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phrase, such as “stay calm” or “God is good.” From decades of extreme rock climbing, I have
observed that when my breathing is shallow and tense, my muscles are also tense, and I waste
my energy by fighting one muscle against another. By consciously controlling my breathing
through forcing myself to breathe deeply, I can send a wave of energy and relaxation to my
arms and legs, helping me to overcome the debilitating effects of fear. From numerous survival
accounts, it is quite clear that a large percentage of survivors resorted to prayer, even if they
didn't believe in God. Praying, focusing on rhythmic deep breathing, or reciting a simple
“mantra” (a short, simple word or set of words) can help to calm the endless stream of tortuous
thoughts blazing through a tormented mind, returning your mind to some semblance of peace,
where it stands a chance of hearing the quiet voice of intuitional guidance or of making a de-
cent rational decision.
Conserve What You Have
The assumption that help will be along soon has been the downfall of many. Conservation in-
cludes body heat, dry clothing, water, food, fuel, medicine, and so on. Try to tap nature's re-
sources for food and water before using your own reserves. Seek shelter
before
you are cold
and wet. In survival situations people frequently underestimate the need for rest. Adrenaline
tells you to go, go, go, but the truth is that you need to take your time, conserve your strength,
energy, fluids, and warmth. Operate at about 60 percent capacity, if possible, and rehydrate reg-
ularly when water is available. If you are sweating at cold temperatures, you are probably
working too hard and will burn out quickly.
Be Realistic
Rambo types are often the first to go. Use a healthy mix of positive attitude and determination
to survive, tempered by realistic appraisal of pitfalls and dangers. When lost, don't panic.
Backtrack, if at all possible. On a number of occasions, I have salvaged a wrong turn in the
backcountry through backtracking (researchers have found that few people who got seriously
lost ever backtracked), and on other occasions when I found I had taken a wrong turn several
miles back, I calmly assessed the situation and sometimes altered my route based on where I
now found myself, even though it was not according to my original plan. Better to accept a
mistake, change plans and deal with it, than to plunge foolishly forward.
Use Your Intuition
