Wilderness Survival Awareness Part 125thFebruary
What does real survival require? Both in the long term and when everything hits the fan. It might not be what you think. How many of us have been humbled by the cold and wet? How many of us have learned about our true mettle by weathering impossible situations. I'm not referring to the contrived "edge" experiences of wilderness skills education. Instead this is about honoring how often "impossible" is a fact of life. Sometimes everything won't be perfect and you'll find yourself up a shit creek without a paddle.
While you may teach a student to build a shelter in the middle of the summer, you will not always be there to set them up for this success. Giving skills is only one facet of survival training. One day, people may find themselves out in the real cold. Those are the moments when you learn how critical a positive attitude can be.
Do we always need a teacher holding our hand and telling us its okay? At the best that is a crutch, at the worst it is a trap.
Do we need more skill to simply riddle our way out of a tight spot? It could be helpful, but how we use knowledge relies more on moderation of character than on learning new tricks.
Should you power through and show your bravado? While often convenient, machismo can blind people to reality.
What is needed is a sage verse found in the poem "If" by Ruyard Kipling...
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too
How do you react to crises? Do you have the ability to laugh as you are being charged by a herd of elephants? When you are falling off a cliff, where are your thoughts? In teaching and training survival skills I have seen the gamut of reactions: giddiness, testiness, paralyzation, befuddlement or rage. The root of these attitudes is often fear. Fear is compelling and can easily overwhelm what you know is the right thing to do. But turn that on its head. Fear also tells us to be more aware, not necessarily to run away, or even how to react with these estranged emotions. Fear can often be an abrupt transition from a comfortable life to the edge of death. In a "survival situation" dwelling on problems is different then acknowledging and accepting challenges. When we "dwell" we lose the awareness of the moment and no longer move with grace or clarity.
There is an ancient painting of three men. In the picture they have all dipped their finger in a vat of vinegar to taste it. One had a frown, one was stoic and the third was wearing a smile. These men were meant to represent three philosophies of the Far East. Interestingly enough, the philosophy with the smile holds a tradition and lineage of weathered survivalists.
The inability to make a decision because of fear or the assumption that you know what is best in every circumstance are two sides of the same coin. Both often result in a debilitating sense of right and wrong. In survival, you can't afford to be stigmatized when you need to be aware of the moment and flow with a competent path. Notice that I don't say "the most competent path." This is not about the perfect way to accomplish one task. It's about you being in the wilderness while smiling to say, "I'm cold, I'm getting my shelter finished."
That's survival awareness part 1. Part 2 is about the reality that you have more to care for then yourself.
