Aligning the Mind: a Himalayan Journey of People

You evolve when you meet the Himalaya. It is unavoidable. And it happens each time, at every encounter.

My most recent expedition to Tibet was a reunion with this majestic and mighty range. Our journey involved the ski objective of Shisha Pangma, located on the skirts of the chain in the southwestern corner of the country (in Chinese territory), at 8,013 meters.

We arrived via the bustling bedlam of Kathmandu, Nepal. On the threshold of this exotic world, one meets a city with an overwhelming display of noises, smells, dust, two stroke smoke, and an overpowering visual of used plastic bottles strewn throughout the narrow and congested streets.

There is, however, a method to the madness. Once the introductory veil is lifted, the chaos of the streets becomes an organized frenzy, the winding passages have their own symmetry, and the visual sensations resolve into a more rational perspective. The abundance of plastic and waste is normalized by the realization that we are also part of the problem, and that neither Nepal nor Tibet have good solutions in place for garbage management.

The immersion occurs slowly at first, as day by day you step deeper into the culture and sink into the flow of its song. Transiting out of the city and into the mountains the scenery changes rapidly, but the basis of the culture remains the same. Over time, the spirit and simplicity of the Himalayan lifestyle and its inhabitants engulf the core of your daily routine.

As you begin to adapt and to blend yourself into this new existence, a meaningful experience follows as you blend with your surroundings, changing with your new understandings.

In the Himalaya, the place- specifically its towering peaks- and its people begin to occupy your mind and you are captured completely as their audience. For our team, we had a focus on the mountains, with the goals to climb and ski Shisha Pangma during a five week period. But, inevitably, we were influenced and transformed not only by our ski mountaineering objectives but also by the people and the countries.

The ultimate achievement in this world of adventure is perceived as reaching the summit; But, success is also attained when the mind starts to align with the soul of the environment around you, and no matter what the objective, and regardless of the outcome, it is humbling.

The photo series link below chronicles a ski expedition by way of the Himalayan people. The mountain stories will come next.

To view the photos, please visit:

http://www.havelltravels.com/2010/10/aligning-the-mind-a-himalayan-journ...

***AND, we are thrilled to announce that thanks to the readers here at OutsideTV, as well as other sources, over $2,500 has been raised for the dZi Foundation. Contributions are still welcome- please see Tibetan Travels Part II for more information. Thank You!