[pct-l] Fear

[bodhisattvavow at hotmail.com (Matt Bradley)]

    Thank you Jeff for your kind words.  Great job of unpacking the concepts
of fear related to routine.  I tend to speak very concisely and I forget
sometimes that my audience doesn't have the benefit of listening to the
dialogue in my head.
    In many ways hiking is like a meditation.  Thru-hiking especially so.
In eastern traditions, particularly Zen, the goal of meditation is to
simplify one's thoughts.  Zazen meditation is simply focusing on breathing.
I imagine that as one gets into the "flow" of a hike the mind begins to
clear and reality (without the hindering labels and perceptions that our
minds attatch to it) begins to shine through.
Peace and Love,
Matt