Thoughts about…

Holding Space

Holding space for something to happen, especially when the outcome is important to us, is challenging. None of us want to sit around and wait for life to happen to us. We don’t want to be reactionary. Instead, we want to be the initiator or the trendsetter. We want to make stuff happen. And we’re often willing to get it done at all costs because, again, the outcome is important to us.

Kirkwood XC on January 3, 2024. © Jared Manninen

I totally understand this mindset because I’ve been that person for much of my life, for better and worse.

For better because I’ve accomplished many cool things.

For worse because I’ve accomplished many cool things at the expense of relationships, great financial costs, or I accomplished them in a hurried fashion. In other words, I wasn’t really present in the moment because all I was focused on was reaching the end of the experience.

Looking south across Lake Tahoe from the Kaspian Recreation Area on January 7, 2024. © Jared Manninen

But a real master, regardless of the art in which they practice, knows how to hold space for that next step in the sequence of life to manifest naturally. Or, rather, for that next step to manifest as a result of the circumstances that preceded it whether they were established by the practitioner themselves or were already in motion (or a combination of the two).

View of Mount Tallac from Fallen Leaf Lake on January 12, 2024. © Jared Manninen

What I’m talking about is the silence between the notes. It’s the “quiet moves” on the chessboard. It’s letting that ribeye steak cook in the skillet (for three or four minutes per side) without poking, prodding, or pushing it around the entire time. It’s having the confidence and ability to maintain your position during a downhill turn through sketchy terrain, for example, long enough to reach a more favorable aspect for you to execute the next safest turn or maneuver.

Washoe Meadows State Park on January 13, 2024. © Jared Manninen

Mastery of anything requires this wisdom. That is, you need to understand that for the most part you can’t just rush life no matter how much you want something to happen right now.

There’s a natural process or sequence of events to everything. Certain things just won’t happen unless those preceding steps occur first, and in the correct order. But if we deny this process and expect to become masters after only one or two lessons, for example, life is going to be really be frustrating.

Admittedly, I’ve been frustrated a lot throughout my life for this very reason. In every endeavor that I’ve ever undertook there’s always come a time where I’ve felt that I’ve put in plenty of training hours, so why can’t I just be great at it now?

Osgood Swamp on January 15, 2024. © Jared Manninen

Well, getting really good at anything just takes a long time. And a big part of that experience requires us to become comfortable in those spaces in-between otherwise everything just collides together and all we’re left with is chaos and confusion. And sometimes I forget this lesson.

View of Mount Tallac from Angora Ridge on January 18, 2024. © Jared Manninen

But I was recently reminded of it while watching my friend, Dave, negotiate difficult terrain while cross-country skiing during a backcountry adventure (see below, Outdoor VLOG 69). Overall, he handled himself exceptionally well considering this is only his second season on skis. But I could feel his frustration whenever he tried to make something happen yet it didn’t go as planned. There were a number of times that I watched him and thought, “If only he could’ve just held that line or not try to force another turn he would’ve made it down just fine.” But this comes with experience and plenty of repetition.

And it’s a hard lesson to learn because, again, nobody wants to wait around for the thing to happen. We want to make it happen. I mean, look at me. I said I wasn’t going to write essays for an indefinite period of time. Yet here I am, filling up this space 🙂

View of Lake Tahoe from Kiva Beach on January 22, 2024. © Jared Manninen

Birds of Lake Tahoe

A small selection of birds that I found in January while logging species for the Tahoe Big Year. And just below this photo gallery is a video I published about my experience participating in the mid-winter Bald Eagle Count, which is a citizen science project that occurs every year.

Cross-country Ski Videos

Despite it being a low-snow year at Lake Tahoe, I still managed to publish a bunch of xc ski-related videos during January.

Thanks for being a part of my life. Until next time…

-Jared Manninen

Tahoe Trail Guide is an online resource for hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in the Lake Tahoe region. In addition to trail data, I offer backcountry “how-to” articles and information about the local and natural history of Tahoe. Tahoe Swag is a collection of art and design products I create based on my love of the outdoors and appreciation for Lake Tahoe and the surrounding Sierra Nevada Mountains.

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