Running. Not my favorite thing, yet something I’ve found is necessary to my overall well-being.
I’m not built like a runner. At 6′ and 220 pounds, I am built to run through things, not to things. Add to that the fact that running bores the crap out of me and it soon becomes evident that nothing about the activity excites me.
Yet, I’ve found a way to run that makes me feel wonderful. I’ve given up the asphalt and the well-groomed tracks for the wild ways of the trail. There is something about running on a still-wild path that is littered with rocks, boulders, and the whims of nature that brings a smile to my face. When faced with a steep incline I can feel a growl inside me that pushes me upward. It’s all so very…
Primal.
Yes, that’s the word. Primal. It feels as if a voice inside me is screaming for joy as I run through the wild woods of a mountain. Perhaps there is some memory of my warrior self surviving in tougher times when survival was only guaranteed by strength, intelligence and a bit of good fortune. Maybe I have some residual energy of a primitive man who was both self-reliant and dependent on his tribe to survive. Whatever it may be, it certainly speaks to me in the joy and passion I feel when I am on a trail, fully exposed to both the elements and the whims of nature, again wholly dependent on my strength, intelligence, and good fortune for survival.
I have learned a bit about what is missing from my American lifestyle as it relates to my primal voice. I prefer a small tribe versus a large society, likely because the society I live in has become distorted by the illusions it has created. I prefer a tougher road to survival, but believe what has been missing has been my ability to depend on those in my small circle, to share both the triumphs and burdens of living in this place. Just like my ancestors did before history was created. Before men decided to write things down.
I feel so comfortable in the primal space I’ve discovered. That doesn’t mean that I want to hunt elk with a spear or wear buffalo skins in the cold of winter (although, to be honest, both appeal to me highly). What it means is that I enjoy those moments of self-reliance coupled with a burgeoning need for that small circle of humans I’ll call my tribe. Each member of that tribe brings something to the spaces we share, and if we each use the gifts we are, the tribe becomes strong, determined and free. None of us have to give up our individualism, or our strengths, to be part of the tribe. We just depend on each other to make life that much better, safer, and sustainable.
I’ve been reading a lot on the Paleo Diet as an excellent way to fuel our bodies. What I don’t hear much about is how that same mentality can be used to provide for a happier life. How can we simplify, each to our own limit, to rid ourselves of the need for things unnecessary to our survival? If the Paleo Diet is meant to simplify our eating to things that fuel our bodies in a healthy manner, cannot a lifestyle reminiscent of that era fuel our happiness also in a healthy manner?
Again, I’m not talking about using spears and loincloths. I’m talking about ridding ourselves of unnecessary burdens (not running on the road) and finding a lifestyle that promotes happiness through simplicity, and truth through a combination of self-reliance and a small, dependable tribe (primal running)?
Some of us are strong hunters, but not so strong gatherers. Some of us are great gatherers, but not very good at hunting. A tribe caters to both the strengths and weaknesses of the individual, whether that tribe consists of two or hundreds.
I plan to do more pondering of this Paleo lifestyle as a complete lifestyle, one that supplies my body with the mental, physical and spiritual fuel it needs to live this life to the fullest.
Very insightful indeed. Thought provoking.
Please share what you come up with!