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PrAna is a company whose ideology can be found in the simple phrase “Born from the Experience”. Those few words pack a powerful punch. The first time I read it, it made me deeply reflect on where my passion for skiing began. Where was the skier in me born? The answer was actually quite easy. I still remember the day as if it just happened…

I was in Idaho and had just ditched another day of school to go play in the mountains. At the time, I was struggling. The mix of adolescent insecurity, high school, and repetitive days spent behind gray cement walls being lectured, was more than enough incentive to escape. Skiing was just that, the perfect escape. Here there was no judgment, no rules, just you, your skis, and mother earth. As I drove in to the sunrise leaving my school behind me, the immediate release of stress was just the start to a perfect day. After an hour winding through the canyon that follows the gorgeous Payette River, I burst in to the snow covered valley nestled in the comforting arms of the mountains.

…Freedom…

I parked my car at the base of Tamarack, got all my gear on, rode the chairlift to the top and wandered as far as I could off the summit. I found a patch of snow that led in to some trees, and was quickly submerged into a labyrinth of pines. After a few good branches in the face and a mouthful of sap, I broke through the woods and was greeted by a site that I will truly never forget. The perfect patch of fresh, untracked snow twinkling in the light stood before me. It overlooked frozen Lake Cascade surrounded by billowing clouds. A golden haze from the sun making its way down the horizon warmed the sky and my heart. My legs became weak. I fell over in the snow in complete amazement. I couldn’t describe the feeling taking over. My mouth began to tremble. I started to fight back tears. I felt an overwhelming sensation where emotions can’t even begin to grasp the energy surging through your soul, heart, and mind. This was it, I was in love. This is what I was going to live for. Every breath would be dedicated to discover moments like these. To feel this ecstasy every second I could. My body and mind fell in to a calm sense of peace. I was connected to everything around me and within me. I was born.

I feel many of us have had this type of experience. The moment when you realize you found something that will be with you for your entirety. That’s what really attracted me to prAna. This company’s roots dig deep in to the love a few people had for the outdoors, climbing and yoga. They had found a passion they were going to pursue wholeheartedly and formed a brand that would genuinely reflect that. They began making unique garments tailored specifically for their lifestyle and embraced people like Chris Sharma to help fine tune it. Not only did they create this amazing line of clothing, but the company itself brought their principles of sustainability and wellness to the forefront of the industry. This otherwise underground movement was now available for everyone to witness and contribute to.

That’s probably the biggest impact prAna has had on my life as a skier and as a human being. The ski industry is easy to get caught up in. There are tons of different brands with different outlooks on the sport. Many which I would consider different from why I chose to do this. Even though prAna is primarily a climbing and yoga based companies, its outlook on our world is pure, addicting, and can be relative to any lifestyle. To have someone like them supporting me makes me strive to be the athlete I truly want to be. One who takes care of their body, mind and stops to look and take in their surroundings. Who respects Mother Nature and cherishes every moment we’ve been given. One who seeks out new places, adventures and is fully connected to our world around us and looks through open eyes. But most importantly, one who loves those around us and loves him or herself. These are simple but powerful ideologies we need to remember. And to have companies like prAna remind us of these core beliefs is truly a gift in this world.

So as you go on with your day, ask yourself, “What experience created me? When was I truly born? And how can I continue to share this blessing with myself and the world around me?”

Prana is a subtle invisible force.

It is the life-force that pervades the body.

It is the factor that connects the body and the mind,

because it is connected on one side with the body and on the other side with the mind.

It is the connecting link between the body and the mind.

The body and the mind have no direct connection.

They are connected through Prana only.

~Swami Chidananda Saraswati

~Kalen Thorien, Professional Skier

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A pack of 10 wolves was caught on film traveling in Northeastern Oregon. Once extinct in the region, wolves were re-introduced to Central Idaho and Yellowstone National Park in 1994. A few stragglers have ventured into Oregon since then, but this is the first time a full pack has been confirmed. It’s exciting to see wolves back in the Beaver State!