Wholistic Fitness

CLEANING ROCK, CLEARING SOULS

with over 75 First Ascents preceded by Give Away Ceremonies,
coach ilg has been one of the most conscious leaders of the
rock climbing scene since the mid-eighties. His INTRODUCTION
to BOULDER CLIMBS NORTH (Chockstone Press), is a testimony to his
coaching of younger climbers to embrace the sixth, intuitive sense of
Discriminate Wisdom before changing the face of any rock wall.

Dearest Coach,
I saw in DL that you are putting up some climbing routes near your new home, which will be great for your own practice and for visiting students, I’m sure. I do, however, cringe when I hear someone saying that they are “cleaning” a route, particularly with a wire brush. Often what they are doing is removing native vegetation, including plants and lichens, some of which can be rare. I know that you are tuned into the ways of our plant friends, but others may not be. As you develop these routes, therefore, I humbly ask you to consider urging others to clean in a mindful manner, while protecting native vegetation whenever possible. It would also be outstanding if climbers became familiar with the rare plants of their region that might be found in these environments.

Thanks for listening, and good luck setting up the routes.

Namaste.
student michael

Noble Student MT,
i bow to your Compassion for all things, and trust my response to you will take some of the cringe out of your posture.

please trust that i did not just mindlessly move to town and start shattering the natural rock walls for intent of climbing them. based on my lifelong First Ascent experience, i have steadily considered and applied all precursory biologic, geologic, climbing ethics, and native circles before ever touching the Rock Being.

the rock in question is dacite, very clean to start with only spots of first generation grasses and choss present. No new route of mine will ever destroy endangered cryptogamic crust and the routes themselves will sacrifice as little of this biotic layer as possible.

I asked the Rock Gods via Vishnu first,
the locals second,
and my experience and my Soul third.

again, i bow to you for speaking up for the Inanimate Beings. You honor the WF Path by such a developed
Compassion for All Things.

“Soul of Earth, sanctify me.
Body of Earth, save me.
Blood of Earth, fill me with Love.
Water from Earth’s side, wash me.
Passion of Earth, strengthen me.
Resurrection of Earth, empower me.
Good Earth, hear me.
Within your wounds, hide me.
Never let me be separated from you.
From the power of evil, protect me.
At the hour of death, call me
That with your living ones I may thank you
For all eternity. Amen.”

– Adapted by Jane Pellowski
From Anima Christi

namaste,
the mountain yogi