"Artists Of Being Alive..."

"The most invisible creators I know of are those artists whose medium is life itself. The ones who express the inexpressible... Their medium is their being. Whatever their presence touches has increased life. They are artists of being alive..." J. Stone

As this season unfolds and as I read over this favorite quote yet once more today, I began reflecting on each and every one of the links to the right here under 'Giving Back & Passing Forward'. These adventurers, these special people, who are 'Adventuring For Another Reason', are truly such artists of life... They are showing us all how to 'express the inexpressible' - those feelings, those emotions, those knowings, truths, and creative connections we wanderers have all experienced out there. These special adventurers have indeed made their 'being' now their 'medium' as well... Their unique efforts to give back & pass forward very much demonstrate how their presence ' touches and increases' life... What an honour it is to have connected with such adventurers, such artists of effort and life, such creators of intention, motivation, and commitment... Please support one of your choosing as best you can..... DSD

My appreciation for G. Epperson's image, which is the top one above, and is a special metaphor in motion.

"When A River Whispers Your Name..."

"Rivers are magnets for the imagination... For conscious pondering and subconscious dreams, thrills, and fears... People stare into the moving water, captivated, as they are when gazing into a fire. What is it that draws and holds us? The rivers reflections of our lives and experiences are endless...". E. Fite

We have rafted, kayaked, riverboarded, and enjoyed endless hours of musing beside these same fast moving waters. They change with every season, with the storms in particular, but always do they feel so very familiar. Yet the river here has never been what it once was on another day before. Yes it has stayed true to its' elemental nature, and while being similar, even feeling like another home, it is constantly changing, forever unique... There have been so many long moments of pondering and wandering along its edges. Each and every time we find something new and discover depths not known before... There are certain rocks we know so well, select rapids that always remain, even as the seasons and the water levels change. This river has secret places to eddy out upon, and rest at that are especially comforting. When I listen very closely in those very silent moments, both from above and below these so cold waters, there comes whispers of welcome, whispers so soft as to be felt more inside than otherwise... When a river whispers to you, even possibly whispers your own name in this way, we forever become a part of it, and can never again really be apart from it - a bonding has been created in such moments, and with an element like this, which is an experience like no other. Our river is calling once again. Time to return home there again..... DSD

P. Huchton is one of those River Folk who created the lower image above, while C. Forelli is another River Spirit who created the upper image. Both I am very appreciative of.

"Ageless Spirits....."

Here, now, by the late day firelight, I sit and ponder how far we have gone these last many days... To high and wild places I was not sure my worn frame would take me... But these old knees and the spirit behind them just kept going and kept taking just the next step. Beyond the breathing, past the mantra's, farther than my musings, then came these words: "An ageless spirit, not bound by time, nor by seasons, or even years... Only moments, of such beauty, while our ageless spirit, embraces all... We stand so still, as our breath returns, then our ancient spirit, adventures on...". Dedicated to all those wanderers who simply keep going, further, farther, onward, higher, and inward... DSD

My gratitude to those wonderful wanderers S. Alvarez for the top image above, and to N. Norman for the lower image.

"Kindle, Crackle, Sparkle..."

A little kindle in the beginning, just some initial enthusiasm at first, only a bit, but essential for the whole journey, as here we go, kindling our way... Then comes the energetic crackle, as the momentum takes us further, farther along our adventurous ways. Now the fires of intention, commitment, and motivation are burning more brightly, consistently so strongly, then there we are, within the firelight and its' crackle... Sparkle is the inevitable result, the gleam to be found in our eyes, the smiles there too upon our happily tired faces. We sparkle with bright memories, and powerful connections now as well, never to lose that ground, gained through these wonderful journeys... Kindle, crackle, and sparkle... From musings by this warm fire, looking up at stars, and deep into those flames, then across at close friends, with such warmth in my heart... DSD

My appreciation to you, and you know who you are, for the warm images above.

"A Mystery I Could Not Solve..."

This so elusive mountain, in this part of a distant range, with its' summit so concealed, an apex very unknown... The route was unusual, not just puzzling, but unassumingly challenging... A mountains stone character - the unique setting each has around, within, and upon it, has always so intrigued me. This one had a nexus of few discernables, no trails to it, no trace of routes upon it, no obvious way around or up. Many inexpressible challenges that quietly asked so much of me... It remains a mountain of such hidden rocky interpretations, and even more secrets to try and decipher. These are many of the answers we seek to figure out up there, and are a part of the mountains' prestige we all enjoy discovering. But not this time for me... No, not this mountain. Its' mystery I could not solve, and I loved it all the more for this..... DSD

My sincere gratitude to G. Wiltsie for the two images above. The upper of the elder climber and the lower of the young one pondering it all.

"Secret Places... Quiet Thoughts..."

One of many, not many know. Secret Places, unknown wonders, so many splendors... Slow waves, such white sands, polished talking stones... Elements among elements, beauty within moments... A secret place, an island place, going back, coming home..... DSD

My thanks to some wonderful water folk, R. Bush for the lower image above, and D. Wall for the top image.

"The Time When We Throw Two Shadows..."

There are very special high points of land, and as many such secret locations near the sea - where on certain days, during specific dates and seasons, that if we stand in a knowing way, we will throw two very different shadows... A few I know who wander out there, seek out these enlightening moments for the mystery, the fun, and the metaphors of meaning they inherently hold out for us... The visual image before us in those brief moments as we watch our shared shadow grow, and begin to move, is so wonderfully amazing. Just as intriguing are the meanings that wanderers give to this momentary elementally visual art... When sharing around campfires about these dual shadow experiences, I have listened closely while others have mused over and then discovered their own special meanings for this. These many representations have reflected personally poetic images of things something like: being in two places at once; of things from out there to those back here; from the many wild things who could be our totem shadows; in being both novice and experienced while wandering; in aspects of day & night or sun & moon; much as well about the yin & yang of confidence & doubt; and within things too of being young & old whether of age or spirit... So many parts of our inner and outer selves, all to be discovered, visualized, and found Dear Finders in those very special wild places and moments when we throw two long elemental shadows..... DSD

"Boundless Treaures..."

"Let your mind be quiet, realizing the beauty of the world, and the immense, the boundless treasures that it holds in store. All that you have within you, all that your heart desires, all that your nature so specially fits for you - that waits embedded in the great whole... It will surely come to you... ". E. Carpenter

'Patience' our Outward Bound Instructor said, 'Patience and quiet', is all that we would need out there, for the gifts to appear... And they did..... DSD

My gratitude to those Canoe Adventurers M. Pryor for the top image above, and to J. Miglavs for the lower image.

"Looking Deeply..."

I enjoy it immensely when our sea kayaks glide so softly, as they do in those long moments, as we come in now very closely to a quiet island shoreline... The waters out here are always so much calmer than further upon the open ocean. Then everything becomes very still... The water, our selves, and eventually the kayak too as it drifts more slowly along. Then I close my eyes and listen for a time, tuning into those other elusive elements that we need to sense and hear as well. At some point I find myself then looking over the side of the kayak, gazing down upon the water, seeing beyond the reflections of myself and the craft I am cradled in, looking deeply for something beyond... Because it seems there are always other things down there in those depths - movement of the life that lives in the world below, rocks that I would so enjoy to gather, reflections of another paddler, surprisingly looking like me but not really the same. If we all take some moments to look this deeply, there are symbols too, of the past, this present, and hopefully this wild places' future as well. Time to look more deeply..... DSD

My friendly appreciation to those water folk, T. Page for the top image above, and also to S. Shephard for the lower image.

"Seeing Inside The Mountain & The Wave..."

More than a few decades ago, as I was in those early years of learning many needed outdoor skills, and among the endless yearnings to be out practicing them - I was given three small gifts... Two of these are similar in that they are small crystal figures. One of a mountain, the other of a wave. On each of these can be seen the unique outline and character of what we might expect to see upon such a mountain or wave image. The mountain itself has its lines, ridges, cliff like glass faces, the apex of these leading to the summit itself. The wave has its lines too, the curves we would expect, and the character of such waters that are felt in its crystalline presence. Two beautiful gifts. Two pieces of crystal that present images and also symbolism... The third gift though, was what had been said to me, written as it was in the accompanying card. For if you turn these two crystals around, on their more hidden sides, it is as if a section of both the mountain and the wave have been cut away. You can now see inside of these icons and gaze deep within them. Their internal worlds are both so very unique. You are able to see, and sense, and even feel so much more about that mountain and that wave... This is what my third gift was. A few words written for me that said, "You are an adventurous person. What you seek is inside. Inside of the mountains, inside of those waves, inside of yourself...". I thought to share this story with you my Friends, today as I find myself dusting these old gifts off, and remembering the enduring message of them, the truths they held out, and how they further inspired me to stay the course these long years of challenges, trials, trails, and adventures... Now its time to be away coastal beach trekking and coastal island sea kayaking... DSD

"Problems To Be Proud Of..."

In the midst of my first Outward Bound course, among mountains I had dreamed over for years as a youth, we shared a day of long rappels and rocky learnings, while moving over a very high and steep cliff face. As I now again read over my journal from way back then, and ponder the many years that have passed, I see again yet another quote from one of our Instructors - one that I put a big question mark beside and underlined a few times too... That was a day of distinct struggle for some of us, a day of anxious unknowns and problems to be met that most had never been faced with before - especially for me it seemed as I experienced what it was like to be gripped up there; not knowing what to do next; not seeing how there was any solution to what was before me... With the boisterous encouragement of my new friends, and the sincere support of our Instructors, I moved through those moments; yet it didn't feel like much of a success. At least back then, in the beginnings of those initial learnings... Sitting on the rock in our circle afterwards, as the sun began its own descent, I shared how that even while having gotten through the day, I wasn't sure I might ever want to tackle that kind of problem again. Our Instructor led a discussion then about the nature of such challenges, the particulars of problems and trials that are often hidden from us - and that the real elemental issue about them to be solved is more often our perceptions rather than just the circumstances before us. The scribble from my journal captured what quietly had been said next though, as we talked more about our adventure experiences, and how they might assist us in navigating through other challenges in life. In facing these, our Instructor stated, it can be so subtly important as we make our way, "To choose problems we can be proud of... Problems you can respect yourself for having...". My young ears had never heard such a description. How could it be that we each 'choose' our problems, on the many levels they confront us? That we can then be the person we want to be proud of in having made such choices? Now after much time has passed I can gaze back upon the trials and issues, obstacles and hurdles, that were 'chosen' over the years and sense the self respect we each can have for having done so... Adventures can very much be the means on this kind of path of understanding. Adventures among mountains and canyons, over rivers and oceans, inherently hold out elements to us that we can be proud of for having faced and embraced them. We become full of self respect for having engaged with them. Then this experience, like a stone gathered up by a waterfall when out wandering, we then bring such perspectives back here, another so valuable gem from out there, and discover the ways and means to become proud of the life problems we all seem to eventually choose to navigate. That Instructor's quiet comment still amazes me to this very day..... DSD

My gratitude to the Quiet Ones for the images above.

"Touching A Hundred Million Years..."

On top of this summit we touch a hundred million years... Imagine what these rocks have seen; envision our brief history in relation to them; perspectives upon perspectives... There, as we drift by those rocks of our Northern Shield lakes. we can know thousands upon thousands of seasons. So many passages of peoples, of animals... So beautifully carved by tons of ice and countless storms of snow. Deep in this canyon we also embrace the millenia, the timeless, the endless... We raft through ages upon ages, eons upon eons, among layer upon layer of time. Time though, is an unknown concept to such a canyon. Yet it still shares with us, allows us to touch a hundred million years... What a gift in being able to enjoy the memories of such earth and rock and timelessness, in touching a hundred million years and more... DSD

My appreciation to D. Tomlinson for the above images.

"More Within....."

There is, you know... There can truly be, we realize at times, more deeply within us all... Within you, and inside every one of us. Depths yet to be divined, distances yet to be understood. Let's do whatever it takes, to find such wonders of potential within. For then all we do out there, the heights and dreams desired, the moments we so seek; there are more truly met and measured by - not just that of the physical, nor things only of the mind, very often by close friends, yet always from within our spirit... Synergy, energy, motivation, drive... Such enthusiasm within, becomes realities without. Then there is, we come to realize and know, so much more deeply within us all..... DSD

My gratitude to J. Burcham for the top image above.

"Now Is The Time..."

"If there's something special you want to do, now is the time... If you want to make a difference in the world, now is the time. Don't be fooled into thinking you should wait until you are older or wiser or more secure - because it doesn't work that way. The wisdom will come. The security will come. But first you must begin your adventure." R. Atchison

An alpine start under a very full moon. Beginning a journey towards an unknown mountain. Anticipation, excitement, and such shared commitment within our new beginnings. Can there be anything else, quite like our adventures... Now was the time... DSD

My appreciation to Ron Atchison from 'Inspiration Peak' for this wonderful musing.

http://www.inspirationpeak.com/

"Again..!"

Right at the very top was the hardest rock; right at the highest point required the most difficult moves. Much later I would learn to call such places the crux of it all. It was only our second time though, to climb upon the face of these cliffs, in the midst of our Outward Bound course so many years ago... A cliff that may feel small in perspective now, but way back then it was a towering rock face for us all. It was during our initial day of learning to top rope, to begin to sense what movement means over this medium, to feel the character of the stone, to trust the belay of another, and to experience what it means to trust ourselves more also... Our Instructors were positioned one below by our belay partner and the other at the top of the vertical world in front of us. I had watched my new friends trying to find their best within, and now it was my own turn... The first bit went well while all the later sections were a real struggle. We were learning that we couldn't force it, nor muscle our way past, or even change the route by being frustrated at it. But we did figure the puzzle out, learned to blend with the rock problems, and all exclaimed happily and loudly as we moved over and past them. Then to my surprise, as I had just touched our elusive objective - one of the highest carabiners on this route, the Outward Bound Instructor up there called out: "Again!". 'Again what', I said through my big smile, as he yelled to his partner and my belayer below; then arranged for my lowering. Their intention was to have us grasp for that very moment even more closely, to build immediately upon a success, to instill so clearly for us in the midst of this experience what confidence like this feels like... When I moved through the crux and touched that carabiner the second time, it was now me who asked quietly but so happily, 'Again?'. And again it was, time and time again, for each of us! What had been the crux was now the key, what was once the hardest was now the most fun, where the challenge before seemed daunting now it was powerfully affirming... Now in these distant mountains, as I wrote the first thoughts for this post, and look across at the young ones waiting in anticipation, we each look at the other and laugh loudly as we call out: 'Again!!!'. DSD

"No Tread Between....."

No Tread at all it seems, between us, and the trail this day. Within a flow, a sense of something else, such an effortlessness among our paths. These feelings, a so sweet spot to be, ongoing motion & momentum forward, no need for long to rest. No tread between us and the trail, nor between the mountain now. Steep slopes, so much loose scree, yet continuous movement still, with heads held up so very high. The knowing of endurance of another kind, an assuredness within each and every step. Forward, upward, now upon the peak, nothing between us and this ancient rock. No tread between anything at all, instead sensing, touching, blending, becoming one, between us and this whole adventure day.....DSD

My appreciation to C. Peter for the lower image above and to G. Dale for the upper image.

"Meditations Upon Windtower....."

I have practiced meditation now since my teenage years, having learned many diverse forms and methods. In my journeys there have also been certain settings, selected wild places, where I have felt a connection between the terrain there and then the mantras utilized in a blending of those elements. Our Windtower is such a place near here... It is a mountain of a distinct form, of unusual rock, of a particular height, and a special location above West Wind Pass and the adjoining valleys there. Its' summit looks out in all directions over our Bow Valley, the Spray Lakes, and towards the many Rocky Mountain Ranges embracing this area of confluence and connection... I have scrambled there with close friends, my partner, and out solo so many times also. It is a challenge to put into words why I sense it to be a meditative peak. There are often many on the hike to the Pass, and also scrambling to the summit, yet on certain days, with a very early start on one's own, the ascent and the high point share other elementally calm secrets too... I often go when many would not wander in the poor weather. During a day of high winds, but with no troubling clouds or distinct rumblings that put ones neck hairs on end. Then you can feel the power of this Tower, and hear the callings of the winds play over the rock up there... Adventurous meditations become not only about a high and wild place, but also then more so of what is unfolding within - within the experience, within the mountain, within our mantra and breathing, then finding even more within ourselves as well..... DSD

The lower image above was gathered up from where I do not recall, but still wish to acknowledge the person who created it.

"Wonderings....."

"People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering". St. Augustine

Time to go and wander, time to journey and wonder... DSD

"Trying To Catch The Sun - A Sea Kayaker's Game..."

We understand it as that which emanates the light and energy and warmth that maintains life. We know her by her many names too. Many of us sit out endlessly on the stones and sand, watching the tides and waves that she so influences, as we enjoy feeling the warmth of the rocks she touches. An elusive elemental she is, but that doesn't stop us from trying to catch up with the sun... We often have set out from the shorelines of a distant island camp we have already set up, only with sunglasses and much lighter kayaks, on a course that requires no compass. Directly into the sunset we paddle, not quickly but surely, as she descends so slowly and gently, soon to touch and then hide beyond the waters... Off we go again trying to catch her, even while knowing we likely never will. But as adventurers we always try, for maybe, just maybe, this time we will get close... The game is more about the effort, the direction we are going, certainly the fun, and the ephemeral mystery of the experiences in those so special moments... This always seems to be a unique time of sight and sound and feeling as she touches, then sets beyond our liquid horizon... Too soon we then turn about on our paddling return, in the very last light, with laughter, and smiles, and new memories... Such a wonderful game, trying to catch the sun, one we are always kind of successful in each and every time..... DSD

"Two... Climbing As One..."

Two climbers, two rope partners, two close friends. Climbing as one, on a mountain of rock, among endless beauty of snow and ice. Knowing that closeness and shared feelings of movement, sensation, of placement, and position. It is typically two who are out there, upon those mountain faces, while linked by rope, and commitment in that unique way. There may be two, but they are really climbing as one... A special experience of connection it is, of profound shared wonders and such potent energy. Touching the same rock - moving, blending, within the music of adventurous synchronicity. A mixing in of space, within moments of time, and of an agreed upon intention. One knowing the other, so very closely, in that experience of trust, confidence, and friendship. There may be two, yet they are more truly climbing as one..... DSD