Severine
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I agree wholeheartedly! I NEED skiing. Skiing is my zen; I empty my mind and revel in the here and now. I need it for my sanity, to balance me. I don't meditate; I ski.
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The Zen of Skiing
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
I agree wholeheartedly! I NEED skiing. Skiing is my zen; I empty my mind and revel in the here and now. I need it for my sanity, to balance me. I don't meditate; I ski.
Lola
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ski Diva - thanks so much for resurrecting this thread! I totally forgot about it!
I would like to clarify my control vs. balance statement.
One of the epiphanies in my skiing career came during a Women's Alpine Adventure program at Okemo, Vermont. Previously, I had interpreted the Skiers Responsibility Code statement about skiing in control to mean that at every possible moment I had to be in control.
This lead to me developing a very stiff and rigid skiing style. Like at work, I had to be in control of every movement. This over zealous version of control meant that if someone bumped me, or the trail was not what I expected, or the trail conditions changed . . . I could not react to changing conditions and would inevitably end up on the ground, or stopped in traffic, or frozen at the top of a trail.
By changing my thought process to say that I need to remain in balance, I could adjust to changing conditions, and actually had more control because I became more flexible and able to respond to changing trail conditions.
Isn't that fabulous!
I would like to clarify my control vs. balance statement.
One of the epiphanies in my skiing career came during a Women's Alpine Adventure program at Okemo, Vermont. Previously, I had interpreted the Skiers Responsibility Code statement about skiing in control to mean that at every possible moment I had to be in control.
This lead to me developing a very stiff and rigid skiing style. Like at work, I had to be in control of every movement. This over zealous version of control meant that if someone bumped me, or the trail was not what I expected, or the trail conditions changed . . . I could not react to changing conditions and would inevitably end up on the ground, or stopped in traffic, or frozen at the top of a trail.
By changing my thought process to say that I need to remain in balance, I could adjust to changing conditions, and actually had more control because I became more flexible and able to respond to changing trail conditions.
Isn't that fabulous!
ski now work later
Angel Diva
When I ski, I am in the present, relaxed (most of the time), enjoying my surroundings, not worried about yesterday or tomorrow. I live a very busy, planned, responsible life as a wife, mother/stepmother, and lawyer/business owner. When I out for a day to ski, especially without my kids, I'm just . . . me.
skimomma24
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
remain in balance, I could adjust to changing conditions, and actually had more control because I became more flexible and able to respond to changing trail conditions.
Isn't that fabulous!
This is exactly what I take away from skiing. As I'm sure we all have, I have gone through some crap in my life. And if I was able to get to the hill, it seemed easier for me to sort through it all. One day - oddly enough reading the code of conduct rules also - I read it and realized the above statement to be far more accurate. I have since kept that thought with me, and it helps, me, alot.
But like everyone has said, I just feel 'free' when I am skiing. Even if I am carrying/chasing toddlers, everything is just better.
C
CMCM
Guest
For me, skiing started as one thing but has ended up quite another. It was quite literally a mountain to me, and that was true for a very long time. I doubted my ability to become a very good skier. I feared falling and injury. I didn't believe I would ever succeed at it. Then I was more or less goaded into skiing...a LOT...and although for a time my progress was slow and incremental, I finally had a breakthrough and that was it, I was on top of that mountain! I achieved a level of skiing I never dreamed would happen. And best of all, I really do love skiing now. When I am skiing it is a lot like horseback riding in that I can shut everything else out in the moment and enjoyment of the skiing, the mountains and all the beauty around me. The only other thing I've done which was perhaps an even bigger mountain to climb was learning to scuba dive. I spent a lot of my younger life very fearful of water, yet I managed to learn scuba and dove all over the world. Given the fear of water I started with (I always used to joke with Mr. CMCM that I probably drowned in some past life or something), the fact that I was able to get down to 100 ft. depths and enjoy myself was quite amazing (for me). So skiing is second to that, but I'm more devoted to skiing now than anything else I've done, and every time I ski I'm reminded of how far I've come and I marvel at that fact!
LilaBear
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My work is mostly intellectual capital, and usually only visible via a keyboard. I am not an athlete and I am not a physical person, inactivity is my normal state. I am surprised that I do any sports at all - but the ones I do are not competitive, and they are mainly skill based rather than endurance or speed. I scuba dive, horse ride and ski.
When I participate in these sports I get a sense of wonder, I stop thinking and I experience. I become aware that I have a body, and how it feels to be in balance (or not - still interesting to feel), to get feedback from my own limbs. All this incoming data seems to dampen down the other thoughts and worries and drive them from my mind. I feel uncluttered and free. It's as Sev says, a form of self hypnosis or meditation.
When I participate in these sports I get a sense of wonder, I stop thinking and I experience. I become aware that I have a body, and how it feels to be in balance (or not - still interesting to feel), to get feedback from my own limbs. All this incoming data seems to dampen down the other thoughts and worries and drive them from my mind. I feel uncluttered and free. It's as Sev says, a form of self hypnosis or meditation.
cinnabon
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Everyone has a done great job already of capturing what skiing means to me, and yes, it is so much more than a fun activity! It's being the moment, being out in nature, challenging myself to push my body to the limits, overcome fear, and gaining the satisfaction of doing something well. It's something I can't imagine living without. I'm not a super expert, but I've achieved a higher level of skill skiing than any other activity I've ever participated in. This makes it that much more special to me.
tradygirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
"Empowering" is really what skiing has become for me. I'm sure you're all sick of me talking about how backcountry skiing changed my life and blah, blah, blah....but it did.
Resort skiing was always fun, but it started feeling a bit dull. I rode the same lifts and skied the same lines over and over. Winter in the mountains was always amazing, but I needed something else. I started backcountry skiing.
All of a sudden, there were choices! There was freedom! But there was also gigantic amounts of responsibility. There were so many new dynamics - suffering uphills (I know EXACTLY what you mean, abc), mental toughness, problem solving, decision making, team work. I feel much closer and in tune with the mountains, but I also have a renewed deep respect for all of it. BC skiing keeps me engaged, and forces me to be confident in my decisions and actions. Empowering.
Resort skiing was always fun, but it started feeling a bit dull. I rode the same lifts and skied the same lines over and over. Winter in the mountains was always amazing, but I needed something else. I started backcountry skiing.
All of a sudden, there were choices! There was freedom! But there was also gigantic amounts of responsibility. There were so many new dynamics - suffering uphills (I know EXACTLY what you mean, abc), mental toughness, problem solving, decision making, team work. I feel much closer and in tune with the mountains, but I also have a renewed deep respect for all of it. BC skiing keeps me engaged, and forces me to be confident in my decisions and actions. Empowering.
litterbug
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Here's one zen of skiing. Toward the end of my time training at a zen center (which, alas, is no more) I did "shikantaza" meditation. Shikantaza means "doing nothing," or "just sitting." It's really impossible to describe, but during the few moments when I think was able to just sit, I had a similar sense of flow and peace and focus I've had when climbing, playing music, or handling dangerous situations. The same thing happens when I'm just skiing, when I stop trying or thinking and am not even aware of myself. I come to the lip of a run and continue on without stopping to think. Or I stop and listen to my breath when everyone else has passed. I am just another creature breathing on the surface of the mountain, pretty, not pretty, perfect, flawed. It's the zen of life.
At other times it's just silly, pointless, socially irredeemable fun. Sometimes it's victory. Sometimes it's confusing work. But the part that's more important than any of the rest is just skiing.
In case anyone gets the idea I know anything about this, I should say that “I hope there is enough water in the Pacific Ocean to wash my words from your ears.”
At other times it's just silly, pointless, socially irredeemable fun. Sometimes it's victory. Sometimes it's confusing work. But the part that's more important than any of the rest is just skiing.
In case anyone gets the idea I know anything about this, I should say that “I hope there is enough water in the Pacific Ocean to wash my words from your ears.”
Powgirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Such nice timing!
I just returned from an afternoon of skiing.
As I mentioned in my thread, skiing has gotten me thru my darkest time...it clears my busy mind out...it raises the feel good chemicals in the brain...it tires out the body in the best possible way...I love how you have to power thru extreme conditions, a challenging hill where you are telling yourself one turn at a time, and then you realize you made it to the bottom. It gives me a sense of accomplishment like nothing else. I feel recharged and transfer that confidence into other areas of my life.
Today, after around 14 inches of fresh snow, there was powder, chop and bumps...my guy and I were skiing together...I know this might sound a bit sappy, but it was almost like a dance and I felt a synchronous feeling between us.
I just returned from an afternoon of skiing.
As I mentioned in my thread, skiing has gotten me thru my darkest time...it clears my busy mind out...it raises the feel good chemicals in the brain...it tires out the body in the best possible way...I love how you have to power thru extreme conditions, a challenging hill where you are telling yourself one turn at a time, and then you realize you made it to the bottom. It gives me a sense of accomplishment like nothing else. I feel recharged and transfer that confidence into other areas of my life.
Today, after around 14 inches of fresh snow, there was powder, chop and bumps...my guy and I were skiing together...I know this might sound a bit sappy, but it was almost like a dance and I felt a synchronous feeling between us.
surfsnowgirl
Banned
Skiing is to me what surfing used to represent for me, therapy for life. Getting out there makes me focus on being out there. Its my escape from whatever is going on out there in the big bad world. its my happy place. I could be in the worst mood but putting those skis on the white stuff just takes it all away and makes it all better.
