I have had a lot of fun in physically risky activities, but after several accidents I am not sure whether I should continue or rather hold myself back a bit.

Lama Ole’s answer:

In Buddhism, there is the expression, “precious human body.” Our body is precious because it enables us to develop, learn, and experience things. I advise you to remain within your limits at the beginning. Then, when there’s a clear blue sky, you might enjoy a tandem skydive jump, where you have an instructor on your back who pulls the cord for you so nothing dangerous can happen. From time to time, you might allow yourself such an adrenaline rush. All things considered, we should be careful about what we do, because it is better to be able to jump around happily than to meditate in a wheelchair.

My advice is actually a bit more conservative than my behavior, I have to admit. A few days per year, I get on a fast motorcycle and go riding with some friends. Or sometimes, I go skydiving or bungee jumping. Although I am always convinced that I’m in control of the motorcycle or the situation, there are moments when I go into a skid, which is quite dangerous.

Once I went into a serious high-speed skid on a wet street with a heavy, four-cylinder BMW. Then suddenly, I felt as if I were being held by a thousand arms and I was back on track again. Alone I never would have been able to hold that heavy machine. In that case, the buddhas controlled the bike better than I could. I always know things will work out and I trust in space. I am happy when something like that happens, but at the same time it is a bit embarrassing.