Climbing - Philosophy for Everyone by Schmid Stephen E. Florine Hans Allhoff Fritz

Author:Schmid, Stephen E., Florine, Hans, Allhoff, Fritz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published: 2010-11-03T16:00:00+00:00

ERIC SWAN

CHAPTER 9

ZEN AND THE ART OF CLIMBING

The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.

Robert M. Pirsig

Illustration: Ordinary Mind in Eldorado Canyon

Every few minutes, when you feel secure enough to shift your concentration away from the crack you’ve been ascending for the last hour or so, you turn to face the vast expanse before and below you. From this height the robust creek you traversed earlier is only faintly visible, emerging periodically between the gaps in tree cover. The canyon walls give way to gentle hills then plains – intermittent patches of vegetation and signs of civilization. It’s a perfect day. There is no place you’d rather be than right here, right now – climbing. Discrete thoughts fade away, leaving you with a pervasive feeling of spaciousness and wonder. Ah! everything comes into perspective.

At some point a breeze comes along and gently reminds you that you are several hundred feet off the ground. You are not at the summit and yet you feel so alive. With a heightened sense of focus, you lock in on the next hold and continue your climb.

Introduction

Within this introductory illustration of a rather typical rock climbing experience is a glimpse at the essence of Zen – the experience of living fully, freely, and naturally in the world. This way of being – with a deep awareness of existence – is often what lures people to climb in the first place. Zen, like a summit view, is inherently pleasing, for it reminds us of the splendor of nature beyond – as well as within – ourselves. It can be argued that both climbing and Zen awaken us to the wonders of life by helping us find the extraordinary in the ordinary. If nothing else, both disciplines allow us to discover, manifest, and even lose ourselves in the process of living as we seek the summit.

More a “way of liberation” than an intellectual construction, to borrow Alan Watt’s phrase, Zen emphasizes above all else experiential wisdom, or prajna. Curiously, Zen is both one of the most compelling concepts in Eastern philosophy and one of the most confounding for Western philosophers. The fact that Zen is often referred to as “ordinary mind” but is portrayed as extraordinary, only adds to the confusion and frustration many Westerners feel as they seek to understand Zen. Still, one thing is clear: Zen permeates climbing. From the trail to the summit, from bouldering to free soloing, and from the beginner to the expert, Zen is a palpable reality for climbers and as such deserves thorough philosophical inquiry.

The Route Itself

This essay will make the case that climbing embodies the principles and spirit of Zen. Just as others have written about Zen in the art of motorcycle maintenance, archery, and even playing guitar, I will articulate how Zen manifests in the art of climbing. I am quick to point out that I believe Zen experienced through climbing is not wholly different from – much less superior to – Zen experienced through, say, surfing.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.