The Ascetism of Mountains and Living in Nature

“The Mountain is not merely something eternally sublime.

 It has a great historical and spiritual meaning”

Alan Paton  TIME magazine, 25 April 1988, p. 106

   Almost anyone can sense the mystic appeal of mountains and Nature. Mountains are, or transcribe in visible form, the lofty unknown. In principle accessible to humans, they are still a realm apart, purer than our daily world yet inhabited by awesome, elemental powers which may give life or kill. Knowledge comes from, or can be found in the mountains. In mountains dwell the uncomfortably potent spirits of the dead. Intuitions like these are the common heritage of humanity.

   For the past four years, Anna and I have been living in remote mountainous areas of Canada and now South Kerry. At first the reader would be quick to point out the differences of the Canadian wilderness and the vastness of Kerry. Sure we had two species of large bear walking through our front garden in Canada. But even here in Kerry there are areas where you can find yourself a long way from roads, houses and people.

   My entire life I have been drawn to the mountains and forests. As a child I would run through the three hundred foot trees totally unaware that there where deserts or subdivisions. In among the ferns and moss I would lay and stare up at the giants whose single foot would come down out of the sky and plant themselves for a place to rest my head.

   What is this attraction to the remote wilderness areas that draw tens of thousands of people out of the cities during bank holiday weekends? Why is it that once you find yourself in the coolness of a forest your restless thoughts and nervous energies quiet down into a solemn demeanor?

   Historically, most societies can find within their past a time when connection to Nature and the wilds was an integral part of their daily lives. Here in Ireland we can get a glimpse into the daily lives of the ancient Tuatha DaDannen and how deeply they were connected with the mountains and forests. Thousands of years later the early Christian Monastics also felt this passionate draw and placed their monasteries on remote isolated islands or on quiet mountain tops throughout Ireland. Visitors can still walk the path of these remote monks on the isle of Skellig Michael off the coast of Kerry.

   What were these monks looking for? Why is it that people find refreshment and regeneration in Nature? And the more important question is that if this feeling is worth traveling so far to find why would you live somewhere else?

   I have to be careful here. If everyone decided to leave Dublin and move into Kerry we would no longer have remoteness to experience. At the moment everyone in Kerry has an average of 70 acres per person to themselves. One has to quickly realise that half of our population is in three of our biggest towns. That leaves even more space for those of us living out of town.

   Living in remote areas of the world allows us to embrace Nature in more profound ways than we can in towns. From my bedroom in the morning the cacophony of bird song is almost defining. I like to hear the soft sounds of the wind in the trees. I can sit with my cup of tea and stare off into the vastness of the mountain ranges seen in four directions. Days can go by where I cannot hear a single airline. That has been a more common occurrence lately due to the graciousness of the Icelanders.

   Something happens to you when you spend a lot of time out of doors, in Nature or in the mountains. You slow down. You begin to see more things around you. There is a recent psychological diagnosis called “Nature Deficit Disorder.” People who grow up without access to natural surroundings start developing behavioral problems. The hypothesis is that people need to spend time in the wild outdoors. We have been spending ALL of our time outdoors for thousands of years up to just a couple generations ago.

   I think that it is this draw that is the catalyst for asceticism and reverence for Nature. Now go outside and play………