www.kristenulmer.com
Repetition repetition repetition leads to the possibility of enlightenment. What I mean is, by learning a sport, and becoming great at it, which requires practice and repetition, over time that practice and muscle/mind memory renders you free enough to have an opening. It's like meditation, or chanting. The more you do it the more you clear the way. Finally after all that work your mind relaxes while engaged in the sport, moves aside, and voila...
Sports as a form of spiritual practice? I can think of no more obvious and clear way for people who otherwise would never have the chance, to experience a transcendental space. A space of infinity, no mind, God Nature, Buddha nature, The Tao etc. yet it is the least discussed of all the practices.
Probably because if you go to church, or meditate it's obvious you're there for a meaningful spiritual experience. In sports, it's not so obvious.
Maybe I can help...
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
If Helen Keller were an athlete
Many of us, who once found cheese in our sport, are now finding only pellets. Enough to keep us alive, sure, but why not go in search of cheese again, maybe down other paths?
Sports are either a daring adventure, or nothing at all.
www.kristenulmer.com
Sports are either a daring adventure, or nothing at all.
www.kristenulmer.com
Monday, April 6, 2009
With Love
Ode to Ski to Live Guests: Alta 2009
Larry- who is not as much of an asshole as he thinks,
Randy- who is magic,
George- the creator of mircles,
Michelle- who is always her own person,
Maria- standing tall, strong and pround, no matter what,
Chase- the most evolved sixteen year old I’ve ever known,
Kayleen- who has the ability to smile, and appreciates it all,
David- who is making me fat with all the brownies but I don’t care,
Nicole- with your absolute and complete presence,
Brenda- will you be my mom, too?
Hayden- you don’t have to say a word and we already know who you are,
Annie- who has no idea how lovely she is,
Abby- the dice slayer,
Wendel- who grows stronger every day,
Toren- who has to make do without a lick of powder in Illinois,
-Thank you for attending This Amazing Weekend Together
Larry- who is not as much of an asshole as he thinks,
Randy- who is magic,
George- the creator of mircles,
Michelle- who is always her own person,
Maria- standing tall, strong and pround, no matter what,
Chase- the most evolved sixteen year old I’ve ever known,
Kayleen- who has the ability to smile, and appreciates it all,
David- who is making me fat with all the brownies but I don’t care,
Nicole- with your absolute and complete presence,
Brenda- will you be my mom, too?
Hayden- you don’t have to say a word and we already know who you are,
Annie- who has no idea how lovely she is,
Abby- the dice slayer,
Wendel- who grows stronger every day,
Toren- who has to make do without a lick of powder in Illinois,
-Thank you for attending This Amazing Weekend Together
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Spaciousness
“The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.” –Bruce Lee
As Americans, we often focus on what is wrong with us, what is missing. Don’t believe me? Look no further than in advertising: “look younger” “ski better” and you’ll begin to notice the want.
You say; “I’m going to learn how to do a backscratcher” which suggests you have no backscratcher, you're lacking that skill, but would like one. Women’s-only sports clinics are notorious for this phenomenon- they offer to “help women become empowered” which suggests women lack power and therefore need to find it. That’s why I avoid most women’s only clinics.
In Zen, we don’t practice in order to attain enlightenment. That’d be like rubbing two tiles together in order to make a mirror. The more we effort, the further away it becomes. The only thing we can do is to make spacious a part of us in which enlightenment can now enter.
Another way of putting it: in Indonesia, a village master will not “pray for fish” instead he will “Pray Fish.” Notice the difference.
Like an artist who carves a brilliant work of art out of a stone block- the art was already in there, the artist just unleashes it. “I’m going to give myself access to a backscratcher” is honoring that the back scratcher already exists in you. You just need to open the space for which it can enter.
Sounds hokey, I know, and if anyone were to talk like that around me I’d want to barf. But at least anchor this in your heart as anther possibility for spaciousness...
Perhaps that’s worth talking funny for...
As Americans, we often focus on what is wrong with us, what is missing. Don’t believe me? Look no further than in advertising: “look younger” “ski better” and you’ll begin to notice the want.
You say; “I’m going to learn how to do a backscratcher” which suggests you have no backscratcher, you're lacking that skill, but would like one. Women’s-only sports clinics are notorious for this phenomenon- they offer to “help women become empowered” which suggests women lack power and therefore need to find it. That’s why I avoid most women’s only clinics.
In Zen, we don’t practice in order to attain enlightenment. That’d be like rubbing two tiles together in order to make a mirror. The more we effort, the further away it becomes. The only thing we can do is to make spacious a part of us in which enlightenment can now enter.
Another way of putting it: in Indonesia, a village master will not “pray for fish” instead he will “Pray Fish.” Notice the difference.
Like an artist who carves a brilliant work of art out of a stone block- the art was already in there, the artist just unleashes it. “I’m going to give myself access to a backscratcher” is honoring that the back scratcher already exists in you. You just need to open the space for which it can enter.
Sounds hokey, I know, and if anyone were to talk like that around me I’d want to barf. But at least anchor this in your heart as anther possibility for spaciousness...
Perhaps that’s worth talking funny for...
Friday, February 13, 2009
The Zone
Many athletes use breathing to get there- others through long-term practice or a natural shift can simply be there in an instant. Once in this “zone” you have transcended your ego self- and have dropped into what is called many things, including Enlightenment, Infinity, Buddha Nature, and/or God Nature.
But you cannot have the goal to be in the Zone. Oh no. If you try to be the Buddha, you'll never get there, because: you already are the Buddha.
While being the Zone, this is where the projections of the mind are no longer experienced, where the body no longer feels, you move beyond both to become your true nature- who you truly are. This is why sport is so nourishing--as essential as food--for it has the potential to change your reality and bring you home- if only for an instant while running down the street.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” Though sports, if you pay attention and not miss the lessons, you can be powerful beyond measure. You can access and express the connection of everyone, and everything that exists- including the mountains, the skis, the streets, the bike and the water.
Or... sports can be nothing at all.
Ski to Live
www.kristenulmer.com
But you cannot have the goal to be in the Zone. Oh no. If you try to be the Buddha, you'll never get there, because: you already are the Buddha.
While being the Zone, this is where the projections of the mind are no longer experienced, where the body no longer feels, you move beyond both to become your true nature- who you truly are. This is why sport is so nourishing--as essential as food--for it has the potential to change your reality and bring you home- if only for an instant while running down the street.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” Though sports, if you pay attention and not miss the lessons, you can be powerful beyond measure. You can access and express the connection of everyone, and everything that exists- including the mountains, the skis, the streets, the bike and the water.
Or... sports can be nothing at all.
Ski to Live
www.kristenulmer.com
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Your life as a movie...
A little bird is flying in the forest. Suddenly he sees a great fire below, raging out of control. "My home!" he cries, and flies to the lake to gather a beak full of water. Flying back to the fire, he drops his little bundle of water onto the inferno, then races back to the lake. Over and over he repeats the gesture until he becomes so exhausted, he falls into the fire and dies.
Is this a beautiful story or a sad story for you?
I used to be a professional Big Mountain skier- basically I jumped off cliffs and skied you-fall-you-die exposures around the world for cameras. Now I facilitate the intersection of sport, adventure and Infinite wisdom in clinics called Ski to Live and in private sessions. In sports- we have exhilarating moments, sure, flying around our own forest, yet like the bird we also struggle- through injury, through disappointment, through aging, for our entire lives. I know as I get older and nurse my ski injuries, my new goal as an athlete is to get worse at my sport every year, yet be ok with it. I continue pouring beakfuls of water on such fires, daily.
What if this story were made into a movie? Most of us love sad movies, eh? They're familiar. They move us, comfort us, make the struggle of being a human being seem more touching. Perhaps if we see this story as a sad movie, it won't seem sad, it'll seem beautiful. Graceful. Like a kitten struggling for it's first breath. Like an athlete struggling to learn some hard lessons.
I love the hard lessons, maybe more than the easy lessons. I love fighting the fire. That’s why I prefer vacations that help me explore my own existence. The challenges and sadness of life make me feel the most alive and curious.
That's a movie worth watching...
Is this a beautiful story or a sad story for you?
I used to be a professional Big Mountain skier- basically I jumped off cliffs and skied you-fall-you-die exposures around the world for cameras. Now I facilitate the intersection of sport, adventure and Infinite wisdom in clinics called Ski to Live and in private sessions. In sports- we have exhilarating moments, sure, flying around our own forest, yet like the bird we also struggle- through injury, through disappointment, through aging, for our entire lives. I know as I get older and nurse my ski injuries, my new goal as an athlete is to get worse at my sport every year, yet be ok with it. I continue pouring beakfuls of water on such fires, daily.
What if this story were made into a movie? Most of us love sad movies, eh? They're familiar. They move us, comfort us, make the struggle of being a human being seem more touching. Perhaps if we see this story as a sad movie, it won't seem sad, it'll seem beautiful. Graceful. Like a kitten struggling for it's first breath. Like an athlete struggling to learn some hard lessons.
I love the hard lessons, maybe more than the easy lessons. I love fighting the fire. That’s why I prefer vacations that help me explore my own existence. The challenges and sadness of life make me feel the most alive and curious.
That's a movie worth watching...
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
WHY WE DIG SPORTS
When you have a secret, can you keep it from even those closest to you?
"Yep, like the best poker player."
When you're angry or upset about something, can you hide it from other people?
"Sure, I just smile and keep quiet."
When you're skiing the moguls, can you fake being better than you really are?
Errr, no.
How about rock climbing, if you say you climb 5.12 but it's simply not true, when it comes time will you rise to it?
Not a hairy fingernails chance. Same with baseball, football, golf, cycling, race car driving, all of them.
That's the thing about sports, you can't fake anything. You can't hide from the truth in sports like you can the rest of life. You can't pretend to be stronger, faster, more intelligent, more charming, more sexy than you really are. And so sports, my friends, are the ultimate mirror. A mirror solidly held and no matter how much you try to squirm away, you cannot avoid the reflection.
That's why I choose Sports as Spiritual Practice, as my church. No bullshit. Just living.
They bring us to our knees and little else does...
When you have a secret, can you keep it from even those closest to you?
"Yep, like the best poker player."
When you're angry or upset about something, can you hide it from other people?
"Sure, I just smile and keep quiet."
When you're skiing the moguls, can you fake being better than you really are?
Errr, no.
How about rock climbing, if you say you climb 5.12 but it's simply not true, when it comes time will you rise to it?
Not a hairy fingernails chance. Same with baseball, football, golf, cycling, race car driving, all of them.
That's the thing about sports, you can't fake anything. You can't hide from the truth in sports like you can the rest of life. You can't pretend to be stronger, faster, more intelligent, more charming, more sexy than you really are. And so sports, my friends, are the ultimate mirror. A mirror solidly held and no matter how much you try to squirm away, you cannot avoid the reflection.
That's why I choose Sports as Spiritual Practice, as my church. No bullshit. Just living.
They bring us to our knees and little else does...
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Ultimate Path of the Athlete
Sports are the ultimate test. They offer a great mirror. We can fake other aspects of our lives- like we're actors in a movie- but we can't do any such thing in sports. It’s just not possible to pretend to be better than you are while hanging it out on a 5.12 rock climb or in golf tournament. Sports break us down into little pieces, show us clearly our strengths, our weaknesses. They offer us lessons, an opportunity to wake up to what it means to be a human being. But alas, most of us miss these lessons...
The greatest lessons of our lives.
Will you take advantage of these lessons? To become more conscious makes you a better human being, and to be a better human being makes you a better athlete- in whatever way that matters to you. That's good incentive.
In the words of Paul Valery: "The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.”
The greatest lessons of our lives.
Will you take advantage of these lessons? To become more conscious makes you a better human being, and to be a better human being makes you a better athlete- in whatever way that matters to you. That's good incentive.
In the words of Paul Valery: "The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.”
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Skiing Without Fear
This is a blog for www.kristenulmer.com and the Ski to Live clinics.
People ask me all the time, "How did you do it? How did you ski without fear all those years as a pro?"
They want to get rid of their own fear, so they can ski better, of course.
I always answer: "You're asking the wrong question."
The question should be: "How do you embrace fear?"
Much like a whining child, the harder we ignore fear the louder it whines. It simply will not stop yowling until we listen to it. If we listen, instead of being our enemy, it becomes our friend- our warning bell. The one who has our back.
Take it a step further now, and embrace fear not like a friend, but like a lover, and you'll see that it is fear, actually, which creates our passionate for this sport. Without fear there is no challenge, no adrenaline. Without fear, skiing would have little appeal, no fire.
I love fear like I want to love Brad Pitt.
Now THAT makes for good skiing...
This is a blog for www.kristenulmer.com and the Ski to Live clinics.
People ask me all the time, "How did you do it? How did you ski without fear all those years as a pro?"
They want to get rid of their own fear, so they can ski better, of course.
I always answer: "You're asking the wrong question."
The question should be: "How do you embrace fear?"
Much like a whining child, the harder we ignore fear the louder it whines. It simply will not stop yowling until we listen to it. If we listen, instead of being our enemy, it becomes our friend- our warning bell. The one who has our back.
Take it a step further now, and embrace fear not like a friend, but like a lover, and you'll see that it is fear, actually, which creates our passionate for this sport. Without fear there is no challenge, no adrenaline. Without fear, skiing would have little appeal, no fire.
I love fear like I want to love Brad Pitt.
Now THAT makes for good skiing...
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