When I was young, 8 I think? I was at a summer camp way up in northern Ontario just across the bay from Manitoulin Island. Beautiful area with lots of islands popping up from the clear blue water.
We were on a 3 day out-trip to a group of islands called the Benjamin’s. On the way there is a sweet cliff that you can jump off. Just a bunch of kids having fun jumping into the water.
My out of body experience came when I jumped off the cliff, and on my swim back to the surface, I smashed head to head by one of the camp councilors who hadn’t seen me jump in.

It was such a strange feeling. It was like I could see myself just floating there under water, not knowing which way was up. I wasn’t seeing it through my eyes though, it was like it was through the eyes of someone else who might have been under water watching me. Everything was eerily calm for what seemed like 10 minutes.
Then all of a sudden it was like I was in a tunnel with a bright light at the end, and I felt my brain kick in and say SWIM TOWARDS THAT LIGHT!!! So I did, and finally broke the surface.

Intense. I had a concussion.

Though the experience was interesting, I don’t recommend trying to achieve an out of body experience by cranking your head against someone who weights twice as much as you.

I much prefer the meditation method. Though I’ve only reached that out of body feeling once, and it wasn’t quite the same, (not as close to death), it was a very cool feeling.

It is not easy. You will have to have complete control over your thoughts, while simultaneously letting them be free.

I find the best time to try is as you’re going to sleep.

Here are some preparation steps:

1. Get comfortable.
Lay on your back, roll your shoulders back so that your shoulder blades are supporting you. Arms by your side, palms facing up. relax your jaw, and begin to feel yourself breath. Try and take your breathes into your stomach first. Fill your chest from the bottom up on the inhale, stomach, bottom of your lungs, then top of your lungs. Feel your chest rise up and out. Then reverse it for the exhale. Top of you lungs, middle, stomach. Focus on the pauses between breathes.

When you’re calm…

2. Take 3 deep breathes.
Try and focus only on the air coming into your lungs. Try and feel the oxygen being pumped to your finger tips and toes. Feel the air fill your lungs. Pause, then feel it rushing out of your mouth.
With each of the 3 breathes try and feel your body sinking further and further into relaxation.
Sometimes it helps me to repeat a simple saying in my head, like saying “in…….out……..in…….out…” as I breath.

3. Release you mind-body connection.
The hardest part as you start getting into meditation is to conquer your body telling you that it’s uncomfortable. You will start feeling your entire body, and if you have an itch, it will try and get your mind to address it by moving to scratch it. DO NOT ALLOW THIS. The feeling will pass. If you feel a signal like this from your body, recognize it for what it is and remind yourself that it will pass and just strengthen your focus on your breathing.

4. Open your mind.
Be the air in your lungs, that is your energy. Flow that energy in and out of your body. Let your mind let go of everything and be power by that flow of air.

If you successfully get to this point without falling asleep, you will feel amazing, and you may even get to that out of body place. It’s hard to reach, but like anything, if you practice and focus, you will get better every time you do it.

As the title alludes, your third week of planting will be the biggest hurdle of your rookie season. The infamous third cycle is known throughout the planting world, and is marked by a peak in bitching, whining, and usually quitting. The reason, which is often overlooked by quitting rookies, is that the third week is not only when you peak in physical pain, but also in mental suffering as you battle up the learning curve. Your body has been adjusting for 3 weeks, and is just getting to the point where you will start to develop your bush legs, but not quite. Be patient. Take it from someone who’s been there, the rest day at the end of the third cycle will be the tipping point in your planting career. If you can make it to the 4th cycle, you will most likely finish the season. You will also be reaching the gradual plateau of a learning curve with a steep beginning, but slowly climbing tail.

My advice to you is to recognize that this will be your toughest week. Recognize that the pain, and mental frustration that you are experiencing this week will pass, and if you can conquer this, the most difficult of cycles, the rest of your season will be easy. The money will come, your crew will bond, and you will become a person you’ve never known before.

That’s right, it is time to start thinking about planting (as if it hasn’t crossed your mind at least once daily…). Assuming that you all included the resolution of cashing in on what is looking like a very lucrative 2008 season, there will be a few things that you’ll want to get in order before May 1st.

First: Fitness should be high on the list of things your prepare before you enter the bush. 4 months may seem like a long time, but work that you put in now will pay off later in the season as your body will be more used to daily abuse. Plus all this holiday eating and partying I’m sure has made all of us a little less “streamlined”, if you catch my drift…. I know I’ve said before that physicality will become less important to mentality in this game, but being fit will only help you.

And on that mentaliy note, we will segue.

Second: It’s time to start thinking about what your game face is going to look like. You need to start thinking hard about where your motivation to keep planting is going to come from. You are about to venture on probably the biggest emotional roller-coaster you’ve ever experienced. Your mind will be given vast amounts of open space to wander as it sees fit, and it will take full advantage, unless you tighten the reigns every once in a while and get it on the “plant harder” path. That being said, everyone has their own method of motivation. Some people thrive on the competition, and I know a few people who have already started trash talking. Whatever method you choose, give it some though now and get yourself focused.

Last but not least: Gear. This is going to need a full post…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS2qaN9fLq8]

The captions are hilarious.

If you are going to be working for me as a tree planter, there are some things you need to know about me and my management style. I am a lead by example kind of guy. If you know me, you know I work hard, and it is my promise to you as my crew that I will work as hard as I can to ensure that you are always in a position to make the most money you can. As a foreman, I get paid based on how productive you are as a crew. Basically, the more money you make, the more money I make… and to be honest, I want to make lots money this season. Therefor, I will be pushing you everyday to work towards the potential that only tree planting will bring out in you. I hope to push you to reach and surpass limits you never knew you had, you may at times hate me, thats OK, your bank account however will thank me.

All that being said, tree planting is not a job for everyone. It is consistently ranked as one of the hardest jobs in Canada for a reason, it is hard work! You will on a daily basis have to overcome physical and mental stress that, if you are a rookie, you have never experienced before. As a student of psychology, I have learned ad nauseum that everyone is motivated by different things. As a veteran highballer, I can tell you that if making money is not your prime motivation for going planter, perhaps you should consider another summer job. The good times and great experiences that you hear planters talking about are usually had by those who are pounding every day and making tons of cash. DO NOT GO PLANTING FOR THE EXPERIENCE… come for the money, and the experience will take care of itself.