We wanted to ask Asheville local, and known adventure seeker Shannon Rupert what makes her sweat. Whether she’s out playing ultimate frisbee, bellyaking the rivers that surround us or climbing to the peaks of the rock formations outdoors, to climbing indoors at Smokey Mountain Adventure Center, she’s always up to something. 
I know personally that she’s a powerfully strong woman who’s not afraid of testing her limits to see what her body and mind are capable of. Not only is she a powerhouse in the fitness world, but also an entrepreneur in the local business world. Working in homeopathy, cold lazer therapy, energy work, coaching and a plethora of other skills, her business, Open Space Innovations, is her offering to the world. A strong mind in fitness translates well into others aspects of life.
Shannon answer us this, “How do you Sweat”?
How do I sweat?
I have never been much of a sweater. It normally takes a lot of heat and endurance to start the perspiration running, but once it starts, it tends to be a steady, calm flow. I find that sweating happens when I really get into an activity, mind, body and soul. This happens much faster when all of me is pushed to engage, either due to competition, camaraderie, or just because of the pure joy of movement. A really hot day or a ridiculously hot yoga class are two extraneous situations that will make me sweat no matter what. These sweats tend to be uncomfortable and almost nauseating because there is no choice in the matter. My body is just forced to sweat, not my preference. I like to choose my sweat ride, if you will.
Either way, I find that when sweating occurs, I am pushed or pulled deeper into my body, which ultimately brings me deeper into the present. Then I start to breathe more deeply, acknowledge the flow and innate instinct of what I am doing, and ultimately I push myself to try harder, “be” harder, and to let go more deeply into my body. Maybe this letting go lets the sweat flow more easily or maybe all of this awareness creates more energy and therefore pushes me to sweat. I’m not sure which one comes first, but either way, I find that sweat is a sign that I am more deeply involved and committed to my experience.
The subtle flow of sweat reveals a lot about where I am at emotionally and mentally as well. For instance, when I am climbing a particularly hard climb, moving up the wall’s new challenge, I have to bring so much of my awareness to the moment instead of focusing on the fear of falling or messing up a move. This momentum often brings the sweat out in a nice wave. However, if I just try to punch my way up the wall, manhandling holds, sweat will instantly pop out in a rush that doesn’t feel all that great at first. A punchier sweat tends to show that I am moving towards the flow of the moment, but am pushing too hard, riding just above the experience. A slower, more steady sweat lets me know I am slowly easing my body into an experience and gradually dropping into the present in a more gentle manner. My body’s approach really determines how the sweat flows, how enjoyable my experience is, and how well I ultimately do on my climb. Sweat then becomes a signifier of not only how much I am trying, but also of how deeply I am in the flow.
In summation, I sweat with awareness, or lack thereof, and each instance really does determine how deeply I am in my body and how enjoyable my experience will be. Sweat is an integral external navigating system that directly reflects my internal well-being physically, emotionally, mentally and even spiritually.
