Mantra for the Trail
The Mountain Prayer: Why All Beings Means “All Life”
In the early morning light of the Aosta Valley, before the heat of the day settles into the pines, there is a moment of profound interconnectedness. You feel it in the way your breath synchronises with the gradient of the climb, and in the way the mountain seems to exhale as the mist lifts from the ridges.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the mantra we use to close our yoga practices: Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu.
It is a beautiful, ancient Sanskrit invocation that translates to: “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.”
At yoga • mountain • run, these aren't just words we chant on a mat; they are the blueprint for how this company is being built.
The Meaning of "All"
The power of this mantra lies in its lack of exclusion. When we say Samastah, all beings, it doesn't just refer to our fellow runners or the people we meet on the mountain. It encompasses all life on Earth. It includes the wildlife we share the trails with, the forests that provide our oxygen, and the sentient beings that often go overlooked in our global food systems.
If we truly wish for all beings to be "happy and free," we have to look closely at how our own choices impact that freedom. For me, that realisation made the plant-based element of yoga • mountain • run non-negotiable.
Compassion on the Plate
We cannot authentically stand on a mountain peak and pray for universal freedom while our lifestyle choices contribute to the suffering of other beings. By choosing a plant-based approach for our retreats, we align our "actions" with our "words."
Fuelling our runs with plants isn't just about performance or clean energy, though it provides both in abundance. It is a daily, tangible practice of Ahimsa (non-harming). It is our way of ensuring that the "nourishment" we talk about in our approach doesn't come at the cost of another's life. When we sit down to a shared meal at one of our retreat properties, that food is an extension of the mantra. It is a choice that supports the happiness and freedom of all beings.
From Mantra to Mission
For a long time, my relationship with running was centred on the self, not in a selfish way, but in a narrow one. Running was how I stayed in control, how I processed life, how I proved I was coping. It was personal, internal, almost private.
But the more time I spent in the mountains, the more I realised the trail wasn’t just helping me switch off, it was helping me come back. Back to my breath, back to what mattered, back to a simpler way of being. And I began to see it wasn’t only useful for me. It was something I wanted to share.
This is ultimately what led me to start this business.
I wanted to create a space that wasn't just a service, but a contribution. If the mantra asks how our life can contribute to the collective good, then my answer was to build a community. I wanted to help others step away from constant connectivity and the pressure to perform, guiding them into a space where they could feel that same sense of Sukhino, a deep-seated joy and a little more freedom from the suffering that is life.
Starting yoga • mountain • run was an act of moving from the "me" to the "we." It was a way to ensure that this business, my belief systems, and my mountain craft all vibrate at the same frequency.
An Invitation to the Collective
We don't go to the mountains to escape the world; we go to remember how to be in it. Whether we are navigating a technical ridge or enjoying a vibrant, plant-based meal, we are practicing the art of being "happy and free" together.
Next time you find yourself on a high balcony trail, let these words settle into your stride. Feel the connection between your feet and the earth, and remember that every choice we make on the trail and at the table is a chance to bless the world.