STREET BASKET IS A SOCIETY OF ITS OWN
The art that adorns the cover of this book represents a ball that builds itself, it represents elegance, oneness, harmony, collaboration, connection, unity, emptiness, and the infinite circular journey of life. Its letter O shape is symbolic of oneness of heart and soul, and its empty center reminds us that to learn and grow, our mind must remain empty so we can fill, it symbolizes the basket ball. Basketball is often called a game of hoops, the circle appears in center-court. The three colors red, white, and yellow, were chosen by me because they have a special meaning, they are the Reawakening colors. These colors together are emblematic of the messages learned in this book, a book about change, transformation, personal power, passion, and love as you embark on the infinite journey which will lead you to comprehend the ‘Basketball Reawakening’.
As the basketball undergoes irreversible change due to the exaltation of ego, owing to the crisis of identity and humanity, I have made it my mission to tell ‘urgent’ stories about Sports. I blend ‘basketball court’ storytelling and a sublime photos aesthetic to give to the reader a sense of what it means to live through this moment in time. I want to bring people closer to feeling the soul of the environment, rather than just looking at it. Collaboration is central. Every ‘word’ is explored through the ‘isolated lives’ of the protagonists. I consider this synergistic exchange spiritual giving something to receive. Having someone’s life story revealed to you is such a gift. I believe one have to work hard for this. You must sit with them, commit to them, experience all their emotions and grief. It’s not just people, the soul is deeply entangled with the environment.
People understand the issues with their minds, with intellect, but engaging their inner self, getting them to understand with their heart is much more complex. We are all part of this circle of life, and I want to find a visual language that brings people closer to feeling the soul of the environment rather than just looking at it. I understand that the act of conversing is about much more than the words we speak. A different tongue can imbue alternate meanings, gestures, cultural codes and even influence one’s personality. I feel like a completely different person when I speak a different language, and Street Basketball is a language in itself. It is a means of communication.
This book is about awareness and spirituality, the ability to communicate, negotiate, problem solve, and descalate potential conflit, is about the meaning of a moment of the life. Reading it, you will learn what you need to keep, what you need to discard, and what you need to add to your mental, emotional, and ‘spiritual’ skill set as a human being. You will discover how people from all parts of the world have brought together the asphalt, and ‘athletics efforts'. I will demonstrate how certain timeless values will inspire you to embrace and navigate the unchartered waters of listening, of the ability to listen to the sound of the soul. ‘Basketball Reawakening’ is a book about truth, that is, it is about the way things are meant to be as opposed to the way we think they should be.
This book will be your guide to understand the meaning of the Street Basketball. To win from within as you mind the heart and mend the mind. I don’t intend to tell you what to believe in. I do hope to show what to think, or perhaps, what not to think. The act of coaching guys is both a science and an art. The science of coaching is the possession of a deep well of knowledge about the theories, techniques, rules, and intricacies of the sport. The art, which is perhaps more difficult, lies in the knowledge that a coach has about the athlete, how to motivate them, how to discipline them, how to inspire them to greater performance, and how to use the sport as an educational tool that will help them to a successful life after competition on the playing fields ceases.
