OBSESSION

--from scotty glasberg, Asana athlete--
ob•ses•sion n1. an idea, or feeling that completely occupies the mind
Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.I am obsessed with climbing. My mornings are not of leisure but of dedication. The same haul to the crag, can symbolize a monk’s bowl of rice in the morning. Not another thought can cross my mind between reminiscing of last nights dream, and how much time I have to climb before I have to attend to my daily errands. I feel stressed, like the unknowing feeling before you get on a roller coaster. It’s all worth it to the obsessed climber, me and climbing comes before all. For this is my meditation, my discipline, my life. Walking away from the dawn filled east approaching my local bouldering development, I see my shadow cast in the morning dew. More spiritual than anything, I most times find myself alone, sitting aside a river or at the bottom of a Mt. Woodson crack thinking of how happy this spiritual routine makes me. As the sound of water, and the smell of pine engulfs my senses:“Boy do I wish I had someone to share this with.” I say to myself, looking back up at the newly discovered climb. “No, I don’t.” This oneness is ‘Zen like’. Sitting here obsessed there is no one here to judge me, no color, no personality, or hype. Only my animal instinct about how I must finesse my way up the oversized pebble. Figuring out new sequences till the perfect one clicks. Either this ascent was the most beautiful rock climb ever, or it wasn’t but doing it sure made me feel great. An obsessed rock climber, creates new friendships, with new boulders, new routes, and people alike. Now is obsession better than not being obsessed? Well my brotha, let me tell you. I can’t really because it is all about preference. It’s like whether you like riding a skateboard goofy or regular; or if you like your tea hot or cold. Although there are consequences of both, like cold tea on a cold day, if your seven days on, you might not have that same power or endurance at the beginning of the cycle. Either you like being outdoors 7 days a week (with the possibility of fatigue), or you enjoy rest, with more time for your skin to heal (maybe a few more ounces of muscular energy). Despite your skin and muscular fatigue, climbing daily gets you more fit, there’s no doubt about it. For me I believe it is best to overload. Climb obsessively, be totally involved, have your whole life centered around your single focus of sending. When your skin it totally raw and you can barely do those pull ups in the morning, you then know that it’s your time to rest. Take a few days off. You could think of yourself as a Buddhist monk who has just been disciplined for 7 days now being sent out to the woods to reflect on your teachings. Your mind will process all this climbing you have just done, 7 days of cramming you need a bit of time for your brain tissue to absorb. These spiritual siestas are about your body being the temple. Notice what is sore, where you feel strength gains and keep your thoughts positive. Eat extremely healthy and don’t stuff with junk. When you feel yourself peaking in strength,, it is then time to think about returning to the cliff or bouldering area.