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Our purpose is to share some thoughts about how climbing can improve your life, by decoding mental s

18/04/2024

Progress in climbing is a journey towards mastering the mind.

If you think about it, you'll need that mastery for anything you want to achieve in your life.

Willingness to overcome our fears, discipline to train, emotional management to take the right actions despite difficulty, breath control, concentration to decipher sequences, etc.

The eight steps of yoga are a system for mastering the mind that can be applied to climbing to enhance this process towards that self-mastery so important in life.

That’s why Climbing is the new Yoga.

➡️ Find the book on Amazon 📙

15/04/2024

When you try, your mind sets expectations, yet the route remains unchanged. Much like life, unfolding naturally as it is.

Attempting to impose the mind's projections creates suffering and tension, contrary to the state of flow.

According to Taoist philosophy, flowing requires approaching things with an empty mind, allowing oneself to discover the path as it is and letting your skills adapt to the demands of the rock (or life) naturally and organically.

"Climbing and Tao" isn't a book about forcing flow; it's an introduction to Taoist teachings through climbing.

It encourages reflection on subtle topics such as balance, non-forcing, and harmony.

06/04/2024

You can be invincible.

Focus solely on what you can control, for example:

-Don't focus on sending the route; instead, focus on your training and give your best effort in every attempt.

-Avoid seeking approval; strive to do your best regardless.

-Don't fixate on the end goal; focus on enjoying and engaging in each step of the process.

Always remember:
Your actions are within your control, but their outcomes are not.

03/04/2024

Exploring philosophy may feel overwhelming, but these books simplify the basics by using rock climbing as a metaphor for life.

They offer insights into Stoicism, Taoism, and Yoga, prompting reflection and providing new perspectives.

This enriches your climbing journey with deeper meaning.

Ready to climb the walls of wisdom?

19/03/2024

Climb and know yourself.

14/03/2024

Feeling overwhelmed at the beginning? Just start.

Don't let the size of your project (whether in climbing or life) intimidate you. It's normal to feel small and paralyzed initially.

The crucial thing is to start—take even a small action. Once you begin, the next steps become clearer. It's the sum of these small steps that leads to success.

Every climb, every life goal is achieved by linking small steps together. It's these cumulative actions that send the route or reach your objective.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Lao Tse

Reflect on your project. What's the small action you can take today? Your journey begins with that single step.

Embark on Your Journey
Start your climb, start your project.

The adventure is in the journey, and it all begins with that first step.

Ready to take it?

07/03/2024

If we're willing to grow, most of the things we aspire to are just a bit beyond what our ego believes possible. If it were that easy, we'd already have it.

The ego, our life's program, sets limits—'I can do this, I can't do that.' These programmed conditions disturb us when we attempt to go beyond its boundaries or challenge its projections.

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.
- Joseph Campbell.

Fear and mental unrest? That's the ego pulling you back.

Cultivating mental strength is the key to maintaining serenity as we reach beyond the ego's limits. Whether it's a climbing route or any life goal.

Ways to Cultivate Mental Strength
(according to stoics and yogis)

• Embrace discomfort.
• Accept adversity.
• Discipline and practice.
• Self-awareness.

04/03/2024

Ever felt the exhilaration of conquering a daunting route?

The challenge not only tests your physical prowess but, more importantly, your mental fortitude.

In climbing, we often need to triumph over our own minds.

This is the beauty of the experience—it compels us to focus, transcending ego-driven limitations, overcoming thoughts, and quelling negative emotions like fear.

Through this mastery, we connect with our essence. We tap into the ability to maintain serenity amidst challenges, unlocking our true potential.

As you ascend, remember, it's not just a climb; it's a journey to master your mind, embrace your essence, and elevate your potential 💪🧗🏽‍♀️🤎

02/03/2024

Our mind has "programmed" a series of attachments and aversions; this is enjoyed and this is suffered, this is good and this is bad... The concepts of equanimity, peace of mind, serenity and the philosophies that speak of them (almost all in one way or another) lead us to try to transcend duality, to get out of the trap in which we go from one pole to the other to manage to remain stable and in balance on our path through life.

This is a work, and one of the most important main parts is to learn to enjoy what you want/have to enjoy: If the mind is a programmable device and the things you enjoy are things you have been programmed to enjoy (hence each person enjoys different things), you could try to reprogram your mind to enjoy the things you have to do but generate resistance, or to enjoy the process of achieving the goals you want.

Maybe you were programmed to enjoy fast food, which leads to some difficulties with your health. But you can focus on learning to enjoy healthy food, on the process of cooking it, looking for recipes or shopping for the best vegetables at the local grocery store.

Everything has its good side and its bad side. When we were programmed into a habit or attachment, we were simply focused on the good side of it. To reprogram yourself you have to do the same thing. You have to put the focus on the reasons why something is enjoyable and good for you. It is a mental process.

It's not the same "this route is overhanging and I don't like it" as "by trying this overhanging route I'm going to get in better shape and I'm going to learn a lot".

It's not the same as "another day without sending the project, I'm tired of this route" as "this route still has a lot to teach me and it's also very beautiful".

I am not saying that this reprogramming is something easy to do, since the program is very deeply rooted, it pops up automatically and is difficult to detect. It is hard and constant work, but each advance will be satisfying because you will start to enjoy it.

29/02/2024

Imagine you face a new route or a new challenge, something you've always wanted to do, but are afraid of.

You find yourself at a crossroads, with two internal drivers: one is full of enthusiasm, ready to take on the challenge, and the other is full of fear, looking for excuses to avoid it.

Who do you allow to take the driver's seat? It is at these times that we need to remember that we are the ones who should be driving our lives, not our fears or insecurities.

The route may be difficult, you may fall, but you may also overcome your fears and find a way to the top.

At the end of the day, the choice is yours.

You are the only one who can decide whether you listen to the driver who is full of enthusiasm and ready to take on the challenge or whether you let your fears take over.

Facing challenges and overcoming fears is a journey to self-discovery, to your true potential.

31/01/2024

Climbing is generally perceived as a mere physical activity, as an exciting sport. But have you ever considered that climbing could be as profound a spiritual path as yoga, meditation or any other? Here are a few reasons why climbing can be a powerful avenue for spiritual growth:

1. Self-knowledge: Just like meditation or yoga, climbing confronts you with yourself. On the wall, you face your fears, doubts and limitations. Each grip, each movement, becomes an opportunity to get to know yourself better and overcome your limits.

2. Presence: Climbing requires you to be completely present. While climbing, you should not be distracted by thoughts of the past or the future. You are fully immersed in the here and now, similar to the mindfulness sought in meditation.

3. Overcoming obstacles: As with any spiritual path, climbing involves overcoming obstacles. Facing a challenging route is like facing challenges in life. Each accomplishment in climbing strengthens your confidence and endurance, which is reflected in your daily life.

4. Connection to nature: Climbing immerses you in nature, making you feel part of a larger world. This connection to the environment can remind you that you are an integral part of the universe, similar to the spirituality found in many other practices.

5. Letting go: Climbing teaches you to accept what is happening and let go of what you cannot control. Sometimes, to move forward, you must let go of a grip, stop holding on, and move forward into the uncertainty of the next sequence. This ability to let go translates into everyday life, helping you to better handle challenges.

6. Community and sharing: As in yoga or Buddhism, climbing is often practiced in community. Sharing this experience with other climbers can deeply enrich your spiritual journey and strengthen human bonds.

In short, climbing is not just about scoring routes or exercising, but about exploring your inner self. It is a path of self-knowledge. You climb upward, but also inward.

28/01/2024

In the pursuit of effectiveness, we often forget the importance of efficiency. Do you confuse these terms? Effectiveness is about getting something done, while efficiency is about doing it in the best possible way, using your resources wisely.

The key here is peace of mind. Being the foundation of everything, it guides you toward efficiency. Imagine your mind as a landscape clouded by intense emotions. In that state, decisions can lead you into negative spirals. On the other hand, stillness allows you to make rational choices, avoiding vicious circles.

Climbing reflects this dynamic. You face an obstacle that agitates you. The decision based on efficacy pushes you to overcome it without thinking. However, your energy is depleted, and enjoyment fades.

Efficiency, fueled by peace of mind, helps you navigate challenges intelligently, managing resources to enjoy each step.

22/01/2024

The difficult is born of the easy, as the mysterious book of the Tao Te Ching points out in chapter two.

If you only face the easy, the difficult will seem overwhelming. But as you challenge the difficult, what you consider "easy" begins to expand. In climbing, as you move up a grade, what you once struggled with begins to seem simple.

The lesson? Accepting difficulties makes life easier as a whole. Seeking constant comfort can complicate it when you face the challenging unprepared.

This resonates with climbers and stoics: we practice discomfort. Exposing ourselves to the difficult changes us and makes us progress. In turn, Taoism and Stoicism are intertwined here, showing that the path to wisdom involves facing difficulties, but not being dominated by them.

"The wise man faces challenges without experiencing them." - Tao Te Ching, Chapter 63

Face the difficult and transform it into your path to self-knowledge and evolution 💪🧗🏽‍♀️

📚 Text inspired in the book 'Climbing and Tao: The Way of the Route' ☯️

15/01/2024

Wether you are an experienced climber or a curious yogi, "Climbing is the New Yoga" is a must read for anyone looking to expand their horizons and connect with their inner self.

Based on the ancient Yoga Sutras, this book dives deep into the intersection of climbing and yoga philosophy with the shared goal of mastering the mind. Discover how the principles of yoga can help you increase your mental focus, overcome obstacles, and deepen your connection with yourself and the world around you.

Order your copy today and start your journey to mastering your mind throught climbing and yoga

climbingletters.com/books

07/12/2023

Climbing is a gateway to concentration as it practically forces you to. You have to be focused to climb, especially if you are on some climbing that challenges you. You could climb distracted, but only something that is below your level. Anything challenging, that demands the best of you, will not allow you to be distracted. Any fear or intrusive thought will keep you from moving forward. So, if you move forward, it is because you are focused.

And this is one of the reasons we love climbing. For the feeling of being really connected to the present moment. For having your mind empty of other things, even if only for a little while, even if it is just for a few seconds. To see what we are capable of doing if we control our mind and focus.

As the ability to concentrate is something that is exercised, we can say that by climbing we are exercising this ability, just as we would exercise a muscle.

01/12/2023

The common tendency is to avoid adversity, discomfort. This makes a lot of sense, as it is a natural programming that prevents us from things that may be detrimental to our physical or mental integrity.

The problem is that this programming is not always adjusted to reality, and we may be avoiding doing things that are uncomfortable for us but that are necessary for the achievement of a goal or greater good, and that are not as real a threat to our integrity as we may perceive them to be.

The point about voluntary discomfort is ok, cold showers and fasting and all that. But here I wanted to talk to you about accepting the discomfort and adversity that comes to you when you approach something.

Acceptance is an attitude. If you're thinking about doing a route but you're afraid to try it, that it might be too difficult, accept this fear and that it might be difficult and do it anyway (always objectively assessing the risks, of course). Don't stay in the comfort of not trying or making up an excuse.

Accept and manage all the discomfort that stands between you and your goal. And nourish yourself with it. Adversities are very nutritious, a lot of mental (and body) muscle is generated thanks to them. If, for example, you are afraid to put the quickdraws on the route you would like to project, go ahead and do it. Are you going to wait for someone to come and put them on for you?

If you accept the discomfort it causes you and still move towards what you have set out to do, you will probably see that you are more creative, stronger, smarter and more capable than you thought, that you have more resources than you calculated.

25/11/2023

Wu Wei

To be like water, which always seeks the path of least resistance among the rocks of a river or through a mountain. It flows, without imposing itself more than necessary, discovering its path more than making it. This is the philosophy that climbing has adopted throughout its evolution. Since it began with traditional materials, hammering the walls and filling them with pitons, ladders, fixed ropes and other equipment that sought to reach the top however possible, climbing has evolved to aim to climb with the minimum amount of material and influencing the mountain as little as possible, in a more technical way, as Doug Robinson has already defined precisely:

"Technology is imposed on the land, but technique means conforming to the landscape. They work in opposite ways, one forcing a passage while the other discovers it. The goal of developing technique is to conform to the most improbable landscape by means of the greatest degree of skill and boldness supported by the least equipment."

-Excerpt from the book "Climbing and Tao: the Way of the Route (0c+)" 📙

09/11/2023

In our climbing and our lives, sometimes our strategy may be to run away from discomfort and difficulties, rushing forward without rest. However, what if instead of avoiding obstacles, we learned to rest in the middle of them, just as we rest in the middle of a route?

Just as in climbing, in life we must also find space to rest and take perspective when we face difficulties. Instead of rushing to a quick fix or avoiding problems, learning to remain calm in discomfort allows us to find more efficient and sustainable solutions.

This experience shows us that rushing forward can build up stress, mistakes and burnout, eventually forcing us to take long breaks and slowing our progress. Instead, by embracing discomfort and learning to rest, we can approach challenges with a clearer mind and avoid erratic movements.

A key lesson here is that, to advance to higher levels of complexity in life, we must first learn to manage difficulties in the present. In this way, we will find a path to efficiency and sustainable progress in our projects, just as in climbing.

The next time we face an obstacle, let us remember this lesson: instead of running away, let us seek rest and clarity to find efficient solutions and continue our journey towards success/the top.

26/08/2023

When you're blocked or overwhelmed by fear, you must do whatever it takes to regain your calm. It could involve taking deep breaths, gaining perspective (even by thinking about something else), getting comfortable (if possible), or speaking (even to yourself). I've seen many people sing or hum. Experiment, find your method, whatever gets you out of the stream of thoughts that has you trapped and immobilized. Because in that stream, clarity becomes impossible.

Don't rush into things haphazardly. Focus first on establishing your mental peace, which is crucial for gaining clarity and finding solutions to what's holding us back. Amid a torrent of negative thoughts, it's hard to find anything, let alone a solution to a complex situation.

This serenity will also be necessary for executing with calmness, precision, and efficiency whatever solution we've discovered.

In summary, practice the ability to relax in any situation, as it's the only way to find your path and make progress along it.

And I say "the only way" because if you attempt something in a turbulent mental state, you'll only add more turmoil to your life (or to the route or task you're engaging in). This will keep you trapped in a cycle of helplessness, frustration, and discomfort that you'll eventually have to break –either by your efforts or through its own erosion, though not without suffering– in order to return once again to mental peace and relaxation.

13/08/2023

Wu Wei
Skills + Concentration + Acceptance

Knowing how to recognize the forces requires skill and concentration. No one said that "not doing" was easy. The most suitable metaphor I can think of would be climbing on sight. Without having experienced the route before and without any prior information other than what can be observed and felt, the climber begins to climb, must see the best moves for each situation and the best way to execute them. On the fly. An experienced climber is skilled enough to make this identification intuitively, without effort.

They recognize the patterns of the rock and the possibilities it offers. They know how to use their strengths to take advantage of every opportunity provided by the rock shape at every moment, naturally, without overthinking, flowing through the route, light, focused and effortless —or at least no more than strictly necessary—.

Accepting objectively what is there: the holes for your hands or the cracks for your feet, the closeness or remoteness of the bolts, or whether it is a shorter or longer step. Without thinking about how you think it should be. Without judgment.

This is Wu Wei, the acceptance of the Tao, of the way things are in themselves, not how we think they are or how we would like them to be. Acceptance to be in harmony with oneself and reality. Feeling, observing, contemplating. If there is something that is not going the way you expected, do not force it because you can break it.

-Excerpt from the book 'Climbing and Tao' 📖🧗🏽‍♀️

06/08/2023

Wu Wei - Resist the urge to force things.
Direct yourself with trust, surrendering to the flow of the situation, without opposing or resisting it.

You may be hanging from a grip and tend to block to keep your body and your center of gravity close to the wall. The more you block, the harder it will be to hold on and the more energy you will be expending, until you can't anymore. Later, however, you discover that simply dropping your body to where it naturally falls results in a better grip, your feet gain grip, and you can visualize the next step much better and execute it with much more energy.

This is the difference between positioning the body and letting it position itself. Gravity is not our enemy; it is our dance partner.

We use the force of gravity to climb. By leaving your weight on your feet you get the necessary grip. By placing your body under your arm when you grab a small crimp, you make what seemed difficult even comfortable, using only your weight and this natural force. That's what climbing is all about, knowing how to balance the use of gravity with our impulses against it, to bring us upwards. Throwing your hand into the jug and resting comfortably inside it while supporting almost the whole body. Two opposite but complementary forces. Yin and Yang.

To be continued in the next post 🔜

-Excerpt from the book "Climbing and Tao: The Way of the Route" 📙

03/08/2023

Wu Wei

The way of flowing with the forces we observe and with the balance of the universe. The term is often translated as "non-action" or "effortlessness", although it goes far beyond these simple definitions that remind us more of a praise of laziness and passivity than a way of living in accordance with the nature of things. Wu Wei does not really mean doing nothing, but rather doing without forcing, without disturbing the natural harmony and balance of things.

It is a kind of intuitive intelligence that allows us to recognize how and when to act in order to be efficient with respect to the nature of things, without applying counterproductive energies or energies that oppose a certain reality. Recognizing patterns, tendencies or principles that govern the nature of any given thing in order to achieve what we set out to do using the least amount of energy. It is as simple as not going out to climb when it is raining. You simply know that you have to wait for the rain to pass and for the rock to dry and that it would be stupid and dangerous to go when it is wet and slippery. It is that flow with the conditions that determines this model of efficient action. How we manage our resources so that we can get the best out of them.

Doing when we must do, resting when we must rest. Applying the necessary action —no more, no less— to each situation. I climb slowly and with precision when the wall demands it, and fast and with strength when I am on the most athletic steps. I rest if I reach a ledge or if I can wedge my body into a crack. I identify the best way to grab a grip or to place my foot, the one that allows me to hold myself with the least possible effort and at the same time allows me to reach the next steps. The strongest person does not climb better, but the one who knows how to best use his strength. The one who knows where to place his feet, and when. The one who knows where to hold on, and how and when to make a dynamic movement and when to make a more static one.

Stay tuned for the next post, where we'll delve deeper into the subject 🔜

-Excerpt from the book "Climbing and Tao: The Way of the Route" 📚

30/06/2023

One of the oft-quoted phrases that Marcus Aurelius wrote in his journal was: "the art of living is more like fighting than dancing". At other times he is a bit more optimistic in his reflections, probably he had just had a hard day. Because there are times to fight, but there are also times to dance. And life is neither one thing nor the other, but a succession of both, when they are not intermingled. And always complementary.

I would rather say something like this "the art of living is more like a climb than a dance (or a fight)".

Because in a climb you have both -and more-: you have moments of dancing, of flowing on the rock, of moving gracefully from one hold to another, placing your feet on supports whose distribution seems designed by choreographers. And then you have moments of struggling, of squeezing, of failing, of falling, of making mistakes, of getting exhausted, of being afraid, of whipping again and again... But all those moments are part of the route/life. It's all part of the same process, and one part doesn't exist without the other. The moments of struggle make you stronger to perform the dance with ease and the dance makes you more balanced, precise and efficient for the fight. The biggest lessons we have to learn are when to fight and when to dance, to do each thing when it is time and to do it while maintaining our peace of mind. To be at peace when it is time to fight because it will bring us growth and to be at peace when it is time to dance in order to enjoy the moment. Always remembering that both the fight and the dance will pass, so you have to live in what it is time for.

If it is time to flow, we flow. If it is time to struggle, it is time to fight.

15/06/2023

Life is constant movement. Even what appears to be still or stationary is moving.

To maintain balance, it is necessary to be in motion. What doesn't move falls, just as it happens in climbing. If you stop moving, if you stop climbing, you'll end up pumped and the wall will expel you as if you were an embedded foreign body (I'm not saying you don't have to rest, rest is part of that movement, that dance).

But be careful, we are not talking about movement for movement's sake. Movement, in order to have balance, must have direction, intention, consciousness.

In climbing, no matter how much you pull on all the holds and haul yourself up the rock, it doesn't mean that you are going to achieve balance and progress gracefully up the wall. You have to think, perceive, visualize. And then move, even if it is scary or we are not sure if the movement is correct. Because in the end, what does not move, falls. And to fall anyway, you better fall trying, moving. Living.

09/06/2023

Three different roads that go through the same territory and arrive at the same place.... 🤎🧘🏽‍♀️🧗🏽

25/05/2023

Easy will not make you grow, on the contrary, it will make you weaker. If you get into a route and you think it's too easy, be wary. Look for a harder one to make you tougher. If in your life you only do what is easy, what is cheap, you will only get easy, cheap results. By cheap I don't mean in economic terms (which it could be) but of little value in general.

Look for the hard way and find out how to achieve it. Look for a hard route and figure out the moves, figure out the sequences, toughen your body, sharpen your perception, tame your mind... Do whatever it takes to get up to the challenge.

Enjoy the process and be amazed at the results you will achieve. They will be solid, lasting results, forged with time and effort, and extrapolated to the next steps of your path.

21/05/2023

All routes are difficult at first. All projects (whether they are about climbing, sports, professional, personal, etc.) are hard and difficult when we start them.

Embarking on the pursuit of a project is nothing more than the process of aligning our capabilities with our objectives. Let's say that what we want to achieve is behind a door that we can only cross if we are up to the task, if we have done the work we needed to do, if we have developed what we needed to develop or if we have freed ourselves from what we needed to be liberated from.

In the case of a climbing, where the goal is clear (whether it is to send, decipher a sequence or reach the anchor), we have to see what differentiates us from the future self that will easily overcome that challenge. Does that future self have more endurance? More mental control? Less fear? Stronger fingers? Better control of their breathing?

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