The other day I overheard two people talking in a metaphysical bookstore. The subject of baseball came up, and one speaker said she couldn't understand why sports were so important to some people. She stated that since she had become involved in spiritual exploration she had come to the conclusion that sports held no true value or importance in the larger scheme of things.

Let's look at a baseball game. The event takes place in a time and space that extends from a point way before the first pitch is thrown to way beyond the making of the last out. As fans file into the ball park they enter a magickal place complete with sacred ground and statues dedicated to the game's ancestors. They become part of a ritual that will hopefully last several hours. This magickal event sees time stand still for these fans, where the problems of the real world do not exist and normally cannot invade (although an earthquake did once). There exists a feeling of spiritual connectedness between the fans and their favorite team. Fantasies abound which, for some, will be realized. The energy level builds as the home team takes the field. The energy generated by the fans can inspire the players just as a great play will evoke response from the crowd. This interplay is akin to a sacred dance. And, after the last out, regardless which team wins, the energy is maintained by the fans and soaked up by them as they leave the turnstiles; this magickal energy bolsters them for the return to the real world. And the fans know they can come back; that each game is a renewal of this magick. So, the fans are not just observers-they are participants.

The game itself is an inner ritual performed by participants on another level. The manager of each team is the Guru, high priest, witchdoctor, psychotherapist, teacher or leader (facilitator). Each player dedicates him or herself to do their best in a pursuit of excellence on all levels. The emphasis is on individual performance, although each player is connected to his teammates and to the fans. Immediate karma comes into play as each teammate is responsible for his actions so that they can be the best they can be as a team, or community. If one player does not perform according to his best ability, the rest of the team is affected (as well as the fans).

Camaraderie is a bond that is highly spiritual. Close association with one another under demanding situations breeds respect, love/hate emotions and responsibility to others as well as to one's self.
When the game is over, it is not really over. If one team wins, the sense of accomplishment carries the team on to their next encounter. If a team loses, they regroup and undergo a ritual of renewal be preparing for the next game. The fans participate in this renewal.

Also, most athletes have a bond among themselves, even with players on other teams. They know they come together to do a job and they do it. Being participants in such intense interplay brings about ties that transcend team logos. All in all, the game is a microcosm of the greater world and even the macrocosmic universe. To the person who sees no value in such endeavors I suggest: Continue your spiritual journey; you may one day realize there are more levels of awareness than those first glimpsed. All things have a spiritual nature.

c. CKEVN 1993