Sunday, April 12, 2009

The Spiritual Side of Fly Fishing

We figure with it being Easter Sunday and a beginning to a new adventure for us we would start writing specific parts of the therapeutic value of fly fishing and begin with what we as a company consider the biggest value in fly fishing: the spiritual strength that fly fishing can bring.

Spritual strength is something that is very important in creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Drawing on a higher power is something that many people throughout the world add to their daily, weekly, and monthly lives. Practicing a specific religion is one way that many use to increase their spirituality.

In the Christian world there are many stories about fishing. We read in Matthew 4:19 "And He saith unto them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Being a fisher of men means a lot of things to a lot of different people. Helping people understand the world and their relationships is fishing for men. It is most often a spiritual connection that creates the best relationships and furthers our understanding of the world around us.

The sport of fly fishing has a lot of spiritual meaning for many people. We have noticed over the years that most people consider fly fishing a quiet and contemplative experience. Gathering spiritual meaning in life can ofter occur on a stream with few others around. It takes more patience and detailed examination to figure out what fish are feeding on and then to take that patience and examination and look in a box of flies and match the natural feed to bring a fish to hand and then (for most of us) release the fish with gratitude back into the water. Thus it is with sprituality as well, we take a patient and detailed examination at our lives and match what "feeds" us and use that new "nourishment" to make the situation better than it was before.

So, during this Easter season we suggest you take a few minutes of your valuable time and build your spirituality in a new way. If this means you spend more time fly fishing all the better! Just remember that while you fish there are lessons to be learned.

May your cast be on and your line tight!