Dirty Inspirations

Like any intriguing and epic project, our cast of characters for Expedition Bhutan has changed up and grown, at once. And we’re not done expanding as of yet.

Melina Lillios will be joining on the front end of our Expedition to support the folks who will be joining our expedition as support! Thanks Melina – your expertise and help in country is invaluable.

James Fitzgerald, with Bhutan Ventures, has been working with Expedition Bhutan since before it was Expedition Bhutan. In fact he is the reason that I was able to germinate this seed of an idea to begin with! James does business in Bhutan and introduced me to the dignitaries there that we are partnering with for this project. James remains invaluable to our vision and mission.

High Gear, Cafe Bhutan and the Bhutan Olympic Committee are also partners of our project and this list is growing daily.

We’ve brought on a new team mate for the expedition—David Kelly will be joining us for this unique adventure of a lifetime. I’ve known David through all the nooks and crannies of our lives with depth enough that I’m fairly certain we knew each other in a past life .  Its as endearing as it can be disconcerting that he often answers my questions before I speak (though this can come in handy when in a risky predicament). David is as adaptable and adventurous as he is intelligent, which makes him one of the coolest people, to do cool things, in cool places with. And as a human who is as comfortable in the silence as he is verbally pondering the between the lines intricacies of ‘why’, at high philosophical decibels, I’m psyched to be perusing the massive elevation gains and losses of Bhutan with him.

With big fits and starts we are still formulating our film team and will keep you posted on that as well as the final on our route. There is much more to share but I will be brief today with the promise of more to come.

Send your friends to our Facebook page to Like us, stay in touch on what you are up to in adventure and we’ll do the same.  I’ll be back at you soon with more details.

For more detailed info go to www.expeditionbhutan.com!

Terri

As with any huge project we take on, its human to now and then lose sight of the initial intention of our undertaking when the details, tasks and challenges pull us in different directions. Having recently experienced challenges in organizing Expedition Bhutan, I am using Easter to remind myself of why we are doing this amazing journey in the first place (no particular correlation).

Updates (all in the past week):

Sponsor Support Options: We are quite excited to very soon offer you a stake as Sponsor Support of Expedition Bhutan with one of the perks being a trip to visit this magical country.

New Teammate: We have also acquired a new teammate in the past week. I’ll be introducing him as soon as we can get information up on our website.

Film Team Update: We have had some rich and soulful conversations with a potential film maker/director for our project. I am beyond excited about this person coming on board to offer you a unique view into a journey of a lifetime. Again, I’ll offer more info as soon as we are final on this possibility.

As an athlete I know that to grow and expand is to place ourselves in the way of challenge regularly. One of the means I’ve always coped with that difficulty is with laughter. When the course or our failed body breaks us down, touching on our humility with a strong dose of laughter offers a needed reality check.

The process and results of continued tests are what help us refine our skills—if we find a means to stay in the game. I have been continually tested as a leader of our Expedition as of late. That is so cool. Intellectually I know how to execute. Emotionally I am regularly challenged. I’ve been laughing quite a bit and as of today the results are fabulous.

One way I’ve hooked into ‘fabulousness’ is to re-check in with the foundational intention of our project. This incredible adventure was birthed from an ideal of combining adventure in a challenging and stunning landscape, with a peek into the soul of a culture—and perhaps our own. To reflect on this, we could use David Kelly’s 3 part intention of:

Doing cool things in cool places with cool people.

Or, use a thought that came to mind last night:

To be the cause in inspiring others to happiness…. through a soulful adventure.

Or something like that.

In any case, the play button is reset and we are in motion moving into May preparation. I’ll be back at you soon with more details.

Terri

I’ve become increasingly obsessed with Expedition Bhutan planning. The long hours of computer work, research, reading, emails and lengthy conference calls seem to feed my passion for this unique project and country. I realized while lying in bed last night negotiating too many spinning thoughts, that besides writing a book, researching and writing my thesis, and being a professional triathlete (ok I guess those are pretty big ‘besides’) – this could be the biggest project I’ve taken on to date. I couldn’t be more pleased. I’m at my best under pressure and when I immerse myself in creativity in an expansive way – trying to birth something soulful from nothing. And yet there is never nothing to start with is there? Because passion is a pretty huge ‘something’

But the main theme that keeps surfacing for me on this project is the requirement of partnerships, teams and connections. I tend to fly like a lone wolf in most I do but also believe that we are interdependent beings (yes, an oxymoron). So this project requires my in depth work with others and I am challenged and enriched by that requirement.

Here’s a brief update on the more recent ‘somethings’ happening with Expedition Bhutan:

• EXPEDITION ROUTE: After extensive research we completed our Route Option 1 (its current name) and have submitted it to our partners in Bhutan for approval. In short – this country will be awesomely challenging to meaderingly-traverse. We are asking to move through 4 major areas where non-Bhutanese aren’t allowed to go, so we are keeping our fingers crossed we’ll get approval. Once we have a route finalized (at least until we get there and need to change it up again we’ll detail it for you on the Bhutan map on our website so you can check it out. Thus far Route Option 1 involves LOTS of trekking and mountain biking and a little bit of rafting or kayaking (and a serious amount of elevation gain and loss).
• YOU CAN JOIN!: Due to significant interest in our expedition we’ve
  

  Views from the Jhomalhari Trek

  decided to offer supporters of Expedition Bhutan an opportunity to travel to Bhutan and be part of our expedition for a short bit on the front end (western Bhutan). Join us! One support option will include our initial 9-day trek on the Jhomalhari route plus a few extra touring days in country – while 2 other support options involve 6-days in country trekking or touring as well as spending time with the Team on either the front end or back end of our Jhomalhari Trek. We are finalizing this info for you now! If you are interested in being on the email list to get that info first hand send me your email address – terri@terrischneider.net and I can send you info as soon as its up on our site (participation will be limited).

• OUR FILM: Though our ideas and thoughts are rich on our vision of a film, we have no idea how to go about creating this in such a rare and unique venture! So we’ve been up to what any self respecting seeker would do – we’ve been talking to a lot of people and gathering info and experts. Thus far we have an award winning camera man on board and some really solid additional contacts. On many levels this expedition feels like coming full circle in my life as an extreme athlete, a thinker and a seeker. Joining physical duress and adventure in one of the ripest geographical, cultural and spiritual backdrops on the planet is rich ground indeed for some substantive sharing via film. My vision of a potential film is very clear – we are looking for the right herd of people to produce such a vision.

Note: if you have anyone in mind for film work or info on such things please contact us with your thoughts!

• THE RACE: Our partners in Bhutan have commissioned us to create a race for them in Fall of 2012. They want to support their vision of Bhutan as a place to experience extreme sports. So we are working on that as well! Right now its looking like a 4-day running stage race (with a shortened hiking option). Details will not be forthcoming for a while but if you are interested in staying in touch with this option, send me your email address and I’ll keep you posted! (terri@terrischneider.net)

Whew!

We’d love to hear from you on the above if you have any ideas or support options. Join our Facebook page and tell your friends. I’ll be back at you soon.

Terri

There is a small part of me that wishes I could just show up to an extended expedition or event and just do it. Forget the reading, internet searching, extensive phone calls, team collaborating, info gathering, gear reviewing, and training and just touch down in some foreign land and have at it. But besides the fact that Bhutan doesn’t allow foreigners to do this sort of spontaneous traipsing about their country, the bigger part of me fully savors the planning hunt.

Terri's Planning Hunt

I am a planner and one of the most curious people I know. So the act of collecting newinformation about all kinds of topics and places that I find fascinating, repeatedly satisfies my inquisitive nature. Thus far and without an end in sight, Expedition Bhutan planning has offered me a steady curiosity fix—a big dose of planning high. And at this point in the game there is no end in sight. Oh yeah….

Because I’ve been asked by some what is actually required to do a trip of the sort we are planning and because some of you might might be planning your own big project, I thought I’d share a bit about what our Team has been up to to put this expedition together.

To accomplish(ed) all of the below thus far my team has conference calls about every 10 days and in addition I am in contact with individual teammates as needed.

• Multiple calls to invite and solidify the team. We are in CA, CO, NV and DC.
• Multiple team calls to formulate our mission.
• Website writing and creation.
• Initiate Facebook wall.
• Ongoing research about all aspects of the country in general via print, internet and other humans.
• Ongoing research about Gross National Happiness via print, internet and other humans.
• Multiple and ongoing emails and calls with our US liaison to to Bhutan.
• Multiple and ongoing emails with our contact at Bhutan Olympic Committee.
• Create gear list for trip. (hike, camp, bike, raft, media)
• Create sponsor proposal, send out, follow up. Follow up again. Send out more. Repeat.
• Partner with internet site to host our expedition real time (still working on).
• Hours of research and multiple meetings of route planning: perusing maps, geography, festivals, integration of additional meetings and activities into physical route.
• Propose Route Plan A to Bhutan for approval.
• Work with in-country expedition team on logistics.
• Research the event that Bhutan Olympic Committee wants us to host for them in Bhutan in 2012. (much more on that later)
• Interview for and acquire film making team (film, sound, creative).
• Work with film team on story boarding and overall media logistics.
• Ongoing planning for gear and execution of uploading our trip real time.
• Acquire PR person to promote pre-expedition to generate more interest.
• Write regular blog posts to let people know what we are up to because we and they are psyched!!!!

I hope this list was helpful for you in planning your next big project. If I forgot anything let me know and I’ll put it on my to-do list…

Back at you soon,

Terri

Mindfulness is being attentive to and aware of the present moment. As westerners we may hear the word ‘mindfulness’ and conjure up images of candles or incense burning by chanting monks in maroon robes. Though mindfulness is the basis for the teaching of meditation in Buddhism it is not solely a religious concept but rather a means to a focused, aware and powerful mind in everything we do. Even the most learned Buddhist teacher will tell you that one need not study the dharma to realize the immense value gained from regular mindfulness practice.

Research has shown that training mindfulness can offer a variety of outcomes toward well being on many levels. In fact many practitioners of western psychology use mindfulness to aid in alleviating a variety of mental and physical disorders. And since concentration, laser focus and a clear mind are key components to peak athletic performances, sport psychologists regularly use a variety of methods to generate attentive focus for athletes—they just traditionally call it something besides mindfulness.

With consistent mindful training athletes can improve focus, heighten mental clarity and therefore improve efficiency and safety when we train and race. Mindfulness training helps us negotiate stress under pressure while increasing our ability to adapt to change—we can learn to respond rather than react. In all this we strengthen our confidence while generating a quiet, powerful mind.

Any elite endurance athlete will tell you that the ultimate satisfaction in their sport comes during that rare race or training session when the world drops away around them and the mental effort exude is nil. Some happen upon these experiences because they are aware enough, and they’ve put in just enough hours training or have spent just enough money on races that the odds are they’ll hit the jackpot at some point. But consistent satisfying experiences will come more easily if we train our minds to be present and focused. If we want to run faster we have to train our speed. If we want to run faster consistently while truly savoring each effort and experience—we have to train our mind.

My experiences as an athlete in this process have been memorable and life changing and as a coach and consultant I want you to experience them too! I

Meditation and yoga pavilion at Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel, CA

consult with athletes regularly on their mental training processes and am over-the-top excited to be offering Mindful Running: Trail Running, Meditation and Yoga Retreat this September. Launch your running (and your mind!) with a unique retreat experience in the ultimate peaceful setting.

I’ll be chatting more on this topic on my blog so stay tuned. I’d love to hear about your experiences with mindful training, meditation or other techniques that have enhanced your racing experiences. Do share!

Back at you,

Terri

Check out our website at www.expeditionbhutan.com!

As I mentioned in my last post, during the reign of the 4th King laws and policy were developed that were consistent with this concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH). King Jigme Singye Wangchuck believed that legitimate public deliberation, discussion and opinion should be used to define any goal and should filter through a democracy based on a GNH Index. This would then support enlightened citizenship. Today the new King Khesar is on board with his father, and GNH in Bhutan lives on.

This 5th King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck proclaimed at his 2008 coronation that continuing to fulfill the vision of the Gross National Happiness Index will be one of his main responsibilities. King Khesar underscored that implementing GNH is an investment in an “enlightened society in which the happiness and well-being of all people and sentient beings is the ultimate purpose of governance”. But to understand even the essence of the GNH Index one must first glance at several aspects of the dominate Gross Domestic Product.

For example, across the world conventional indicators related to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reflect the tangible output of a society— consumption and production. It can easily be argued, and it is readily pointed out by the Bhutanese, that GDP is biased against conservation. If GDP indicators measure progress based on rapid material growth, then GDP is prioritized at the expense of environmental preservation, and the Bhutanese believe, at the expense of cultures and community cohesion as well.

Because even that one reflection of GDP vs. GNH is an elephant sized bite to chew on (as is the document in which GNH lives), we’ll be dipping into the Gross National Happiness Index bit by bit to gain an understanding of its meaning and subsequent metric as a reflection of GDP.

In the meantime enjoy the below video created by The Simple Show explaining GNH… simply.

Join our Facebook page to continue exploring Gross National Happiness in Bhutan, while sharing the prep for our expedition. Upcoming posts will include work on our expedition route, as well as interviews with an American who does business in Bhutan and an interview with the head of the Bhutan Olympic Committee. Join our and invite your friends! We’d love to hear from you.

Back at you soon, Terri

Gross National Happiness by The Simple Show

During an(other) era of—rule-at-all-cost-even-if-your-people-are-really-pissed-off-at-you—the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan not only abdicated his throne to his eldest son in 2006, but he declared that his country would hold its first democratic elections. During the last of 30 years of ruling his nation under the premise of Gross National Happiness and traditional Buddhist beliefs, Jigme Singye Wangchuck at age 50, gave up his throne while sending every household a new draft constitution. In 2008 he gave up power to offer his people more.

Including signifying impeachment options to the people, the Constitution of Bhutan “is based on Buddhist philosophy, international Conventions on Human Rights, comparative analysis of 20 other modern constitutions, public opinion, and existing laws, authorities, and precedents.”

Their government is now considered a Constitutional Democratic Monarchy in which a monarch acts as head of state and rules within the parameters of a constitution. In contrast to an absolute monarchy where the monarch rules, or an absolute democracy where the people ‘rule’, this new constitution takes away one-person dominance while offering the country a power-hybrid. In an unprecedented move while in the shadow of a power-hungry world, King Wangchuck volunteered this new regime.

Pico Iyer calls this a ‘quiet revolution’ when stating in an April, 2006 issue of Time Magazine, “If most politicians are inherently suspect because they seem so eager to grab power and so reluctant to surrender it, what does one make of a leader who voluntarily gives up his position, as if placing his people’s needs before his own?” We’d like to find out. Have you had any experience or opinions on this new government in Bhutan? Let us know!

Join our expedition in exploring Gross National Happiness in Bhutan. Join our Facebook page and invite your friends. We’d love to hear from you.

Back at you soon,

Terri

In 1972 the new King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck stated to the world that a nations success should not lie in its Gross National Product (GNP) but rather, ‘Gross National Happiness’ (GNH). At 17 years old and well before the west started examining the concept of ‘positive psychology’, this was a bold yet comfortable declaration for the youngest ruler in the world at the time. He recognized that the rich are not always happy and often those who are poor and happy tend to declare themselves quite rich. The King’s statement signaled his commitment to building a modern yet unique culture based on Buddhist values—the ideal of Gross National Happiness reigned.

GNH was developed and expanded by Bhutan to measure quality of life or social progress in more psychological (or intangible) terms than GNP. Buddhist teachings state that we live in a mentally conditioned universe. What primarily shapes our experiences is of the mind; what we think, how we feel, what we cultivate in our heads. So if one’s primary focus is to generate well being in life, wouldn’t it make sense to start with our essence—with our mental well being?

Wangchuck remained steadfast in generating decisions and changes for his country based on a means developed to measure GNH. He went on to rule for 30 years with GNH as his countries underlying essence (before he recently abdicated the throne for unique reasons). But the essence of a concept in action is only as solid as subsequent results. The tiny country of Bhutan has generated enough tangibles to gain attention in over 40 countries who have embraced GNH, as well as the US who named Wangchuck to, ‘Time magazine’s 100 People Who Shape Our World in 2006’.

This post just barely puts to throne such a vast and fascinating topic! In upcoming posts we’ll discuss how Bhutan has developed a means to measure GNH, as well as how Wangchuck ruled his country with GNH as its foundation. Stay tuned!

In the meantime we want to hear from you; Have you lived or experienced a country who promotes a measurement system for GNH? Do you have any ideas on how you could measure Gross National Happiness in your daily life?

Check out our website www.expeditionbhutan.com and join our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/expeditionbhutan.

We’d love to hear from you!

Back at you soon,

Terri

I’m super psyched to be supporting a few more trail experiences for you this year and I wanted to share!

Trail Races: Dirt Inspires Womens Trail Half Marathon is back on August 28th for its 3rd year running. With so many of you sharing your incredible experiences at this event we decided to expand the trail love a bit and offer another event – Dirt Inspires Womens Trail 4 & 8 Milers on May 22. This shorter event is designed as a lead in to the Half in August and will be staged in the stunning Big Basin State Park. For info on these events and more check out our site www.ditrailruns.com. Get Dirty and Get Inspired!

Trail Retreat: For quite a while I’ve conceptualized another weekend of trail nirvana—and it has finally come to fruition. Mindful Running: Trail Running, Meditation and Yoga Retreat is set for our lovely fall time and in a perfect location. This retreat will start Friday, 4:00 PM, September 16 and run through Sunday, 2:00 PM September 18, at Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, CA.

This is an opportunity to launch your running with a unique retreat experience in the ultimate peaceful setting. Stay at the retreat site for a complete experience!

We’ll combine mindful and guided meditation practices and yoga, and bring those practices to into our running, on some of the most pristine trails in Northern California. This retreat is designed to send your running (and your mind!) to the next level.

Though this retreat will take place at a Buddhist retreat center, this is NOT a Buddhist retreat. The location was chosen for its relaxing meditation and yoga spaces and remote running trails on a stunning property nestled in the coastal redwoods of Northern California—the perfect venue to create exciting breakthroughs in your running state-of-mind. For more information on this Trail Bliss option check out this link http://terrischneider.net/clinics/html/running.html

Expedition Bhutan: If you haven’t already check out our site for Expedition Bhutan – www.expeditionbhutan.com and join us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/expeditionbhutan – I’ll be offering regular updates on our planning process.

Thanks to all of you for sending well wishes after Gryphon’s passing. Your intensions have been hugely appreciated. Gryphon still hangs with me in the woods as I’ve been leaving his toys and ashes along the trail. Don’t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of him out there

Best,

Terri