apply to many other dangerous sports. I come from high altitude climbing (8000m) which comes from fastpacking, from trail running crazy distance and elevation, from unlimited marathons... And ended recently choosing this sport after watching some paragliders fly over the 7000m snowy peaks of Pakistan. Made me dream a lot to be able to do something similar, at lower altitude... I like the feedback and attention I receive from others, and the sparkle of inspiration to others, but somehow your story made me think of how much this has become a necessary "food" to survive 😃
Well done buddy. So beautifully you have shared your thoughts which many instructors and experienced pilots knows but fail to put it in words and convey completely to others. Thanks a lot 👍. This video will help everyone who would watch it and it's a masterpiece ...
This video has confirmed what I have been trying to figure out about myself. Why the hell do I want to keep paragliding after I crashed about 5 weeks ago and had to be rescued by helicopter due to injuries and not being able to walk due to the unbelievable pain. I am lucky to be alive for sure and take full responsibility for my actions of flying in weather I should not have been flying in. I had to have three vertebrae fused lower back. I said I was not going to fly any more, but I want to fly again, just smarter and realize my limitations as I progress and learn. It is like an addiction for me and even before I crashed, I would have personal debates with myself in my head as to why I even do this sport. I originally thought it would be a good way to over come my fear of falling to my death, dreams I have had in the past riding a bike or motorcycle and hit a little jump and catch air and then start getting higher and higher then start to fall. I always knew I was dreaming but it did not help during the dream. When I wake up from it, all sweaty and scared to death as if it were real. I went and tried sky diving first, just a tandem jump, it was fun, my thought as we tumbled out of the air plane and looking down at the ground, so this is what it feels like to fall to your death....It did not feel like anything. I realized to do this sport I need a runway, airport, airplane etc. Not really somethings I have access to without spending a lot of money. Something I don't have much of to begin with. I looked into paragliding, I live in Salt Lake City, UT so point of the mountain is right there. All the while wondering why I am really doing this sport or is it therapy?? I was scared sometimes to launch, so I did a lot of kiting which is a benefit for sure. I have had hard landings but as time went on I got better at understanding my wing and gear and learned to trust it but still, get scared or nervous sometimes when I get bounced around or go into sink which is a butt pucker for sure. That stuff I got used to or at least do not tense up and stay relaxed. I ask myself why do I do this?? I know the consequences and chances of something going wrong possibly will be costly if not even lose my life for this thing I love to go do but have so many reasons why I love it. At the end of the day, I know I am a better person if anything for myself but I think all around for every aspect of my life paragliding has opened up someone I did not know before. Even with this crash, I was blown back on a heavy thermal day, first time to bench up and then times that by 2. Amazing lift but just couldn't get down and should have stopped flying way earlier than I did. Even having fused disks I am wanting to get out there again but in a more controlled environment. I have learned from this experience very costly, but I know it's not wrong to have emotional needs met by doing something that scares the hell out of me sometimes but at the same time I want more of it!! I feel accomplished after landing and good few hours of self fulfillment and adrenaline as well as more progress. I have been doing it for three years now and have a life time of learning still. I had just turned 60 before the crash, but it's only a number. I ride a ZX 1400 and yes, I love to top it out close to 200 mph. Just for a second, then take it down to reality. Always have had a motorcycle, probably for the same reasons. Still a kid in this body for sure and not going to change that ever. Ari thanks, I have watched many of your video's and I love your cold harsh honesty in all of them. Thanks. Happy flying!!
Farrrk! You just summed up my entire PG and PPG life and experience in 12 minutes bro! Two or three weeks ago at my local, I can see it from my house, I was scratching inside a spur for lift and was paying too much attention to my mates up in the lift band I lost focus (and I did then and acknowledge now my vario wasn’t turned on) so I lost perspective of height on the ridge line!.. From my BASE experience I flew it out up wind, I had nothing but trees and powerlines for an EP landing, but my sheer desire not to land in either found me a small patch of land on a property that I thankfully managed to just swoop under the tree top canopies and onto my feet! I tried to save face, walk it off and was actually proud of myself for such a dope landing under the conditions, but this video really helped me to reflect and look back and reassess the situation for the fact that sheer luck, balls and a ‘don’t give up attitude’ saved my arse that day! Thanks Ari, all your videos are of high quality, and I’m not talking about the resolution bro 👊🏼
Patrick Swayze thanks bro!!! Love your reflection here and i appreciation you sharing it! I too have had some “that was awesome! Did you see how close to total disaster that was?!?” Moments in my flying as well. Now i try to be honest with how much luck im running on and how bad my decisions are some times
I really like that kind of Videos. The opposite of your talk here is, to have fear all the time, when flying into bumpy air. So there is missing the part that makes you confident of handling the situation, despite you know you could handle it. I'd like to hear you talking about fear in bumpy air, and how to handle it. Probably an idea for a next video?
Would love to sit down and chat sometime! You sir are the perfect example of the transformative process that can happen with flying. You are definitely not the slackliner that I met so many years ago. Your transformation, while surprising, has been beautiful. I cannot tell you how helpful and insightful your recent videos have become, and they really strike a chord with me. A vast majority of the motivation for myself to participate in, or learn new activities; has been fueled by "you can't". I still vividly remember the first time I heard someone tell me I couldn't or wouldn't be able to do something. I was 8. It crushed me. I pretended like it didn't. Most of my teen and young adult years, I was on a path to prove everyone who said otherwise, wrong! Over the past handful of years, I have become much more aware of my inner voices, or backseat drivers as you put it. Much has been learned in my pursuit to fly thus far.
Nick, thanks so much for your words here, very kind. I appreciate the reflection, you and I met a long time ago indeed! I'm so happy to hear that this has been helpful to you and I'd love to chat about it too. Lets get a glass off together this month and shoot the breeze in the lz. Cheers brother, thanks again.
I'm so happy I found your channel much love and respect brother from me here in Ireland, I'm just starting my journey paragliding after years of wanting and dreaming to, having a mentor like you that I can relate to is really exciting, I get what you say about the darker shit inside being a motivation as well as the bright stuff, I recently crashed my electric unicycle, I broke my jaw, two breaks in my check, a broken tooth and a serious calve muscle injury, I wasn't wearing any protection and took two sleeping tablets before I went out on it because that darker part knew I had About 20 mins before they took effect and that was all that was needed for my borderline personality take over and drive while I came along for the ride in the back seat as you put it, I'm ashamed and embarrassed that I do things like this but it's hard when you have to do crazy shit just to feel alive, thanks for posting your video, it really hit home to me here In ireland Cobh Co Cork this afternoon, looking forward to following you on your channel, your the only one I've come across that talks about this aspect of our motivations, top notch Ari, Godbless and stay safe 🙏🇮🇪🍀
Alex Shaw thanks for all the words bro. Scary crash story, glad you’re alright. The motivation to do drugs is a good analogy, because paragliding works like a drug in many ways. Good medicine, but can be abused!
I'm with you 100% brother. I want to try and make high anxiety flight videos while I'm flying through the air looking at the manual for the paraglider and trying to figure out how I'm going to do the landing. I'm kind of fragile that way cuz everybody said I was bookish. Now I have decided to buy an epsilon 9 and a harness and everything and all the lessons to learn to fly the epsilon 9. Then I'm going to take off with a 5 kg of cornstarch and attempt to seed the cloud. I have an emotional need to convince everybody to let me launch and land on their property. I didn't say it would work every time and I didn't say I was real good at aiming a storm cloud at a field. On the other hand if you had a cloud that was super cooled and suck you right up to the bottom you might be able to trigger an extra $20,000 worth of hay. I'm considering publishing a map of the county and the places I think it would be the easiest to cause rain to fall.
Great vid Ari - just stumbled upon your channel, and the vid resonates so much. I just completed my first FAI triangle (a small 24km) at Lac d'Annecy in France and was pretty scared all the way. I was glad when it was done and safe on the ground - but then was so proud and thrilled that I just want to learn and become better. It's really a mix of anxiety and thrill, and something always draws me back for more. I really need to find out what that is.
i feel like i’ve always needed to paraglide since i saw it was a thing in popular mechanics when i was little. yes, i read that magazine as a child don’t judge me.
Paragliding is...whooo. I have to progress in something I can't see, air is invisible, I just can read signs. Others can fly so far, so high, why can't I still do that. I want to get good fast because I want to keep up, I want to prove myself in front of myself and my peers. I want to get far, far in life, maybe get far away, for some time - on my own - but still have someone take me into their arms and bring me home although maybe I got nowhere or landed somewhere for me unknown. I want to feel myself, feel the world. Everything is so fast-paced and so externally focused that paragliding brings me back to what happens inside of me, I just have to listen, but it's really hard. Paragliding is so much about the decisions you take. Launch or walk back down? Fly into the lee? Decisions you should take talking with your adult brain not with your child or parent brain. I knew that - still, my last two flying experiences showed me, knowing and realizing those situations isn't enough, it's taking actions accordingly. I nearly died, I was just lucky, two times in a row. Paragliding is an egocentric thing to do, might as well treat it like that and not let other people influence my decision making when it's my own life that is at stake. Thanks for the video Ari, made me think alot.
Holy shit man, this is an incredible stream of conciousness. Thank you so much for writing and sharing this here! I might read this in a future presentation!
I just freaking love to fly. I had a year long love affair with kiting, small lifts off of the ground and feeling like a baby bird trying to take flight. Once I did it was ecstasy! Now I expect to fly and work thermals to get high to try some acro and enjoy the view or taste XC. My "kid" is in the back seat, but every once in a while we agree to try something stupid. So far so good. Thanks Arie, this is a landmark video.
I have always been struck with such merriment by the term the adult here. I seldom like to apply that title to myself. I think I will like it and it will be fun. I'm going the first of the month about a week from now
Since I'm getting into paramotoring, I've seen a bunch of crashes. If the guys survives, and doesn't get hurt badly, most of the time he starts hooping and hollering like it was some great move. I think that is saving face. I do think a lot of that is adrenaline and when they have a chance to think about what happened, then fear sets in.
Awesome presentation... No punches pulled... More of this reality please... We need to wake the sheeple pilots up... I've seen too many go by the wayside, due to a careless laissez faire attitude...
I see risky activities as a way to overcome fear, and the greatest fear we have as mortals is the fear of death. If you think you wont' face death, think again. The reaper is coming for all of us.
Ah I fly because I love flying not to cover up emotions, I deal with emotions on the ground and don't fly when my mind isn't in that good space required to fly safely. That said I do agree with your perspective, some people should never fly because of the reasons you gave. I have seen some really bad accidents befall these people for the exact same reasons you speak of. Often, instructors will push the wrong students to pursue purchasing shit gear just to make a sale rather than suggesting they might not be suited to this sport. Most times, if they survive, the gear sits in an empty room for years never to be used again.
started training with an instructor first and second day I learned how to left the wing and the 3rd day he tow Rope me with a 15 meters with a car and I couldnt handle it and the wing collapsed as soon as i got the left then crushed with little injury however now I have an extream fear for it specially the wing collaps my instructor puts the blame on me that I couldnt handle the wing very will
Never thought of it before, but I can't find the real reason why I paraglide. I am trying hard to find them but it is always the superficial ones like fun, impressive, surreal, showing off, etc... There must be something deeper like you say, but how do I find it? what questions do I ask myself? all I can think of is "this is so rad!".
Godoy! The questions are something like; how am I feeling right now? If you can ask that question in a very deep way, and answer it truthfully, moment by moment, all day long, it will lead you to your motivations. Knowing who and how you are is the only way. Happy that you're interested in asking!!!
I guess it is good to question why we do this sport. For me I can't really explain it, I'm certainly NOT an adrenaline junky, as a kid was was fearful of roller coasters and stuff so maybe subconsciously there is a little of making up for that, but I don't believe so. More often than not I feel nervous even scared before I take off, can then take me a while to get in to the flow of it Sometimes when flying particularly thermalling, or SIV tasks, , I ask myself the same question, why am I doing it? It feels like your battling with the wing or the condition anxious and nervousness, but then you get out of that snotty air or the climb smooths out and consolidates you climb out above your take off and glide off in the calmness and smooth air then that a feeling of achievement, serenity, euphoria it's hard to describe. All those little things on your mind re work, family, money, friends just disappear from your mind, you have one focus and concentrate on what you are doing, what the air is doing, the birds other gliders those times when you can relax you get that feeling that you are at one with the wing and you roll with the air movements there's not a feeling like it. on landing the realisation of what you have just achieved never ceases to amaze me whether that be a coastal soar a ridge soar and a little XC. What I believe is important to safety is trying to progress and make every flight a learning flight, whether it be taking off perfectly, landing perfectly, trying to visualise the air etc etc, it's the pilots that just do the same thing every time with no thought of progression are the ones that scare me the most. I hate the saying any landing you walk away form is a good one. NO NO NO. It's okay to be pissed off if your landing is not what it ought to be, or your take off was a bit sketchy, you've made a bad decision and got away with it, acknowledge it, OWN it, Just don't try to justify it.
Fucking sand paper to my softest parts , I don’t want to hear this shit . Quit following you when you shared about that misfortunate person that lost his life , why ? All the wrong reasons I am sure . Horses taught me how to communicate with people . I am in training to paraglide , only twenty flights deep and $10.000 out of pocket .Why ? Honestly still not sure . I have quit drugs and alcohol and full time work to live this adventure ; ( and that still doesn’t satisfy my why ! Possibly the knock on the door of the reaper and prove I am not afraid , ( I probably am ) This Journey is thus far fulfilling and exciting and frustrating . Learning all things necessary is a challenge the weather and testing and reading are pushing boundaries I haven’t faced since failing High School . Examining myself and motivation is again new to me . As I push forward I will endeavor not to become callous to reality . And keep expanding my vision of love, empathy and passion for life . Jerry Lee .. P S thank you for sharing your experience !
There is potential for a valid point in what you're saying, but it's not clear. I listened closely, but I'm not exactly sure which of your examples are positive or negative reasons to do the sport. I recommend writing out your thoughts and posting a more clear warning, based on your thoughts and experiences.
you're seeking prescription. He's not giving you bullet points of what's valid or not, he's telling you to examine yourself and keep the adult in command
I'm new AF , I live near pdx , I've been struggling with why I want this so badly, do you do any one on one training? I want to learn in a way that speaks to me , you just spoke through me dude!! For reals how can I contact you for some lessons?
I guess it's nice to understand one's drive to flying, but it's not motivation that kills you, it's mistakes. Even the best intentions, won't save your bones.
Agreed. I just am trying to get the most out of it for the baseline risk i take to fly. I also want to eliminate the risks that come from me tryinng to show off or prove myself
Awesome talking Ari! Would you let me subtitle it in spanish so that I can share it with my fellow pilots? That would be awesome! Thanks a lot for sharing!
great topic and video but so many assumptions and a lot of projecting of your own motivations and needs onto others… Not everyone flies the same way, meaning with the same risk, and not everyone is trying to cover up for deeper shit.
I would be happy to hear your thoughts, and I think many others would too! I beg you to contribute to the conversation here in the comments, there are lots of novels! But if you want it to be private; ariintheair@gmail.com
What are you on while recording this? Nobody yammers on like this without having a spiritual moment on something. You are inside bu you are flying right now and will crash soon. Like it or not.
I get your passion about this but your makin this more then it should be, it’s a you sport I get it. But I like the passion. But I’m not too sure this is a ego thing, but that’s just me. 👍🏻✌️
All of our paths are different but there are some objective needs that we all need to have met. Just off a ninety minute interview with a psychologist talking about our brains and our personalities and why we take recreational risks at all. I think its right up your alley, stay tuned and thanks for watching.
You need to find a different hobby if you're going to be out here flying in the air on a bag full of wind with some strings, in an effort to fix your life and make sure you don't get ingrown toenails.
Thanks man. Its funny you say that. When I hear that, what I have to imagine is that you don't have a healthy relationship with your breath. Meditation, yoga, breathwork all might be a great addition to your ecology of paragliding practice. Cheers Mario.
glitch in the matrix.....can't get superstitious dude. The seafarers are the worst, look at the whole jack sparrow look lol. People that live near the coast are different, weird.
My only accident was on a day when I decided to take off despite the conditions having turned bad (back wind on the takeoff). I had been waiting for my friend the entire morning and he showed up too late. Instead of accepting the lost day, I tried to take off anyway and put myself into a tree.
I survived with literally zero damage to myself nor my gear.
Initially I was annoyed at my friend: he was the cause for the late takeoff. Had he shown up earlier, none of this would have happened.
I was dead wrong. The cause was myself. I had made that wrong decision. I had decided to take off despite the bad conditions, not him.
So I started looking into why I was so desperately trying to fly that day. Why was it so important? It became clear that at that time I was using paragliding to alleviate the pressure I was feeling from the relationship I had with my girlfriend. This triggered a discussion and we ended up breaking up on that same day.
Bottom line, I agree with you: you need to understand why you fly, because if you don't, you will make irrational decisions. I was lucky that day, but I won't always be. Get to know the irrational part of you and put this person in the back seat, you want the adult in control.
Damn dude, thanks so much for sharing that. Amazing openness- super appreciate that. Happy to read this.
Thanks for sharing bro, tough situation but I respect your honesty 👊🏼
" I had made that wrong decision. I had decided to take off despite the bad conditions" - actually, you did not set the boundaries with your friend right.
Ari, of the 80 00000 paragliding videos I've watched over the years, this one just landed as my #1 pick. I was absolutely choked up as you spoke the purest truth I've heard in a long time. Every word you said about needing fathers validation, creating an identity and so on... hit the nail right on the head. Thank you for your vulnerability and honesty. You are a wonderful human :)
Ah, thanks so much! Happy to hear that it resonated
This is a subject that is not talked about much and you bring truth and honesty to it. Keep up the good work.
That was deep on so many levels! Paragliding is exhilarating because it's dangerous. It is a right of passage for bravery , one way or another.
Achieve not dying by:
1. Don't fly in strong conditions
2. Fly a wing one level under your skill level
3. Don't rush
"Achieve not dying" HAHAHAHA! It is indeed an achievement
Thanks for making a great video. Good discussion to be had. I wouldn't have watched this video due to never having enough time but am lying in bed for the past two weeks after smashing my L1 vertebra in, you guessed it, a paragliding accident. Short story is coming in for a landing, big thermal lifted my from 2m to 20 m in seconds and them BAM, 3/4 collapse and I'm here writing this now because the wing recovered right before impact.
These past weeks have given me time to think about 1) why did I fly and hurt myself, and 2) why I have already agreed to fly again when I get to again. Your video is really helping bring these two questions into focus. WHY the F do we engage in such a gnarly sport? I've had other accidents in climbing, MTBing, skiing, kayaking and as a result really pulled back from them but continue to do them. Paragliding captures the slivers of amazing feelings of those sports and condenses it into a nonstop stream from the second we pull our canopies up to the second we drop them to the ground. But I still wonder why I want that feeling and what that feeling is. A sense of freedom to not be constrained by the dullness of being on the ground, a sense of adventure where you can be like a boy and believe anything is possible, and a sense of wonder where we can see the beauty of our planet in a way only possible by paraglider (I'm also a airplane comm pilot and no, you don't get the same feeling in an aeroplane). I want that feeling because my mind's imagination is bigger than the constraints of our physical world and paragliding more so than any other sport opens up the world to be as grand as I can imagine it.
The harsh reality though, is we are simply manipulating physics to allow ourselves the experience and I and so many others have learned that as soon as we lose our ability to manipulate the knife edge balance of opposing forces we meet our demise. I wish there were a way to get what I get out of paragliding in a safer way but it will always be dangerous. I will say I'd rather die impacting the dirt with a genuine sense of happiness than die in a hospital bed having lost my mind while crapping my pants like the 60 year old that was in the hospital next to me not having done anything (as per his wife who wondered why I would ever fly again because they had never done anything extreme). So it's all about perspective. Everyone who dies in this sport will still have died at some point (death being the only real guarantee in life) the real question is have they lived enough to make it worth it? I'm not here to live my life to work, to create, to provide, to save anyone, to prove anything to anyone else or any other purpose that people claim. I live because I love living and part of living is having the experiences that give us joy. Thanks again for a great video helping me think about why I do what I do and why I will fly again and again (hopefully accident free).
Thanks Ari I'm doing my pg2 I had my 23rd logged flight two days ago and I was ridge thermaling and exploring. I felt sense of achievement and proud as I stood out compare to other peers with more logged flights. Found your channel while I was researching thermaling and I'm rethinking my motivation for doing it.. thanks for opening up, I would have "motivated" myself to a dangerous place if not for this video, thank you for saving my life.
Btw you have great content, but there are so many if you could categorize those videos into playlist etc philosophy/motivation, tutorial/launching, tutorial/thermaling etc that'd be great! And I'll for sure checkout your podcast, you're great!
Ari, what a great motivational speaker you are. I'm taking my first flight in tandem today and am looking forward to it. I've always chased the Zen moment and this will be one. I expect to obtain my P2 as well. I put myself through college as a rodeo clown and now teach construction in a jail. Solo sailer, motorcycles etc and I think this afternoon will be a peak experience and I can't tell you how much I appreciate this vid along with your others. You have a fan here my friend.
Peace and love from a 69 year old
Thank you so much for the kind words and ecouragement!
Heart felt and intense. These are some of the things I appreciate about you Ari. I vehemently agree that paragliding is a transformational tool and I definitely use it as such. The mind altering experiences I've had under the nylon, most of them, no one will ever know about. But, those moments of pure zen or sheer terror, sometimes in the same single flight, are treasures in my mind where I go to remember what it is like to completely commit to something, and usually that commitment is just to stay 'up' in the sky. I still can't fathom the opportunity of sitting at the edge of clouds watching them churn at almost 15,000 feet while flying over mountains that I've always just hiked up. And then the moments of 'fuck this' and top landing on the edge of canyon fire road to end a flight that scared the shit out of me after getting caught in the lee of a ridge. There has been so many moments. I battle with commitment and paragliding has been a sport for me that forces me commit deeper than I ever had before. Sometimes I ask myself, "What do I have to prove here?" and the answer should always be "Nothing". But, many times I've done it just to prove to myself that I can scratch out super low on mountainside on. Pride and ego is present in everything we do, male or female. Humility and appreciation is so much harder to come by. I egotistically don't want to be the person that says "I don't know how to do that." In this sport, I've learned that you better be honest with yourself and others and take it slow. An early flying buddy taught me that. This feeling has poured over into my life and business. It has helped me understand that it's ok to learn at your own pace and to be honest those around as tough as it may be on your pride. I was not this way when I first learned to fly. Transformation and improvement in life is inevitable just pick up a glider and take it slow.
i can’t thank you enough for these videos. please don’t stop making them! you’ve taught me so much by the way you have of explaining these things
Man, so happy to help and so happy to recieve such kind feedback
Ari in the Air I’m glad! Your efforts don’t go unnoticed. I really love that you’re bringing forth how introspective paragliding really is.
One of the major reasons I have been drawn to paragliding is I have issues with irrational fear. I have some combat related stuff as well as other things from my past that have created it. Paragliding is risk that I can manage for the most part. It’s real risk I can control vs the imaginary risk I can’t control that sometimes takes over my mind. I don’t know if that makes sense but paragliding has changed the way I think about fear/risk in a good way I think. I really appreciate your videos. They are helping me immensely.
Wow Matt, thats some real insight brother. Combat related shit is a tough thing to manage, I can't imagine. Especially with paragliding! Really appreciate your honesty here. I'm glad the videos can help in some way. I've got your back!
Ari in the Air If you ever want to chat about it I just followed you on Instagram.
Things you say in this video, make so much sense! Things you said in the video also made me sure you are a beatiful soul!. Greetings from Norway
I realise that this is a 3 year old video, but it was just what I needed to hear today. Thank you for sharing your thoughts here for me today. Nailed it
Thank you for your honest clip and also for your honest and really interesting podcast! Doing things for the right reason is hard and doing things for yourself without being pushed by others is even harder. Ive been climbing and skiing mountains for 30 years and just recently tried paragliding. For the first time it feels that Im doing something thats for me and not just for being able to say to others what a achievement Ive done!
It took me 45 years to realize this but I hope that more youngsters will find out sooner to get an even more awarding life! Thanks for your insights! 🙏
So happy to hear these reflections, thanks for writing them here. I appreciate your encouragement! Get some!
Human Factors are the most important but the most overlooked in virtually all activities. Great video, great passion, loved it. Thank you :)
Thanks for sharing so openly and honestly. You nailed so many things in that piece. I stopped myself from starting to Paraglide for 16 years because I KNEW how it would consume me and I couldn’t do that to my wife and young son. Finally at 48 yrs old I felt the time was right ( 6 months ago) and got licensed, now looking forward to a lifetime of growth and development, both in the air and in my heart. And doing it for the right reasons now... no pressures or self imposed expectations.
Ari, thank you for asking these important questions and sharing your thoughts about paragliding. I recently crashed and am on the mend. You have helped me to begin to recognize the "whole me." I wish you well.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts. This video is the type of information i am looking for before i take my first flight this spring. I love the honesty.
Dude! “The most powerful tool for transportation” 🙏🏼🦅🤙🏼🪂💚⛰ keep it up, keep it real, achieve the impossible... inspire other and ourselves to be better!
Much love from the peaks of Utah! ~JP~
Thank you brother! I'm trying to transform myself with paragliding as one of my tools!
Dude, great content here. You have a self awareness that is enviable.
After watching your last video, and now this I have somehow come back to the idea of "seeking" or being a seeker. I think it's easy to become a thrill SEEKER and always be in search of the next rush. I need to remind myself that it might be better to be a thrill SOAKER, soaking up the experiences that I've gained from my activities.
I'm glad you're keeping it real and investigating the real reasons we all engage in these activities. I ask myself what is the big draw of paragliding and why I've been OBSESSED with getting into it at this somewhat latter stage of my life (I'm 56). It's not to impress anyone, and certainly not to fit in. It may be as you say that I'm still seeking the "feeling" of happiness, accomplishment, thrill, etc. I'm glad you pose these hard questions. I certainly don't want to die or become seriously injured. Thanks brother!!
This is a great insight! Thanks for sharing it here
Ive absorbed about as much paragliding stuff as most and this is the first time ive seen this really adressed and it was good for you to show your instance and how you adressed it as an example. Cheers banji
Thanks man! I thought "I just gotta say this"
Wow, I never thought about such activities in this way before. It applies to more than just paragliding.
I felt this video brother, I've often thought about my true motivation in flight in general. Subscribed.
Thank you Aaron, I really appreciate that
Thank you for these videos ....mental state is a major factor in safety in paragliding...
Hi Fellow
haha, a video 2 years old,... To be honest, thank you for this speach or preach. Great man, I will take it as an inspiration to reflect my motivation.
10 years ago I wenn to a paragliding course. From this camp I quit my management job. Since that I did my development and made my experiences in our sport. I regret no second or decision. It is a kind of fate. So you are perfectly right. A 2h lecture in 12 minutes. Thats effizient. Like a 5m/sec lift. THX
Absolutely awesome! Exactly, exactly, word by word, the way I've always viewed it. Powerful, deep-seating, hard-to-swallow... Congratulations - form a 63YO former private pilot(since '86), ultralight p, paragliding p, presently paramotor pilot/SCUBA diver; as you finely stated, another emotional player of many, many, many emotional games - and gambits...
I want to start paragliding because I love aviation, and I would love to learn as much about aviation first-hand as possible.
I'm actually the opposite of a thrillseeker - I would NEVER go on a rollercoaster, I drive carefully, I have no desire to take chances to "be cool". I suffer from anxiety, which I take a couple of medications for, which I hope to get off of eventually (although which is something that might scupper my dreams of having anything to do with aviation anyway, I accept that).
I'd be happy to stick to ONE beginner wing, and master it as far as possible, and learn as much about the weather and aviation as a whole, as I said before. I don't see the need to impress anyone - the only reasons I would have for paragliding would be to learn and be able to say when I look back on my life when I am older "I was able to do that, and that was pretty cool". I'd maybe eventually consider moving into other areas of general aviation - microlights, light aircraft etc., but none of it would really be about thrillseeking - challenging myself, yes, but not being "cool". Paragliding/paramotoring would probably be the easiest, cheapest, most accessible form of aviation for me here in the UK.
Don't really know why I'm typing all of this out, suppose I just want to know your thoughts?
It's interresting:
" I have no desire to take chances to "be cool". "
(…)
"be able to say (…) that was pretty cool". "
(…)
"yes, but not being "cool"."
Deep and so true. "You are welcome to stay but get in the back." Well said. Digging your videos.
Thanks for the courageous perspective on this sport. In a sense it could apply to many other dangerous sports. I come from high altitude climbing (8000m) which comes from fastpacking, from trail running crazy distance and elevation, from unlimited marathons... And ended recently choosing this sport after watching some paragliders fly over the 7000m snowy peaks of Pakistan. Made me dream a lot to be able to do something similar, at lower altitude... I like the feedback and attention I receive from others, and the sparkle of inspiration to others, but somehow your story made me think of how much this has become a necessary "food" to survive 😃
Such an AMAZING content !!! Thank you, love it ! That's all
Well done buddy. So beautifully you have shared your thoughts which many instructors and experienced pilots knows but fail to put it in words and convey completely to others. Thanks a lot 👍. This video will help everyone who would watch it and it's a masterpiece ...
Thank you my friend!!!
This video has confirmed what I have been trying to figure out about myself. Why the hell do I want to keep paragliding after I crashed about 5 weeks ago and had to be rescued by helicopter due to injuries and not being able to walk due to the unbelievable pain. I am lucky to be alive for sure and take full responsibility for my actions of flying in weather I should not have been flying in. I had to have three vertebrae fused lower back. I said I was not going to fly any more, but I want to fly again, just smarter and realize my limitations as I progress and learn.
It is like an addiction for me and even before I crashed, I would have personal debates with myself in my head as to why I even do this sport. I originally thought it would be a good way to over come my fear of falling to my death, dreams I have had in the past riding a bike or motorcycle and hit a little jump and catch air and then start getting higher and higher then start to fall. I always knew I was dreaming but it did not help during the dream. When I wake up from it, all sweaty and scared to death as if it were real.
I went and tried sky diving first, just a tandem jump, it was fun, my thought as we tumbled out of the air plane and looking down at the ground, so this is what it feels like to fall to your death....It did not feel like anything. I realized to do this sport I need a runway, airport, airplane etc. Not really somethings I have access to without spending a lot of money. Something I don't have much of to begin with.
I looked into paragliding, I live in Salt Lake City, UT so point of the mountain is right there. All the while wondering why I am really doing this sport or is it therapy?? I was scared sometimes to launch, so I did a lot of kiting which is a benefit for sure. I have had hard landings but as time went on I got better at understanding my wing and gear and learned to trust it but still, get scared or nervous sometimes when I get bounced around or go into sink which is a butt pucker for sure. That stuff I got used to or at least do not tense up and stay relaxed.
I ask myself why do I do this?? I know the consequences and chances of something going wrong possibly will be costly if not even lose my life for this thing I love to go do but have so many reasons why I love it. At the end of the day, I know I am a better person if anything for myself but I think all around for every aspect of my life paragliding has opened up someone I did not know before. Even with this crash, I was blown back on a heavy thermal day, first time to bench up and then times that by 2. Amazing lift but just couldn't get down and should have stopped flying way earlier than I did.
Even having fused disks I am wanting to get out there again but in a more controlled environment. I have learned from this experience very costly, but I know it's not wrong to have emotional needs met by doing something that scares the hell out of me sometimes but at the same time I want more of it!! I feel accomplished after landing and good few hours of self fulfillment and adrenaline as well as more progress. I have been doing it for three years now and have a life time of learning still.
I had just turned 60 before the crash, but it's only a number. I ride a ZX 1400 and yes, I love to top it out close to 200 mph. Just for a second, then take it down to reality. Always have had a motorcycle, probably for the same reasons. Still a kid in this body for sure and not going to change that ever. Ari thanks, I have watched many of your video's and I love your cold harsh honesty in all of them. Thanks. Happy flying!!
@@dave3313 Dave! Email me at ariintheair@gmail.com I want to talk to you about this!
I love your words man. This is exactly how I feel as a paraglider. You tapped what we feel.
So good..truth and perspective. incredible things to always be thinking about, and put into words so well. Thank you..
Farrrk! You just summed up my entire PG and PPG life and experience in 12 minutes bro!
Two or three weeks ago at my local, I can see it from my house, I was scratching inside a spur for lift and was paying too much attention to my mates up in the lift band I lost focus (and I did then and acknowledge now my vario wasn’t turned on) so I lost perspective of height on the ridge line!..
From my BASE experience I flew it out up wind, I had nothing but trees and powerlines for an EP landing, but my sheer desire not to land in either found me a small patch of land on a property that I thankfully managed to just swoop under the tree top canopies and onto my feet!
I tried to save face, walk it off and was actually proud of myself for such a dope landing under the conditions, but this video really helped me to reflect and look back and reassess the situation for the fact that sheer luck, balls and a ‘don’t give up attitude’ saved my arse that day!
Thanks Ari, all your videos are of high quality, and I’m not talking about the resolution bro 👊🏼
Patrick Swayze thanks bro!!! Love your reflection here and i appreciation you sharing it! I too have had some “that was awesome! Did you see how close to total disaster that was?!?” Moments in my flying as well. Now i try to be honest with how much luck im running on and how bad my decisions are some times
Thank you for your incredible insights - this is a conversation that is long over due - well done and bless you 🙏🙏🙏
Thanks for the encouragement
I really like that kind of Videos. The opposite of your talk here is, to have fear all the time, when flying into bumpy air. So there is missing the part that makes you confident of handling the situation, despite you know you could handle it. I'd like to hear you talking about fear in bumpy air, and how to handle it. Probably an idea for a next video?
Roger, brother, thank you for the support. You know what I'm talking about. Seriously appreciate it and am humbled by it.
Thanks Ari. There is something to think about!
Great thoughts and inspiring. You are aware, wake, self reflective...
man, this REALLY gets me thinking. thank you.
Would love to sit down and chat sometime! You sir are the perfect example of the transformative process that can happen with flying. You are definitely not the slackliner that I met so many years ago. Your transformation, while surprising, has been beautiful. I cannot tell you how helpful and insightful your recent videos have become, and they really strike a chord with me.
A vast majority of the motivation for myself to participate in, or learn new activities; has been fueled by "you can't". I still vividly remember the first time I heard someone tell me I couldn't or wouldn't be able to do something. I was 8. It crushed me. I pretended like it didn't. Most of my teen and young adult years, I was on a path to prove everyone who said otherwise, wrong! Over the past handful of years, I have become much more aware of my inner voices, or backseat drivers as you put it. Much has been learned in my pursuit to fly thus far.
Nick, thanks so much for your words here, very kind. I appreciate the reflection, you and I met a long time ago indeed! I'm so happy to hear that this has been helpful to you and I'd love to chat about it too. Lets get a glass off together this month and shoot the breeze in the lz. Cheers brother, thanks again.
Great wisdom and resonates deeply with me. Thanks!
I'm so happy I found your channel much love and respect brother from me here in Ireland, I'm just starting my journey paragliding after years of wanting and dreaming to, having a mentor like you that I can relate to is really exciting, I get what you say about the darker shit inside being a motivation as well as the bright stuff, I recently crashed my electric unicycle, I broke my jaw, two breaks in my check, a broken tooth and a serious calve muscle injury, I wasn't wearing any protection and took two sleeping tablets before I went out on it because that darker part knew I had About 20 mins before they took effect and that was all that was needed for my borderline personality take over and drive while I came along for the ride in the back seat as you put it, I'm ashamed and embarrassed that I do things like this but it's hard when you have to do crazy shit just to feel alive, thanks for posting your video, it really hit home to me here In ireland Cobh Co Cork this afternoon, looking forward to following you on your channel, your the only one I've come across that talks about this aspect of our motivations, top notch Ari, Godbless and stay safe 🙏🇮🇪🍀
Alex Shaw thanks for all the words bro. Scary crash story, glad you’re alright. The motivation to do drugs is a good analogy, because paragliding works like a drug in many ways. Good medicine, but can be abused!
@@AriintheAir thanks Ari, it must be instantly addictive, I can't wait, I'm going to Verbier summit in Switzerland this year to learn 🙏🍀🇮🇪😊
I'm with you 100% brother. I want to try and make high anxiety flight videos while I'm flying through the air looking at the manual for the paraglider and trying to figure out how I'm going to do the landing. I'm kind of fragile that way cuz everybody said I was bookish. Now I have decided to buy an epsilon 9 and a harness and everything and all the lessons to learn to fly the epsilon 9. Then I'm going to take off with a 5 kg of cornstarch and attempt to seed the cloud. I have an emotional need to convince everybody to let me launch and land on their property. I didn't say it would work every time and I didn't say I was real good at aiming a storm cloud at a field. On the other hand if you had a cloud that was super cooled and suck you right up to the bottom you might be able to trigger an extra $20,000 worth of hay. I'm considering publishing a map of the county and the places I think it would be the easiest to cause rain to fall.
This guy know something that not really much ppl know!
👏 well said brother. You’ve opened my eyes.
Amazing how this resonates with me. Will be in touch soon!
Great vid Ari - just stumbled upon your channel, and the vid resonates so much. I just completed my first FAI triangle (a small 24km) at Lac d'Annecy in France and was pretty scared all the way. I was glad when it was done and safe on the ground - but then was so proud and thrilled that I just want to learn and become better. It's really a mix of anxiety and thrill, and something always draws me back for more. I really need to find out what that is.
"There's only one way to find out!" Good luck, fly safe and thanks for watching!"
i feel like i’ve always needed to paraglide since i saw it was a thing in popular mechanics when i was little. yes, i read that magazine as a child don’t judge me.
Paragliding is...whooo. I have to progress in something I can't see, air is invisible, I just can read signs. Others can fly so far, so high, why can't I still do that. I want to get good fast because I want to keep up, I want to prove myself in front of myself and my peers. I want to get far, far in life, maybe get far away, for some time - on my own - but still have someone take me into their arms and bring me home although maybe I got nowhere or landed somewhere for me unknown. I want to feel myself, feel the world. Everything is so fast-paced and so externally focused that paragliding brings me back to what happens inside of me, I just have to listen, but it's really hard. Paragliding is so much about the decisions you take. Launch or walk back down? Fly into the lee? Decisions you should take talking with your adult brain not with your child or parent brain. I knew that - still, my last two flying experiences showed me, knowing and realizing those situations isn't enough, it's taking actions accordingly. I nearly died, I was just lucky, two times in a row. Paragliding is an egocentric thing to do, might as well treat it like that and not let other people influence my decision making when it's my own life that is at stake. Thanks for the video Ari, made me think alot.
Holy shit man, this is an incredible stream of conciousness. Thank you so much for writing and sharing this here! I might read this in a future presentation!
@@AriintheAir Wow, I`m happy if I can give something back!
I just freaking love to fly. I had a year long love affair with kiting, small lifts off of the ground and feeling like a baby bird trying to take flight. Once I did it was ecstasy! Now I expect to fly and work thermals to get high to try some acro and enjoy the view or taste XC. My "kid" is in the back seat, but every once in a while we agree to try something stupid. So far so good. Thanks Arie, this is a landmark video.
So true, great video!
I have always been struck with such merriment by the term the adult here. I seldom like to apply that title to myself. I think I will like it and it will be fun. I'm going the first of the month about a week from now
Since I'm getting into paramotoring, I've seen a bunch of crashes. If the guys survives, and doesn't get hurt badly, most of the time he starts hooping and hollering like it was some great move. I think that is saving face. I do think a lot of that is adrenaline and when they have a chance to think about what happened, then fear sets in.
Saving face will kill us and it will keep us from actually connecting with one another! Drop the mask, pick up the world.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Awesome presentation... No punches pulled... More of this reality please... We need to wake the sheeple pilots up... I've seen too many go by the wayside, due to a careless laissez faire attitude...
Thanks Mark! More on its way
'you have to be real with yourself'
Right???
I see risky activities as a way to overcome fear, and the greatest fear we have as mortals is the fear of death. If you think you wont' face death, think again. The reaper is coming for all of us.
Ah I fly because I love flying not to cover up emotions, I deal with emotions on the ground and don't fly when my mind isn't in that good space required to fly safely.
That said I do agree with your perspective, some people should never fly because of the reasons you gave. I have seen some really bad accidents befall these people for the exact same reasons you speak of.
Often, instructors will push the wrong students to pursue purchasing shit gear just to make a sale rather than suggesting they might not be suited to this sport.
Most times, if they survive, the gear sits in an empty room for years never to be used again.
Yes for me it was the divorce …. But that was the symptom I believe I love the personal progression I can actually measure myself! Great video Bruh
started training with an instructor first and second day I learned how to left the wing and the 3rd day he tow Rope me with a 15 meters with a car and I couldnt handle it and the wing collapsed as soon as i got the left then crushed with little injury however now I have an extream fear for it specially the wing collaps my instructor puts the blame on me that I couldnt handle the wing very will
Never thought of it before, but I can't find the real reason why I paraglide. I am trying hard to find them but it is always the superficial ones like fun, impressive, surreal, showing off, etc... There must be something deeper like you say, but how do I find it? what questions do I ask myself? all I can think of is "this is so rad!".
Godoy! The questions are something like; how am I feeling right now? If you can ask that question in a very deep way, and answer it truthfully, moment by moment, all day long, it will lead you to your motivations. Knowing who and how you are is the only way. Happy that you're interested in asking!!!
Very similar philosophy with mountain climbing.
I guess it is good to question why we do this sport. For me I can't really explain it, I'm certainly NOT an adrenaline junky, as a kid was was fearful of roller coasters and stuff so maybe subconsciously there is a little of making up for that, but I don't believe so. More often than not I feel nervous even scared before I take off, can then take me a while to get in to the flow of it Sometimes when flying particularly thermalling, or SIV tasks, , I ask myself the same question, why am I doing it? It feels like your battling with the wing or the condition anxious and nervousness, but then you get out of that snotty air or the climb smooths out and consolidates you climb out above your take off and glide off in the calmness and smooth air then that a feeling of achievement, serenity, euphoria it's hard to describe. All those little things on your mind re work, family, money, friends just disappear from your mind, you have one focus and concentrate on what you are doing, what the air is doing, the birds other gliders those times when you can relax you get that feeling that you are at one with the wing and you roll with the air movements there's not a feeling like it. on landing the realisation of what you have just achieved never ceases to amaze me whether that be a coastal soar a ridge soar and a little XC.
What I believe is important to safety is trying to progress and make every flight a learning flight, whether it be taking off perfectly, landing perfectly, trying to visualise the air etc etc, it's the pilots that just do the same thing every time with no thought of progression are the ones that scare me the most. I hate the saying any landing you walk away form is a good one. NO NO NO. It's okay to be pissed off if your landing is not what it ought to be, or your take off was a bit sketchy, you've made a bad decision and got away with it, acknowledge it, OWN it, Just don't try to justify it.
I appreciate your thoughts and writings on this. Thanks for sharing!
Nice! I have a therapist (at over $120/hour) who would agree! INSIGHTFUL!
Powerful!...Thanks..
Fucking sand paper to my softest parts , I don’t want to hear this shit . Quit following you when you shared about that misfortunate person that lost his life , why ? All the wrong reasons I am sure . Horses taught me how to communicate with people . I am in training to paraglide , only twenty flights deep and $10.000 out of pocket .Why ? Honestly still not sure . I have quit drugs and alcohol and full time work to live this adventure ; ( and that still doesn’t satisfy my why ! Possibly the knock on the door of the reaper and prove I am not afraid , ( I probably am ) This Journey is thus far fulfilling and exciting and frustrating . Learning all things necessary is a challenge the weather and testing and reading are pushing boundaries I haven’t faced since failing High School . Examining myself and motivation is again new to me . As I push forward I will endeavor not to become callous to reality . And keep expanding my vision of love, empathy and passion for life . Jerry Lee .. P S thank you for sharing your experience !
Ari, why did they both crash? was it rotor, incorrect input, they sunk out in a bad place?
There is potential for a valid point in what you're saying, but it's not clear. I listened closely, but I'm not exactly sure which of your examples are positive or negative reasons to do the sport. I recommend writing out your thoughts and posting a more clear warning, based on your thoughts and experiences.
you're seeking prescription. He's not giving you bullet points of what's valid or not, he's telling you to examine yourself and keep the adult in command
I'm new AF , I live near pdx , I've been struggling with why I want this so badly, do you do any one on one training? I want to learn in a way that speaks to me , you just spoke through me dude!! For reals how can I contact you for some lessons?
I guess it's nice to understand one's drive to flying, but it's not motivation that kills you, it's mistakes. Even the best intentions, won't save your bones.
Agreed. I just am trying to get the most out of it for the baseline risk i take to fly. I also want to eliminate the risks that come from me tryinng to show off or prove myself
@@AriintheAir True, it's good to be able to identify when one acts under pressure of the competition or spectators.
Not sure that was "serendipitous "
Well said
Awesome talking Ari! Would you let me subtitle it in spanish so that I can share it with my fellow pilots? That would be awesome! Thanks a lot for sharing!
Alberto! I would love that brother!!! Email the transcript to ariintheair@gmail.com and I'll see if I can put it onto the youtube video
@@AriintheAir for sure! I have never subtitled anything! But I'll do my best. Just let me set some time apart to do it!
@@AriintheAir hi Ari! I just sent you last night the transcript, I hope it works!
great topic and video but so many assumptions and a lot of projecting of your own motivations and needs onto others… Not everyone flies the same way, meaning with the same risk, and not everyone is trying to cover up for deeper shit.
Aight see ya
Can I send you an email on my thoughts about this video? It's great but I'm not keen to write a novel for a UA-cam comment!
I would be happy to hear your thoughts, and I think many others would too! I beg you to contribute to the conversation here in the comments, there are lots of novels! But if you want it to be private; ariintheair@gmail.com
O.M.G 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Two thumbs up this is my second cause youtube wont let you give 2
hahaha, the comments help!!! Patreon helps more!
you think paragliding is a stimulus, try being a day trader.. same story, started for the wrong reasons, stayed for the right ones..
What are you on while recording this? Nobody yammers on like this without having a spiritual moment on something. You are inside bu you are flying right now and will crash soon. Like it or not.
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I get your passion about this but your makin this more then it should be, it’s a you sport I get it. But I like the passion. But I’m not too sure this is a ego thing, but that’s just me. 👍🏻✌️
All of our paths are different but there are some objective needs that we all need to have met. Just off a ninety minute interview with a psychologist talking about our brains and our personalities and why we take recreational risks at all. I think its right up your alley, stay tuned and thanks for watching.
i hate a my life why the world need me
You need to find a different hobby if you're going to be out here flying in the air on a bag full of wind with some strings, in an effort to fix your life and make sure you don't get ingrown toenails.
Man I love your content, but when you take those deep breaths it creeps me out a little.
Thanks man. Its funny you say that. When I hear that, what I have to imagine is that you don't have a healthy relationship with your breath. Meditation, yoga, breathwork all might be a great addition to your ecology of paragliding practice. Cheers Mario.
Paranon..
glitch in the matrix.....can't get superstitious dude. The seafarers are the worst, look at the whole jack sparrow look lol. People that live near the coast are different, weird.
Wow! This doesn't help at all! You're such a hero! I hope you make lots and lots of money and virtue signaling from of this video.
Zachary Holler thanks bro! Really appreciate that. Donate at www.paypal.me/ariintheair
fifth like
Blah blah blah. The whole 12 mins. Just write these truths instead
I made this video to waste your time! Gotcha!
First like!!
What an awful tittle to this video