human hero in training

Model. Artist. Writer. Creator. The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature. Joseph Campbell

[parkerhurley]

But I don’t wanna stay inside and rest... I wanna soak up these final days of summer! Another shot from one of my favorite people @gabrielgastelum ⚡️ I hope everyone is having an awesome week, and feeling better than I am. Anyone else getting whooped by the season change? https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Fk6sRpYUD/?igshid=1667kz9bebslg

[parkerhurley]

Today during training I was thinking about how there will will always be someone faster than me, stronger than me, better at handstands or martial arts or whatever it is that I’m working on. There will always be someone better but when I’m moving, that competition disappears. I’m not competing with anyone, not even myself. It becomes about the joy of moving - the laughter to be found in the falling down and the getting back up. Like I’m dancing with myself. Getting better becomes a byproduct of being present in the moment. Movement never judges you. It just asks that you join yourself where you’re at and let go of the ideas of where you or anyone else thinks you should be. 📸 @gabrielgastelum #keepmoving https://www.instagram.com/p/B2zrOnjJ6Wz/?igshid=m2fh4sj8p8w2

[parkerhurley]

81K! Thank you #humanheroes for being here and joining me on my journey! There a lot of new people that I wanted to say hello to and get to know. I’ve seen these posts before where a person lists 10 things most people don’t know about them so here we go. ⚡️ 1. I have this weird skill where I can recognize actors and can tell you what other films they were in no matter how different they look, or even if they are wearing prosthetics. 2. I’m super introverted. I need a lot of alone time to recharge and easily get anxious when I’m in large groups of people, except when I’m teaching. 3. I grew up eating Chips and Cheese sandwiches because I didn’t like deli meat. 4. I’m currently pescatarian and working on removing fish and dairy from my diet. I feel wayyyy better when I’m not eating animals. 5. I was a fat kid growing up and didn’t become an athlete until after college. 6. I’m currently working on a tv show about ‘human heroes’ around the world that move in service of something greater than themselves - their family, their community, a social cause, the planet. 7. If I didn’t feel a sense of responsibility, I would live out of a backpack and just hike with YaYa - all day, every day. Or chop wood. Or climb up a neverending rope that never goes anywhere. Human hamster. 8. I’ve struggled with my mental health since I was a kid and self-harmed a lot. Movement saved my life, a few times. Now, anxiety comes in the form of how can I use my privilege/voice to help those that are less fortunate than I. Sometimes I think that can be as simple as giving someone your time, seeing them, hearing them, listening to them. 9. Loss has been my greatest teacher. 10. I’ve been working on (writing, researching, illustrating) a book for the last four years all revolving around this idea of what it means to be a Human Hero. One thing I know is that human heroes move, and the more we move together, the better. 11. I miss teaching. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2m5AXKJTG7/?igshid=ofj3x9dmpz42

[parkerhurley]

So this is what 33 looks like, and feels like too. Last year was one of cleansing, clearing, and creating. I’m making more art than ever, my finances aren’t all over the place anymore, and my family has come together. The flip side is now that I have this strong foundation, I’m opening doors that were previously closed. I’m being confronted with uglier pieces of my character mostly revolving around relationships. ⚡️ Validation often came from being desired for this or that, and even when I was single, I was still relying on someone else to make me feel good about myself. I don’t want to be someone that jumps from partner to partner. How can any of us really get to know ourselves, and more importantly, love ourselves if we don’t give ourselves the time and space to do so? ⚡️ The other day in a yoga class, a truth washed over me. The people I continue to bring into my life, the people I’ve loved and lost, the patterns that’s continue to keep me from what I really want – that’s all on me. I can’t blame my upbringing or “conditioning” on any of that. Where I am, who I am, who I’m with or not with, is because of my choices. This realization didn’t anger me, or pull me towards self-loathing. It felt more like a conversation with a mentor, someone that I trusted and knew was looking out for me. It was like being a kid again and getting a stern talking to from an adult that loves you. And then I realized laying there in savasana, that I was simultaneously both, the teacher and the student. Intellectually, I understood the idea of ‘you are your own best teacher’ but I hadn’t experienced it until now. It’s a good feeling. #keepmoving #humanheroes #getoutside #movementismedicine #movementformentalhealth #movebecauseyoucan https://www.instagram.com/p/B2U_dZQJKs9/?igshid=16l1nnar9x9w0

[parkerhurley]

‘The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.’ Jacque Cousteau 🌊 Most of you probably don’t know this but I love to dive. It’s what I imagine space must feel like but with way more to see and experience. I just got back from the Bahamas with my father and brothers, right before the hurricane hit. I put this video together to hopefully inspire you #humanheroes to help and also honor the trip. A few highlights of the video include... me speaking ‘whale’(equalizing underwater), swimming through underwater caverns, one of the infamous blue holes and its spiderweb mineral secretions, and also my closest encounter with a shark. Watch the second video to see what I’m talking about. 🦈 Seriously though, this place was magical and I’m praying for all the creatures that call the Bahamas home, human and fish alike. I came across this website that offers 7 different ways in which you can help/donate. @bahamas_redcross_society @teamrubicon are just a few listed. Donating some of my birthday money felt like the least I could do. Please help/donate if you have the means to do so. #help #bahamas https://www.instagram.com/p/B19smhYpjhT/?igshid=ez1v6uwmd3rt

[parkerhurley]

“Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better.” Albert Einstein . . Hope you guys are ready for the green kingdom to take over my Instagram feed...🌲🌳🌿☘️ (at Waipio Valley) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1uFZlkpBPm/?igshid=15ntq90n9njhn

[parkerhurley]

A few shots before I got my ass whooped...and few shots afterwards. Instagram edits vs the reality of Hawaiian surf. The Kai is no joke. I took a kids boogie board out there to ‘get my feet wet’ and learned that tiger sharks were often seen at this beach. (Thanks @zfusari 😳) Trying to get a longboard past the break was a whole different story. I was quickly humbled and brought home with me an assortment of bruises and scratches. No regrets though! I want to live in the space between too much and not enough where there is occasionally that ‘oh sh*t’ fear that keeps you alert and alive! I missed you Hawai’i. 📸 @not_so_chy #aloha #hawaii #kona #pinetreessurfingbeach #challengeyourself #keepmoving #humanheroes https://www.instagram.com/p/B1fCuRkJkrT/?igshid=wkcye5sv77ag

[parkerhurley]

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, one finds it attached to the rest of the world.” John Muir ⚡️ Whether by accident or on purpose, the fires that are raging through the Amazon are illegally caused by humans, mostly to clear land for livestock. It’s easy to brush off certain issues that may feel far from home. It’s easy to take no action because we might question our ability to make an impact anyway. It’s easy to place responsibility elsewhere but the truth is that we are all responsible. We are ALL responsible for the messes we’ve created and we all have to do our part in the healing of our planet. ⚡️ I’m seeing all these #prayforamazonia hashtags but that just seems like spiritual bypassing to me. Yes, pray, and then take some sort of action! Start small and gather your strength! Let’s be more conscious about how we recycle. If you’re a meat-eater, try removing it from one or two meals a week. Join a weekly or monthly park clean up. It’s 2019, use a canteen! I joined the @sierraclub last week and I’m a stickler for #leavenotrace. Don’t let me see you drop a candy wrapper... anywhere. It requires courage to take action, sometimes it takes courage just to speak up. We have to hold each other accountable #humanheroes. Become a #forcefornature https://www.instagram.com/p/B1cW3TBJnPo/?igshid=e7d8zco7rd65

[parkerhurley]

Apparently it’s #shareyourstudio day! @patreon If you didn’t know, now you do! We’ve appropriately named this room the #sacredspace. It’s my favorite room in the house. I come in here to create, meditate, talk to friends, family, and god. ⚡️ I’ve been drawing and painting lions for as long as I can remember....I see the face of a lion when I close my eyes.... and I’m a Leo. Might be why I pray to a lion god these days.🦁#🕉 #createtoexplore #keepmoving #humanheroes #avatar #vishnu #narasimhadeva https://www.instagram.com/p/B1ZztsopHqj/?igshid=641bl1n7puh2

[parkerhurley]

Apparently it’s #shareyourstudio day! If you didn’t know, now you do! We’ve appropriately named this room the #sacredspace. It’s my favorite room in the house. I come in here to create, meditate, talk to friends, family, and god. ⚡️ I’ve been drawing and painting lions since I was a little boy - in 1st grade one of my drawings was in the school newspaper so they fill me with a sense of confidence and clarity. That might be why I pray to a lion god these days.🦁#🕉 #createtoexplore #keepmoving #humanheroes #avatar #vishnu #narasimhadeva https://www.instagram.com/p/B1ZyIF8JOTq/?igshid=a8k4mrk84mbr

[parkerhurley]

I’m still coming down from all your birthday messages and wishes! Thank you guys so much! 33 feels pretty, pretty, pretty good. @not_so_chy and I just got back from Hawaii yesterday. After hiking in such a beautiful land, I have a deeper understanding of why so many Hawaiians are fighting the construction on Mauna Kea. Excited to share our memories exploring the sacred lands of the aina. 📸 @gabrielgastelum #keepmoving #humanheroes #movebecauseyoucan #movementformentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Wr1rwpEmA/?igshid=s7j9l94f96re

[parkerhurley]

Greetings from Hawaii!! 🤙🏼Almost 33 years on this planet have me feeling both young at heart and more connected to an ageless sense of purpose that I didn’t really understand before. Getting older is inevitable but so is the wisdom that comes with it. All those cliche sayings of “you’ll look back on this later and be grateful,” are more mantras than cliches. ⚡️ The application of wisdom really kicks in when you can skip the step in between - learning the lessons with little suffering so you can progress to the next level. Big things are just around the corner #humanheroes, projects I’ve been working on for more than half a decade are being shared and developed. ⚡️ Thank you, thank you, thank you all for believing in me and the change I’m trying to create in the world. Mahalo ⚡️ (📸 @gabrielgastelum snapped these photos of me a few weeks ago in NY and then wrote up one of the nicest posts ever. Grateful to be alive and also grateful to have such amazing people in my life.) #gratitude #leoseason #keepmoving #movementformentalhealth #happybirthday https://www.instagram.com/p/B1HiNniJYwg/?igshid=1mowzuv5cw0e2

[parkerhurley]

One of my current teachers always says this during class “Movement should be fun. If you’re not having fun, you shouldn’t be here.” I partially agree. We need to find our own ways to make movement fun. That way what at first feels like a ‘chore’ becomes an opportunity to ‘play.’ Stay young at heart #humanheroes You were born to move. 📸 @gabrielgastelum (got a bunch more photos to share from one of my favorite humans) #movebecauseyoucan #movementformentalhealth #keepmoving #nogymneeded (at New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1AACLAJFmd/?igshid=dtmp6njinb2v

[parkerhurley]

“Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are.” -Alfred Austin ⚡️ Think of your relationships as if they were the flowers in your garden. For the garden to be healthy, you need to water it, you need to feed it, and you need to prune it. Some flowers are going to be so interesting or strikingly beautiful. Some will engage your senses and emotions in a way that feels incredible and irreplaceable but this doesn’t mean they are beneficial to the overall health of your garden. If you notice certain people in your life are being dishonest with you or if they ignore your attempts to communicate, you may need to gracefully and compassionately remove these flowers. It may be challenging, but it will create space for something that is better for you. 📸 @vangephoto #humanheroes #keepmoving #movementformentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalmaintenance (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/B04ITc-ptqM/?igshid=13kzd28gsdk1o

[parkerhurley]

Random fact: when I was a chunky teenager I was obsessed with surfing, and also terrified. I didn’t have the physical ability so I would spend hours sitting around, drawing all the different logos.... redsand, quicksilver, billabong, stussy, no fear(anyone remember that one?) ⚡️ One day my mom said ‘Why don’t you make your own surf brand?’ My response was ‘what would I even call it?’ ‘Why not ‘Hurley’? she said. No lie, I started doodling and even put two )( back to back. Fast forward a few years later, and even now, @hurley is probably the biggest surf brand out there. I can’t tell you how many of those T-shirt’s I owned. ⚡️ Point of the story - momma knows best! I haven’t given up on the art yet and never will. Thanks @phurley222 for always inspiring me. I love you. 💙 #mommasboy https://www.instagram.com/p/B0mLRHAp-LY/?igshid=n3asgdpzgp75

[parkerhurley]

Counting down the days until I can get this girl back on the trail. 🐕🏃🏼‍♂️#getoutside #adoptdontshop #shelterdog #hikingadventures https://www.instagram.com/p/B0eQZggp3qY/?igshid=1eqckavjurkmr

[parkerhurley]

Over the last couple years I’ve learned that whenever I find myself in a funk, the easiest way for me to reconnect with what really matters is by immersing myself in nature. Not having enough time, the pressure to succeed, not knowing which direction to move - nature doesn’t worry about such things. Go lay with her and the answers will come. ⚡️ This week’s theme is nature. I’ve been missing her, jonesing for her actually, and Hawaii is just around the corner. YaYa and I usually go for walks in the park but her mobility is very limited. One of the dangers of living in an urban setting is nature withdrawal. We need trees and water and mountains the same way we need to embrace and be embraced by those we love. I think that’s what we need more of - viewing our planet as if it were someone we dearly love. Don’t forget to get outside #humanheroes #natureisbae #keepmoving (at Honolulu, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0UGcZGJ70M/?igshid=8hyh4un7jv6x