A Sacred View of the Mountain
Walking along trails, climbing peaks or crossing valleys is not just an outer adventure, but a journey inward. The mountain strips us of what is unnecessary and invites us to listen to the voice that the noise of everyday life often silences: the voice of conscience.
The C.I.M.A.S. Project is born from this perspective: to live the mountain as a metaphor for the human path. Each ascent is a process of elevation, of learning, and of returning to essence. But this path only makes sense when it is walked with deep respect for life, for oneself, for others, and for the environment that welcomes us.
We believe the mountain is not to be conquered?it is to be honoured. And that preparing for an expedition is not only about checking gear, but also observing our inner state.
This project is a call to those who know that true adventure begins when the body, the mind, the heart, and the spirit walk together. To those who understand that every step can be an act of consciousness, and every glance at the landscape, an opportunity to remember that we are part of something greater.
Here begins your most important journey:
to walk the mountain with awareness, respect, and a spirit of service.
What does C.I.M.A.S. mean?
Behind every word there is an intention, and behind every intention, a path.C.I.M.A.S. is not just a name, it is the synthesis of a life philosophy applied to the mountain and, by extension, to life itself.
Each letter represents a fundamental pillar to experience nature, adventure, and life itself with fullness, awareness, and respect:
Conscience
It is the starting point and the destination. Conscience is the act of awakening, of being present in every decision, in every step, in every breath. It is understanding that the mountain requires us to be alert not only to the terrain but also to our inner world. Being aware is recognizing our smallness in the face of nature?s greatness, and at the same time, our infinite capacity to grow spiritually when we walk with humility and clarity.
Initiation
Every expedition is a ceremony. The mountain becomes a space where men and women can live initiation processes, personal breakthroughs, and connection with the sacred. To initiate is to cross boundaries?not only physical?but to transcend fears, ego, and automatisms in order to be reborn with a renewed perspective. The outer ascent reflects the inner ascent.
Mountain
It is not just a setting: it is a teacher, a temple, a mirror. The mountain tests us, inspires us, and brings us back to what is essential. Here, nature speaks an ancient language that can only be understood through silence and deep listening. To honour the mountain is to respect its rhythms, its dangers, its beauty, and its mystery.
Adventure
The adventurous spirit is the one that opens to the unknown with courage and joy. But true adventure is not recklessness?it is the willingness to live each experience as an opportunity for growth. It is knowing that beyond the destination, it is the path that transforms. Adventure is synonymous with discovery?of the world and of oneself.
Safety
Far from being just a list of rules, safety is an expression of consciousness and love for life. Preparing well, knowing our limits, and respecting the conditions of the environment is a spiritual act of responsibility. Safety does not stop adventure?it makes it sustainable, allowing every experience to be lived fully, with the possibility of always returning, both physically and inwardly.
At C.I.M.A.S., we integrate these five principles to offer a guide that goes beyond technique and gear.
We propose a way of being in the mountains, where body, mind, heart, and spirit walk together towards both outer and inner summits.
Because reaching a summit is not about planting a flag, but about elevating your own consciousness.
Contact UsMission
To inspire and support those who venture into the mountains so they can experience each adventure as an opportunity for integral growth.We promote safety not only as technique but as an act of love and awareness, offering resources that integrate body, emotions, mind, and spirit.
Vision
We dream of a conscious mountain culture, where every step is taken with respect, preparation, and deep connection.We want C.I.M.A.S. to be a point of reference for those who see the mountain as a path of initiation, where safety is an expression of inner wisdom.
Objectives
- To raise awareness of the importance of integral preparation before entering nature.
- To reduce accidents and the need for rescues through education, sharing of good practices, and promotion of personal responsibility.
- To provide both practical and spiritual tools to face external and internal challenges during an expedition.
- To create a community of mountaineers who share this holistic view, encouraging mutual support and selfless service.
- To establish alliances with organisations, clubs, and conscious creators to spread this message.
- To integrate the connection with nature as a way to enrich not only the mountain experience, but also personal, family, and social life.
- To honour the mountain by promoting respect for the environment, sustainability, and minimal impact on every outing.
For us, each objective is another step toward a shift in paradigm: from mountaineering as conquest to mountaineering as consciousness.
Sources of Inspiration
Every path needs a compass.The C.I.M.A.S. project was not born only from a personal experience in the mountains, but also from the deep imprint of Masters who dedicated their lives to the integral education of the human being.
The teachings of Serge Raynaud de la Ferričre and José Manuel Estrada Vázquez are the spiritual foundation that inspires every action, every word, and every resource we offer. They understood that true progress is not measured by material achievements, but by the harmonious development of the body, emotions, mind, and spirit?and above all, by impersonal and selfless service to others.
Serge Raynaud de la Ferričre, founder of the Universal Great Brotherhood (1948), was a visionary who united science, philosophy, and spirituality into a coherent and transformative way of life. He promoted the practice of yoga, meditation, vegetarian nutrition, and astrology as tools for self-knowledge and inner balance.
His integrative vision reminds us that every daily act?including a mountain trek?can become a conscious and sacred act.
His integrative vision reminds us that every daily act?including a mountain trek?can become a conscious and sacred act.
His teachings encompass yoga, astrology, vegetarian nutrition, and physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual culture. In yoga, he promoted balance and harmony of body and mind, highlighting the importance of regular practice for integral well-being. In astrology, he taught how cosmic cycles influence human life, providing tools for self-knowledge and personal evolution. He also advocated for vegetarianism as a foundation for a healthy and ethical life, contributing to the well-being of both individuals and the planet. His holistic approach also included promoting a culture that integrates physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual development, always seeking harmony and the integral growth of the human being.
Serge Raynaud de la Ferričre undertook numerous journeys and pilgrimages, including a visit to the Kumbha Mela in Haridwar, India, and a possible visit to the foothills of Mount Kailash in Tibet. He also traveled through Burma, Siam, and other countries of the Far East before reaching Australia. His literary legacy is extensive, with notable works such as *Yug, Yoga, Yoghism*, *The Great Messages*, *The Black Book of Freemasonry*, and *Art in the New Age*, among more than 100 titles.
José Manuel Estrada Vázquez, the first disciple of Raynaud de la Ferričre, played a crucial role in the expansion and implementation of these teachings. Estrada Vázquez devoted himself to the teaching and practice of yoga, helping many people find balance and inner peace through this ancient discipline. He also delved into astrology, teaching how to interpret planetary movements and their effects on everyday life. A passionate advocate of vegetarianism, he promoted a healthy and conscious lifestyle, emphasizing the connection between what we eat and our overall well-being. His work in physical culture focused on the importance of regular and mindful exercise to maintain a healthy body and balanced mind. On an emotional and mental level, Estrada Vázquez promoted meditation and reflection techniques to manage stress and emotions, encouraging a more conscious and fulfilling life.
José Manuel Estrada Vázquez also made numerous trips and gave lectures around the world, including visits to all four continents, where he promoted human and cultural re-education projects. His impact on audiences was significant, helping many improve their quality of life and awaken greater spiritual awareness. Estrada Vázquez emphasized the importance of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health as an integrated unity of the human being. His teachings included yoga, vegetarianism, meditation, and cosmic ceremony practices, all aimed at promoting a balanced and conscious life.
At C.I.M.A.S., we carry forward this legacy with humility and commitment, adapting it to the context of modern mountaineering and alpinism.
It?s not just about walking physical paths, but about travelling the invisible ones that connect our inner self with nature, with others, and with the divine principle that governs life.
The Masters taught us that there is no true outer adventure without an echo in the inner one.
That?s why this project is more than a safety initiative: it?s an invitation to live the mountain as a space for initiation, awareness, and service.
How We Do It
We believe that knowledge, when shared with love and humility, becomes service.
That?s why at C.I.M.A.S. we don?t stay only in reflection: we take action. We do so with respect, simplicity, and a spirit of collaboration, ensuring that each resource we offer is useful, inspiring, and transformative.
Everything we do starts from a deep desire: that each person entering the mountains does so more prepared, more present, and more connected with life.
These are some of our actions:
- Talks and in-person workshops
We give talks and training activities in mountain clubs, schools, federations, and spiritual centers, offering practical tools and deep reflections to prepare for each expedition.
We support learning processes that integrate the four dimensions of the person: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
- Distribution of brochures and flyers
We design materials that are easy to read, clear, and inspiring, and we place them in both unguarded and staffed refuges, as well as in national park information points, so anyone can take them along during their expedition.
- Short videos and tutorials on YouTube
We produce audiovisual content with specific advice on safety, equipment, decision-making, emotional management, and connection with nature.
Short capsules that can be consulted before heading out or during a break on the trail.
- Downloadable checklists
We offer free practical documents to plan expeditions, adapted to different contexts: day hikes, multi-day traverses, winter, summer, hikes with children, emergency management, physical and emotional preparation, etc. All available on our website.
- Collaborations and partnerships
We work in a network with content creators, mountain organizations, committed brands, and public institutions to spread this message to more people and generate synergies based on shared values.
We do all this without profit motives, because we believe that knowledge is not merchandise, but a common good.
Our commitment is to sow awareness and care for lives. And we do it with passion, with rigour, and with heart.
Why We Do It
We do it because we love the mountains.
We do it because we love life.
At C.I.M.A.S., we know that behind every expedition there is much more than a planned route: there are families waiting, dreams to fulfill, and lives that deserve to be lived fully.
We don?t want the mountain to be seen only as a place of risk, but as a space of transformation, respect, and awareness.
But to live it this way, we must prepare ourselves, know ourselves, and above all, remember that every decision we make in nature has a direct impact on our safety, on others, and on the environment.
Why do we do it?
- To prevent avoidable pain.
Every year, hundreds of accidents could be avoided with better preparation and a more conscious attitude.
It?s not about giving up adventure, but about honoring it with responsibility.
- Because safety is an act of love.
Taking care of oneself and of one?s fellow expedition members is not fear, it is respect.
Understanding that wanting to come back home is not cowardice, but wisdom.
- To awaken sleeping consciences.
We live in a society that often trivializes risk, chasing the summit photo without asking how they got there.
We do it to remind that every step should be full of presence, and that true victory is not reaching the top, but how you get there.
- Because we believe in self-management and personal responsibility.
We don?t want mountaineers dependent on rescue services, but people who are capable, prepared and aware?able to prevent, decide, and act wisely.
- To foster a deep connection with nature.
The mountain is not a theme park?it?s a living being that welcomes us.
We do it so that each person enters with the reverence it deserves, understanding that this connection transforms not only the experience of the day, but also their way of living.
- Because the mountain is a school of souls.
We do it because we know that up there, in the silence and the wind, there are lessons you won?t find in books.
And we want everyone to be able to return and share them.
- To extend the values of awareness beyond the summits.
We do it because we believe that what is learned in the mountains?patience, humility, decision-making, inner listening?can improve our daily life, our relationships at home, at work, and in society.
We do it because every life matters.
And because every conscious mountaineer can be a seed of a better world.
Join Us
This project does not belong to a single team or a closed group.
It belongs to all those who feel that the mountain is more than a landscape: it is a path.
A path toward oneself. A space for growth, silence, and revelation.
At C.I.M.A.S., we invite you to walk with us?not just as a hiker, but as a custodian of life, awareness, and values.
It doesn?t matter if you are a mountain guide, an experienced climber, a weekend walker, or someone just getting started.
Here, there is space for anyone who feels an inner call to live the mountain with love, responsibility, and presence.
There are many ways to join:
- Using our resources: checklists, videos, reflections, and materials crafted with care and a spirit of service. They are free and designed to support you before, during, and after each outing.
- Spreading the C.I.M.A.S. philosophy: sharing good practices with your companions, promoting safety and respect for nature, helping raise awareness in your environment.
- Actively collaborating: if you are a content creator, a member of a mountain club, a refuge manager, a teacher, a federation member, or simply someone who wants to contribute?write to us.
- There are many ways to participate: translating, sharing experiences, providing logistical support, helping distribute brochures, or simply being part of this living community.
- Inspiring and being inspired: making each route a practice of connection, each summit an inner altar, and each decision an expression of love and responsibility.
Here begins the real ascent: the one that does not seek crowns of glory, but footprints of awareness.
