The Art of Taming The Squirrel of the Mind
Wednesday, 14 July 2010 13:26 |
As I was lying in the hospital bed, all f**ked up and scared, feeling as if my body had been crumpled and crushed, my back broke in three places, with all of my climbing hopes and dreams barely hanging together, in tatters, a sudden jolt of pain reminded me that I had a magical switch in my hand that would pump painkillers into my bloodstream ... click click ... mmm. I began to float away like a piece of driftwood on an ocean of morphine ... that's when I realized that I was a squirrel.
I dreamt upon a vision of a memory, back to a beautiful and tranquil morning in the stunning Glendalough valley. The morning was pure, that air hung so still that the lake transformed into a mirror and the Spink never looked so amazing reflecting back at me with the sky blue above. Jimmy Byrne had aroused my mind with the promise of an amazing route up the main face called ''Prelude Nightmare'' and I was f**ked if I was missing this opportunity, so I had flat out told my boss that I would'nt be in work tomorrow because I had been given an opportunity I wasn't going to miss.
I dreamt upon a vision of a memory, back to a beautiful and tranquil morning in the stunning Glendalough valley. The morning was pure, that air hung so still that the lake transformed into a mirror and the Spink never looked so amazing reflecting back at me with the sky blue above. Jimmy Byrne had aroused my mind with the promise of an amazing route up the main face called ''Prelude Nightmare'' and I was f**ked if I was missing this opportunity, so I had flat out told my boss that I would'nt be in work tomorrow because I had been given an opportunity I wasn't going to miss.
So there we were, Jimmy, Calliam and I strolling through the calmness of the morning with heads full of high hopes, when all of a sudden we heard a scurrying sound coming from the trees ''What the f**k is that'' says I, ''Haha look at the little squirrel chasing his missus'' says Jimmy.
Two squirrels darted through the canopy high above, one chasing the other. The lead squirrel leapt 6 ft through the air from one branch to another, when it landed on the branch it bent low under it's weight, the squirrel following made the same jump but the same branch wasn't there ''Holy shit'', ''Jaysus man'', ''Did you bleedin' see that''. The poor squirrel flew 60 odd feet through the air, accelerating towards the ground striking it with thunderous force, a great thump and a little squeak.
We stood there watching, gobsmacked at the unexpectedness of it all '' I guess he's not a flying squirrel anyways'', ''Hahahaha''. Well low and behold, to our utter astonishment the squirrel got back up and climbed back up the tree ... as I lay in the cold hospital I realised that there was more than a few parrallels between me and that squirrel and that if I was ever going to have the privilage of walking or climbing in that magnificent valley again I was surely going to have to learn to bounce back just like that squirrel did.
People, deep inside the mirky depths of all of our membranes, there is a rabid squirrell, frothing at the mouth, all shining teeth and bubbles. He is waiting for you to unleash him. So the next time you are pulling hard on a finger nail crimper, in a highly unlikely contortion of a position and you don't know what to do next, the next time the ghost of Elvis Presley has possesed your vibrating legs and you can't reach the next hold . . . . RELEASE THE SQUIRRELL !!
To tame the squirrel of the mind is to push yourself further than you ever thought possible, to get in touch with your primal side, where the brain stops thinking and just reacts, driven not by conscious thought but by sheer determination the greatest energy of all, which is stored in your mind. The same energy which helped me take my first three steps after the accident, the same energy that WILL get you passed the crux holds on your project, WILL get you out of that dangerous situation you encounter whilst trad climbing and WILL help you crush that boulder problem you've been dreaming about.
So what in the name of jaysus are yis all waiting for ... release a family of rabid, beastly squirrels today and see what happens ... BOO YA ... GET SOME !! Cheers
Over and Out
Ciaran
Two squirrels darted through the canopy high above, one chasing the other. The lead squirrel leapt 6 ft through the air from one branch to another, when it landed on the branch it bent low under it's weight, the squirrel following made the same jump but the same branch wasn't there ''Holy shit'', ''Jaysus man'', ''Did you bleedin' see that''. The poor squirrel flew 60 odd feet through the air, accelerating towards the ground striking it with thunderous force, a great thump and a little squeak.
We stood there watching, gobsmacked at the unexpectedness of it all '' I guess he's not a flying squirrel anyways'', ''Hahahaha''. Well low and behold, to our utter astonishment the squirrel got back up and climbed back up the tree ... as I lay in the cold hospital I realised that there was more than a few parrallels between me and that squirrel and that if I was ever going to have the privilage of walking or climbing in that magnificent valley again I was surely going to have to learn to bounce back just like that squirrel did.
People, deep inside the mirky depths of all of our membranes, there is a rabid squirrell, frothing at the mouth, all shining teeth and bubbles. He is waiting for you to unleash him. So the next time you are pulling hard on a finger nail crimper, in a highly unlikely contortion of a position and you don't know what to do next, the next time the ghost of Elvis Presley has possesed your vibrating legs and you can't reach the next hold . . . . RELEASE THE SQUIRRELL !!
To tame the squirrel of the mind is to push yourself further than you ever thought possible, to get in touch with your primal side, where the brain stops thinking and just reacts, driven not by conscious thought but by sheer determination the greatest energy of all, which is stored in your mind. The same energy which helped me take my first three steps after the accident, the same energy that WILL get you passed the crux holds on your project, WILL get you out of that dangerous situation you encounter whilst trad climbing and WILL help you crush that boulder problem you've been dreaming about.
So what in the name of jaysus are yis all waiting for ... release a family of rabid, beastly squirrels today and see what happens ... BOO YA ... GET SOME !! Cheers
Over and Out
Ciaran
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