Tuesday, June 24, 2008

"A Very First Quote..."




"Climb these summits and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." J. Muir
It was an Outward Bound instructor who was first to introduce me to this special quote by Muir... It is one I have pondered, mused, and planned from over these many years... A quote that set directions for me from all points of the compass...
The terrific images above are from Tom at Yosemite Explorer... Such visual energy holds for me the feelings we have experienced many times when adventuring among such mountains, and together with Muir's quote they provide inspiration for those adventure days and experiences still waiting out there...
Did you know that the actual writing of this quote is found to contain either the word 'mountains' or the word 'summits'... While being told the first version, the latter now resonates with me as the image of 'summits' has come to mean a great deal more too than the very top of a single mountain...
Some state Muir wrote it both ways as he did with many other notes and journal entries, when he wrote and then revised his musings, at different levels, after different experiences, and over long years of ponderings...
That Outward Bound instructor was so right, and Muir's words have indeed rung so true, over these past decades of wild place journeys and within so many adventure seasons...
I often re-read this 'first quote' while looking towards the horizon... for many more of such summits, sunshine, winds and storms, are waiting... patiently waiting... to be discovered and enjoyed out there.....
DSD
Tom Lambert's Link at Yosemite Explorer:http://yosemiteexplorer.com

Friday, June 20, 2008

"An Outdoorzy Challenge For Us All..."





"Find your places of power; where you become part of the magic. Return there many times; enjoy your experiences - then give back to those places". Grey Wolf
We all tend to tally up some kind of accomplishments within our adventure endeavors... yet there is often a quiet side to these efforts... One that can be an important yet hidden goal of connectedness within the adventure community and to our wild places... These are the many initiatives adventurers make in giving back and passing forward...
One of my favorite quotes is by J. MacKinnon who wrote: "A life list is, in the end, nothing more than a tool to look back on our lives and consider how we spent our brief moments on Earth. And what if, in those final breaths, you realize - I never gave anything back."
Such efforts can take the shape of almost anything... Just as there was something that sparked our passions within our chosen adventure activity... so it is with discovering our own paths to connectedness...
The story of the 'Giving Tree' as pictured above ( by Owen) has many meanings, and much mystery... Outdoorzy's enthusiasm is letting us create another chapter here...
And with this the Crew at Outdoorzy, also pictured above, has challenged us to inspire them!
They write: "Tell us of your best experience in the outdoors serving, preserving, helping the environment, or conserving".
I find that persons who adventure out in our wild places have such enthusiasms and are amazingly positive... they are also so creative and take much initiative... I have always wondered (as in my Post Link below of 'Just One Thing') what it would be like if even just a little of this great energy was focused upon yet another exciting new journey...
As for myself, years ago when Grey Wolf said, "If you take that stone, you must give something back", I pondered the meaning of this simply profound musing, and I guess I took it to heart as it has since lead me upon a wondrous path...
My sincere thanks to Wade and Outdoorzy for allowing me to be part of the karma and fun in raising such awareness... I am looking forward to reading about all the adventurers out there and their unique 'OSPEC' endeavors...
DSD


Wednesday, June 18, 2008

"How Much Do You Want This....."





Nietzsche, an accomplished philosopher, poet, and mountaineer wrote: "He who has a why can endure any how...".
Nietzsche was one of many who espoused musings on meaning and purpose in life... He was often troubled himself yet affirmed the importance of pondering such meanings, and what it is we want from our experiences, from our existence... and just as importantly what we may be prepared to do in order to attain these...
Many of us find that quotes like these help us journey closer to clarifying our own images of the adventure ideas going through our minds each season...
How much do you 'want'... whatever that want might be in your adventure planning and desires for experiences out there... Any such musings can be priceless on the path to understanding our own personal 'why'...
Sometimes we ask the same question of ourselves at a different level by inquiring about what price we are prepared to pay... in terms of effort & esteem, time & trial, discipline & sacrifice...
Then we may see more clearly why this is important for us to do; what meaning these adventures create for us...
How bad do you want this...
Can you actually see yourself on that high mountain summit... Have you visualised what the trek will be like... Will that picture on the wall signify what you wanted from your adventure... Can you feel now what the emotions will be like when out there... In your minds eye are you able to envision each step of the journey...
As an Outward Bound instructor once said to me, "It is much more effective to focus on what you do want, than to be taken off course by too much thinking about what you don't want...".
I've mused too over how it is not helpful to be so distracted by what 'seems' to be urgent, that we lose time, energy, and focus on what ends up being more truly important... Much within adventures, as in life, can be very much like that...
There can be so many other aspects that may turn out to be incidental, rather than instrumental, to your path and chosen adventure activities... We need to be careful and even protective at times of where we spend our precious energies...
Do you really want this...
Actually walking the coals of such questions can be a test of sorts... of our true selves... our real commitment... and enhance our depth of understanding about what these adventure experiences may ask of us... But what treasures we will find along the way!
Nietzsche also wrote of his own trials by trail that: "I am a wayfarer and a mountain climber... and whatever destiny and experience may now come to me, there will be wayfaring and mountain climbing in it: after all, one experiences only oneself...".
All of this is yet another internal adventure in pondering and answering for ourselves, such personal questions of how much do we each want this.....
DSD

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

"Outward Bound And A 'Mea Culpa' Moment..."



I remember... There was this one Instructor... from my first Outward Bound course, who was something of a wandering enigma...
It was a challenging course, with much inclement weather of cold, wind, and rain... long days out, among people who were slow to connect... We didn't make our first summit attempt either.
This Outward Bound mentor had a unique style... one of quiet confidence... a person who chose their words carefully... and often unexpectedly laughed loudly.
One comment in particular sparked a mystery that lasted throughout the course and lingers still... During a day of rock climbing, one phrase was quietly said a number of times... almost so quietly as to see if we were really listening...
One of us in the patrol was having real difficulty, then real success, with the climbing... After each experience, and the resulting group feedback, all this Instructor said was 'Mea Culpa'.....
That simple comment prompted much discussion, both then, later over meals, and at night under the stars...
That Outward Bound mentor whispered that same phrase a few dozen more times throughout our course...
What was also espoused as many times were comments about 'not telling us, but showing'... then 'not showing', but 'letting us do'... 'not explaining' but 'allowing us to experience'... 'not giving us meaning' but ensuring that the circumstances let us 'create our own'...
During each further such experience we would again hear that quiet comment as well... 'Mea Culpa'... and would also come to expect it, even while we didn't know exactly what was meant...
I have since come to understand a bit more about experiential learning within the wild places... During that course and in communications after with my course mates, we would discuss, even research, those two softly spoken words...
The popular Latin meaning typically reflects implied aspects about personal 'fault'; much other literature emphasizes the nature of individual responsibility instead of fault... Our Outward Bound Instructor's meaning was demonstrated by the many teachings passed forward to us... This was a gentler 'Mea Culpa'... one of lessons reflecting a more useful personal accountability, and not one just of blame...
Those experiential Outward Bound learnings taught us about such responsibility without criticism; about natural consequences; about creating one's own enthusiasms and motivation; and how to then personally integrate such wild place adventure experiences back within each of our everyday lives...
Over the course of my life I have mused over these two words, that simple phrase... and realise how profound it is... That Outward Bound mentor never did define what Mea Culpa meant, instead the intention was to let each of us be responsible for creating our own personal meanings, memories, images, and values to live by... I have always been grateful for that...
So on your next summit day; during your own kayak trip; or when the sun is setting on that canyon... ponder... then say it aloud... and discover a "Mea Culpa' moment for yourself...
DSD

Monday, June 09, 2008

"Mountain Mystery....."







"Hidden in and under the mountain, and all around it, is a mystical, linear elegance, an atmosphere, the long jewel-like ridges. There is a meaning for us, an extended journey, a project of inspiration to which our minds will be apprenticed...".
"The mountains... are an exultant image whose mirrors create the effect of endlessly receding planes. Their image is suddenly clear, then is blurred, an expression of our presence..."
"The mountain... obscures itself among other mountains, finds secrecy in its weather and moods... There is a strangeness, one of a beautiful worth. A storm breaks. We are called to its prismatic, poetic mood, a beauty that pervades every part of us... for all that is given, and that we are blessed to know, and must leave hidden." P. Ament
Many life long mountaineers, like Ament, eventually journey to a waypoint where the mystery of their adventures' becomes as important as the places themselves...
Wild places... especially mountains... seem to inherently; yet subtly... invite us to search out the mystery to be found out there within these elements..... DSD
My appreciation to Dru (top two images) and Mickrange (bottom two images) for their inspiring pictures...




Wednesday, June 04, 2008

"Just To Smile And Laugh....."







"The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not laughed." N. Chamfort
I have never laughed so heartily, and so long, as when out during an adventure... These last weeks I have needed to make real efforts to recall moments that are not just filled with sadness. During times of severe adversity and personal challenge; others have shared with me that while tears may be cleansing... laughter is inherently healing...
And when I muse closely on those moments of deep meaningful laughter, I feel that there must be something in the air out there, don't you think? Something that touches all the levels within us, particularly the gifts we have been given in our ability to experience real joy, hope & happiness, especially humour & fun...
We often feel so childlike, so playful, so full of freedom and life when wandering among the wild places... And amazingly this can be just as true right in the midst of powerful storms and swirling elements... It is just as true even in regards to severe exposure on some knife edge ridge route; also true in knowing the inherent risks usually present in adventure challenges...
And paradoxically true as well in spite of achieving what are often ephemeral rewards...
Besides... having such fun and simple moments of smiling and laughter out there reminds us not to take ourselves so seriously even when we focus so closely upon what we are doing...
I remember... the smirks with a climbing friend when we both wanted to lead, and then when we both didn't... The smiles of my partner when we each know without even saying what the other is appreciating out on the waters of a sea kayaking trip...
I remember... such sustained wild laughter during an ascent of sleet, snow, and high winds...
I remember... even the joyful tears that seem to contrast with the toothy smiles we find ourselves with when we finally reach that elusive summit...
Maybe... the real payoff... the true reward... is in these simple enjoyments out in our wild places... and in being free to return and to be able to just smile and laugh... time and time and time again.....
DSD