| I walk up to the base of the cliff. "I can climb this - | | | | with mindfulness meditation, 'The Four Agreements' |
| no problem". My talk reassures me that I can do this | | | | by Don Miguel Ruiz, and Eckhart Tolle's 'Power of |
| - my body is tense with fear and anxiety. My hands | | | | Now' each focus on keeping the conscious mind quiet |
| start to sweat slightly, I touch the coarse granite and | | | | and allowing intuitive abilities to come forward. The |
| feel the sun's warmth radiate from it. I certainly don't | | | | popularity of these works attest to our collective |
| want to show my anxiety or fear, so I puff up a | | | | want of a more centered and present experience in |
| little more and get ready for the climb. | | | | the world. These works are focused on the journey |
| I climb up thirty feet and start to get into the hard | | | | of our lives, in the present, not on the destination. |
| section. I pause, climb up, climb down, recheck my | | | | Rock climbing combines the physical and mental work |
| equipment, climb up, and back down. My nerves are | | | | of living in the moment and embodies the spirit of |
| getting to me and my inner dialogue is a monologue | | | | mindfulness. |
| of "I can't" and "it's too this or too that". Too hard. | | | | I am often asked: isn't climbing dangerous? Rock |
| Too steep. Too hot. Too whatever. I am placing | | | | climbing equipment, when used properly and after |
| blame wherever I can - but not on myself. | | | | receiving professional instruction, is incredibly strong |
| I have repeated this scene countless times and | | | | and safe. Often what we think of as dangerous is |
| watched others repeat this same scene countless | | | | only a perceived risk - we perceive that climbing is |
| times. This is status quo behavior at a climbing area - | | | | dangerous based on a lack of information or |
| it is also status quo behavior in our work, personal, | | | | projection of fear. Learning about the equipment and |
| and spiritual lives. We seek answers and solutions to | | | | safety systems gives us the information we need to |
| problems outside of ourselves and place blame when | | | | move from perceiving climbing as risky to |
| the answers and solutions don't work. | | | | understanding that rock climbing is a calculated risk |
| Rock climbing offers a mirror into our individual | | | | that can become increasingly safe with education and |
| perspective and behaviors in the world. It offers an | | | | supervised practice. |
| experience that gives us direct feedback into how | | | | Is rock climbing only for the elite athlete or young |
| we observe, communicate with others, tolerate | | | | and foolhardy? Not at all. Rock climbing is a life long |
| adversity, set and work on goals, and give and | | | | activity that demands patience, persistence, and |
| receive support and trust. Seems like a lot of | | | | focus. It is an activity open to all body types and all |
| feedback? It is and don't forget that it is fun too! | | | | levels of fitness. One of the beautiful aspects of |
| Learning and growth, by their definition, take us out | | | | climbing, apart from spending time outside in the |
| of our comfort zone and into the unknown. We have | | | | fresh air and in amazing places, is that the challenge is |
| defined and developed our comfort zone over time | | | | self imposed. You are in control over what type of |
| as a way to control and anticipate our experiences - | | | | climbing you choose to do and the difficulty level - |
| rock climbing can offer a physically and emotionally | | | | regardless of how difficult the climbing is on a |
| safe experience to test our self-defined comfort | | | | universal scale, it is your challenge. |
| zone and open us to learning and growth. | | | | Rock climbing is a powerful teacher of focus and |
| As communication technologies develop at an | | | | living and breathing in the moment - the destination is |
| increasing rate, sociologists, psychologists, and spiritual | | | | a sweet reward but the work and challenge is in the |
| leaders search for ways to live a more mindful, | | | | process. Climbing offers a unique and powerful |
| productive, and peaceful life. Jon Kabat-Zinn's work | | | | opportunity to connect your mind body, and spirit. |