A spiritual side to bushcraft can we be more open in this type of discussion?

[Rumi]

I have notice a great shyness, perhaps even embarrassment about talking about the spirituality in bushcraft and it saddens me.

We are so open to all that nature has to offer, we can think on our feet and many of us have skills far beyond the capacities of our neighbors in town. Many of us trust our instincts and are well psychologically prepared to deal with the wilderness, yet in denial about what for our hunter gatherer ancestors was central to their community cohesion and relationship with nature.

Take into account that a skilled hunter gatherer in any 24 hour period takes no more that 4 hours to find food, collect fuel and consolidate shelter. The rest of the time is social and cultural.. It is very easy to get bored in the survival situation, there are only so many spoons and bowls and other things a person can make.

Equanimity is a great discipline to practice for bushcraft, it is simply the acceptance of the reality of the situation, especially the weather. That comes from Buddhism..
Then theres meditation.. great for the woods.. and of course those feelings we all get about a place feeling right or not..

 

[ex-member Raikey]

Rumi,

i can see your thinking,

"Acceptance of the situation" for me tho is more to do with a survival siuation, than a bushcraft one,..

but why would you feel you have to accept a situation where you're in the woods just "being there"

i enjoy the being there, does this mean i have already defaulted to a state of acceptance, or am i missing the point?

not being confrontational, just interested in the subject and would like to know more...


plus if i could get the wood for a night chopped, and the camp tidy, and food sorted in just 4 hours i,d be real happy,...

if i have a night out i seem to be constantly maintaining the site,..

 

[John Fenna]

I have never been shy about the Spiritual side to my bushcraft... in fact I have found that I have bored several people almost to tears by harping on about it!
I am a Spiritualist (whatever that means) and attend an Independant Spiritualist Center (sometimes refered to as a Church) on a very regular basis (often 3 times per week) and "Spiritualism" is a recognised for of Religious Worship.
My personal understanding of "Life, the Universe and Everything" is based on a personal relationship with "Spirit" and I find that being far from the hurly burly of modern life (ie - out in the woods) promotes - in me at least - an inner calm and peace.

However - I do not think that this forum is the place to discuss any form of Religion as such a discussion often decends into an unpleasant name calling session. Religion - and sex and politics - are best left alone on forums.....you can never please everyone and lots of folk get upset!

 

[ged]

I think we must go to different woods. When I'm out camping on my own I'm always unbelievably busy.

If I take a book, the only time I ever get a chance to read it is when Cliff and Martin do all the cooking.

 

[gregorach]

I have notice a great shyness, perhaps even embarrassment about talking about the spirituality in bushcraft and it saddens me.

Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.

 

[gordonmac]

Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.

That's pretty much my thought. Nicely put, Dunc.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

"Man who get in hammock with itchy bum, wake up with smelly finger"

 

[Retired Member southey]

"Man who get in hammock with itchy bum, wake up with smelly finger"

WHAT THE FUDGE!!! Youve been at the bread again,

 

[gregorach]

That's pretty much my thought. Nicely put, Dunc.

I can't claim credit - it's one of those old Taoist proverbs.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

WHAT THE FUDGE!!! Youve been at the bread again,

yep,..Raikeys, special mushroom bread

we were being spiritual,..and my contribution was such!,...ha ha ,..

i was trying to use humour to steer the convo away from religion actually,..never a good idea on the boards...

 

[Retired Member southey]

 

[shaggystu]

Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.

wonderful sentiment dunc, thanks for sharing that.

i agree with mr fenna that this really isn't the place to talk religion, people can so easily be offended by harmless comments online, it's probably best to stay away from such emotive subjects or we'll all end up killing one another.

i would say though that i've been involved in some great religious discussions around a campfire with folk from here and if anything i'd say the opposite, i feel that some of the people on here are very forthcoming with their ideas of spirituality and religion, much more so than in other walks of life. i've worked in the licenced trade most of life and i've never heard one pool/darts/football/skittles/dominoes team enter into a religious debate (zenophobic rant maybe, debate no) but i've never been to a meet where religion hasn't come up. maybe it's the inherent spirituality of a campfire that just drags us all in?

cheers

stuart

 

[Retired Member southey]

I think one of the big problems with a discussion on this subject is down to being sat in front of a screen rather than someones face, no matter what smileys are used, If some one feel insulted\angry or just takes umbrage to your reply they will (read I will) formulate a reply before thinking about how the post was meant, this can lead to a passionate response as opposed to a well thought out and balanced reply, were as face to face you can see how the words are meant and talk it through without stomping around your desk, I for one do think that there is a distinction between spirituality and religion, I do feel something different when out in the cuds and i feel comfortable with it, but I do see that it is hard to distinguish between the too, and to discuss one would invariably lead to a discussion of the other, I hope this thread runs, as it is a topic that does interest me,

 

[ex-member Raikey]

I for one do think that there is a distinction between spirituality and religion, ,

me too,...

spiritualism has been adopted as a religion , correct me if i,m wrong, but fairly recently in historical terms.

i think to be "spiritual" can be completley detached from religion.

we always get into a kind of spiritual convo when it gets dark and we get a good view of the stars,....but it is usually very close to a conversation of a scientific nature,..

i took Stephen Hawkins "A brief history of time" with me this year on a two week romp around the South West,. and again the scientific chatter lead pretty smoothly into the spiritual side of things,... as does the book.

but not one member of our group has even the slightest religious lean, ..

or maybe it was all to do with the scumpy

 

[_mark_]

Nature is a spiritual experience whether we like it or not.

 

[Toddy]

Four hours to find food.......and then time to prep it, cook it, feed the elderlies, the babies, deal with shelter, deal with clothing, fix the ouches, offer the comfort, feed everybody again, cuddle the babies, talk, sing, discuss, squabble..........all the social cohesion of family /clan/ tribal life

They don't spend 12 hours a day free time to just talk about religion or spirituality.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Retired Member southey]

Is that were the shaman type came from, so he\she(?) could deal with that side of things while everyone else got on with providing for them selves?

 

[ex-member Raikey]

no,..

the shaman is the guy who discovered special herbs and fungi in the woods,

then wore an animal skull on his head and waved a stick in an attempt to induce enough fear to ensure no one messed with his "stash"

 

[Toddy]

Brilliant

M

 

[JohnC]

Four hours to find food.......and then time to prep it, cook it, feed the elderlies, the babies, deal with shelter, deal with clothing, fix the ouches, offer the comfort, feed everybody again, cuddle the babies, talk, sing, discuss, squabble..........all the social cohesion of family /clan/ tribal life

They don't spend 12 hours a day free time to just talk about religion or spirituality.

cheers,
Toddy

"The History of every major Galactic Civilization tends to pass through three distinct and recognizable phases, those of Survival, Inquiry and Sophistication, otherwise known as the How, Why and Where phases. For instance, the first phase is characterized by the question How can we eat? the second by the question Why do we eat? and the third by the question Where shall we have lunch?"

From Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy