Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Gary Snyder’s "The Circumambulation of Mt. Tamalpais" is both a travelogue and a spiritual journey, a meditation in motion that fuses Buddhist practice with the natural landscape of Northern California. The poem follows the physical act of circling and climbing “Bay Mountain,” as Snyder, Philip Whalen, and Allen Ginsberg engage in a ritualistic walk that mirrors sacred pilgrimages in Asia. This poetic trek is not merely a hike but a means of “respect and to clarify the mind,” turning a simple movement through nature into a practice of spiritual awareness.

The journey begins at Muir Woods, where “even in the driest season of this year some running water” remains, an acknowledgment of the mountain’s capacity to sustain life. Snyder’s language blends precise observation with reverence—“mountains make springs”—asserting a deep ecological understanding that ties natural formations to their essential life-giving functions. The recitation of sacred Buddhist texts such as Prajñāparamitā-hridaya-sūtra and Dhāranī for Removing Disasters sets the tone for the journey, grounding the circumambulation in an established practice of chanting and invocation.

As the group ascends the Dipsea Trail, the landscape unfolds in a series of carefully noted impressions: “Gold dry grass,” a cow’s “huge pissing,” and “butterflies tan as grass” situate the reader in the immediate sensory world. Snyder’s precise yet unembellished style captures the subtle drama of the natural world—“a gang of crows” appearing as omens, the illusion of a fried chicken scent actually coming from “simmering California laurel leaves.” His awareness of the nonhuman world is attuned not only to its beauty but to its humor and oddity, as seen in the apology to the cow: “Excuse us for laughing at you.”

Throughout the poem, natural landmarks are interwoven with Buddhist invocations, as if each stage of the climb demands a particular chant. A “tiny chörten” marks a sacred moment before entering the woods, a recognition of how the landscape itself participates in the meditative act. At Rifle Camp, lunch is not just a meal but a ritual offering, with “swiss cheese sandwiches, swede bread with liverwurst, salami, jack cheese, olives” laid out in the shade. The inclusion of “gomuku-no-moto” and “soujouki” hints at the blending of Eastern and Western influences in Snyder’s personal and poetic sensibilities, where food, much like poetry, serves as a bridge between cultures.

The mountain itself is animated through geological markers: “a notable serpentine outcropping” and “Collier Spring—in a redwood grove” become not just waypoints but manifestations of time and transformation. The poet’s attention to detail, whether in identifying “California nutmeg, golden chinquapin” or noting the “fruit with burrs”, demonstrates his commitment to seeing the land as a living entity. This sensitivity extends to the human world below—“The gleam of water storage in the brushy hills,” “The Peacock Gap Country Club”—reminders that even as the mountain holds its sacred stillness, civilization is encroaching.

At the summit, “a ring of rock pinnacles around the lookout” evokes a sense of cosmic alignment, a sacred space where multiple mantras are chanted—“Hari Krishna Mantra,” “Om Shri Maitreya,” “Hari Om Namo Shiva.” The mountain, the sky, and the distant “smog and sense of heat” are all absorbed into the chant, creating a moment of deep ecological awareness: “May the whole planet not get like this.” The descent is marked by a shift in tone—after the contemplation at the peak, the journey downward is a return to the human world, “cars whiz by, sun glare from the west.” The journey concludes in the bed of Redwood Creek, where the cycle of chant and movement is completed, punctuated by “blowing the conch, shaking the staff rings” in the parking lot.

Snyder’s poetic style reflects the nature of the journey itself—fluid yet methodical, precise yet expansive. The use of Buddhist sutras and dhāranīs interwoven with naturalistic description creates a structure that is both ceremonial and deeply personal. The division into ten stages mirrors traditional Buddhist pilgrimages, where each waypoint signifies a shift in consciousness. Yet, the poem is also strikingly unpretentious, incorporating moments of humor, irreverence, and casual conversation. The juxtaposition of the sacred and the mundane—Buddhist chants alongside a cow relieving itself, deep ecological awareness balanced with the presence of “a drunken man with chestnut mustache”—demonstrates Snyder’s ability to integrate spirituality with the realities of daily life.

More than just an account of a physical journey, "The Circumambulation of Mt. Tamalpais" is an enactment of a worldview in which movement, ritual, and mindfulness merge with the landscape. The poem does not separate the natural world from the human experience but rather dissolves the boundary between them. The mountain is both a site of spiritual practice and a presence with its own rhythms, its springs, groves, and wildlife existing in a cycle far older than human time. Through walking, chanting, and careful attention, Snyder reveals the mountain as more than a place—it is a text to be read, a body to be honored, and a mind to be clarified.

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