Article February 11, 2002 Issue

Through a spiritual lens—A LESSON FROM ROCK CLIMBING

Ari Denison

Climbing is about finding perfect rock. It's about finding a perfect equilibrium between gravity, friction, fitness, and nature. How fast it's done, or who does it harder, or first, or without chalk, or barefoot, is far less relevant than that you have done it. A climber can't beat gravity—the real competition. A climber can only work with it.

So what's the point? For some, this lesson is a personal journey into an understanding that is more than geological—that there is more to life than beating the competition. For me, this has been a spiritual point not taken lightly.

Pictured here is a good friend of mine, Bill Soule, climbing a route called Gold in the mountains of Oregon. Although I have not climbed Gold without falling many times, I consider having climbed and photographed it at all as one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Why? Because doing something simply for the love of doing it—by encouraging love in my life—I'm gaining more than any trophy or first place medal could ever give.

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