attitude

From Dead Lucky, by Lincoln Hall

"The values held by Sherpas certainly work well in the mountains, where being aware of the fullness of the present moment minimizes the inattentive lapses that lead to fatal accidents. I also learned from them that this same attitude -- of simply getting on with what has to be done -- is the best way to deal with uncomfortable situations. I remember arriving one afternoon at a clearing on a forested mountain ridge during gentle but continuous rain. We had stumbled upon an unexpected camp site, grass-covered and level, the perfect escape from the weather, so I called it an early day. The members of my trekking group huddled under a tree, not complaining but looking miserable while they eagerly waited for the Sherpas to finish pitching the tents. I was out in the clearing with the Sherpas, who were working busily as if the rain was not there. Suddenly the drizzle became a torrential downpour. Water ran down into my sleeve as I held up a tent pole. I cursed while the Sherpas laughed and shouted at each other, stimulated by the force of nature and not annoyed by it. Half an hour later I was in my tent when the flap was unzipped by two kitchen boys, who offered me tea and biscuits. They were still soaking wet but still laughing, this time at the waterlogged biscuits on the tray.

"Many people who visit Nepal are deeply inspired by the Nepalese attitude to life and vow to find pleasure in the simplest of things. However, after a week or two back in a modern city, with the cut and thrust of office politics and not enough time at home to do the many apparently important tasks, it is easy to overlook the promised subscription to the values and priorities of the people of Nepal. For me it was much easier, as I was working with deeply religious Buddhists and Hindus and at the same time climbing mountains -- both powerfully centering influences.

"I came to realize that the common ground of both climbing and spiritual practice is the state of being "in the here and now". Essentially, this is a focus of mind, which offers a simpler but somehow deeper and clearer appreciation of reality. During the most intense passages of climbing, the "here and now" keeps you alive. There is no analysis of what is happening, no judgements, and no plans of what to do next. You are kept alive by the awareness of ever-present danger, which focuses all your faculties on the decisions and actions directed entirely to your survival."

Lincoln Hall states that his experiences with climbing mountains in the company of Nepalese eventually converted him to Buddhism. From the experiences of my own life, I think that the attitude and approach to life he describes are accessible without the danger of climbing, and within Christianity, when Christianity is understood. I don't know if I could laugh as I pitched tents in torrential rain and then prepared snacks for those sitting in their tents who didn't help me pitch those tents in the rain. But then, if such was my job, I think I could. I don't think a person needs to be in a state of ever-present danger to achieve that focus.