Many are the wisdoms that the different philosophical currents have given us throughout history. Leaving aside the different theories, reflections and wanderings, the ultimate goal of philosophy (and of everything that the human being pursues) is happiness. So, starting from this, we like to conceive philosophy as a set of wisdoms oriented to live better, to happiness and peace of mind. Each current has its own path, but the goal is always the same. Although, surprisingly, the paths cross or are the same in many of them, even though they have been developed in totally different historical and geographical contexts.
What does climbing have to do with all this?
In the age of over-information in which we live we get a lot of wisdom, but we apply little of it. The “philosophical nuggets” of the instagram post or sugar envelope type that come our way comfort us a bit as we read them, but have little or no impact on our lives. Even if we go deep and read a long and comprehensive book on some topic, the impact on our life will be little if we don’t put it into practice and experience it for ourselves. And this is where climbing comes in. It is a way to experiment, it can become a laboratory in which to experiment with life, to dance with it and learn its lessons. Or, as is the case here, to put into practice the wisdoms that come to us, transcending intellectualization and opening the door to root them solidly in our way of seeing the world, to integrate them into our operating system.
We could have the best tools in the world, but if we don’t have (or don’t know) where or how to apply them, they will be useless and soon fall into oblivion.
With the equipment and the current safety level of climbing, it becomes the ideal environment to observe and experiment with our mind, body and emotions. Obviously it has its risks and we must always take strict safety measures, but it is still a great playground where we learn and develop, as a kind of training for life and all those things we take so seriously that we would not be able to risk failure by trying something different. Because of the fear of failing or being wrong in these things that we identify with so much, we miss out on all the possibilities for growth and improvement.
When you find yourself in the middle of a conflict with another person or having to make a vitally important decision it will be hard for you to try that concept of doing the right thing you read about from Marcus Aurelius or that emptying of the mind from the wise Lao Tzu.
However, in climbing we can try and experiment freely, live and observe, just as the great thinkers who deduced the best and most efficient technologies of life (philosophies) did. All in all, a couple of falls from time to time are not bad, especially if they serve the purpose of learning (or unlearning) something.
Climbers are predisposed to receive the wisdoms
Without wanting to sound elitist, I believe that in our activity we have something that makes us more prone to receive and implement these wisdoms. I am not saying that it is the only way, probably not even the best way, but I can affirm that it is a fertile ground to cultivate virtues. And I can argue it.
The wisdoms collected in the different philosophies show ways of personal growth and improvement. But in order to grow, one must feel the need to do so. If you already think (or you have let your mind think) that you have no more possibilities, you will have little use for any philosophy that comes to you. After all, to always do the same thing and have a comfortable life it is not necessary to grow or apply any philosophy, you just have to let yourself be carried away by the routine and drag yourself through life until the end comes. But, if we ever try to transcend this most basic level, we are going to encounter all kinds of difficulties for which a couple of ideas from people who have already experienced them in the past and still raised their lives above the ordinary would be useful.
In climbing we also know a thing or two about transcending the ordinary. We consciously choose to challenge ourselves, to go beyond our current possibilities. The moment we start climbing we are coming face to face with our limitations. From going beyond progressing only on horizontal terrain to the constant search for improvement, continually trying new routes of different grades and styles, climbing becomes the ideal context to apply the tools that serve to grow without letting ourselves be intimidated by the limits we thought we had, getting to know ourselves and our possibilities better. Once we have been able to successfully implement an idea that helps us to get out of our limits in climbing, what prevents us from doing it in any area of our life? Besides, we will already be more experienced and skilled in its application.