While walking in nature, maybe down by a river or on the beach, you might have stopped to idly stack some stones. It's fun to balance them together into little towers, but eventually, one will usually come toppling down. Oh well.
But if you're photographer and cairn-builder extraordinaire Michael Grab, you'll be compelled to take things to the next level.
After working extensively with stone-stacking on his travels, Michael has mastered the art of precarious, gravity-defying balancing acts that look like they must be held together with some kind of adhesive.
But they aren't. All of the stacks you'll see here are in place thanks to gravity alone — and some serious patience and understanding of balance.
Just like dancers and gymnasts take years to train and understand both the physics and the mental quiet needed to achieve balance, Grab has learned to do the same with stones, and has used his carefully studied skill to turn the practice of cairn building into a true sculptural art form.
Check out some of his creations below, and you might not believe that they're really only balanced like this. It's pretty amazing! And the next time you have the chance, see if you can step up your own rock-balancing game!
[H/T: Twisted Sifter]
Michael started balancing stones on one another back in 2008, during a trip to Colorado. As he got better at balancing them, he began to notice what a peaceful, meditative practice it was.
"The process boils down to… patience, adaptation, slow breathing, steady hands, and a plethora of other practiced skills," he says. By slowing down and allowing himself to become steady, he was able to achieve more and more stunning formations.
But that wasn't all. It also had a profound affect on his mental state. "I am constantly in awe at the stillness, let alone possibility, of such precarious formations, amidst sometimes very turbulent conditions," he says.
"For me, this reflects our own potential to maintain a still point amidst the variety of challenges we each face throughout our lives," he explains.
And while these incredible sculptures have that beautiful metaphor behind them, they're also the result of some serious attention to detail.
Michael maintains that to achieve balance, each rock must have a minimum of three contact points with the one below it.
To the untrained eye, these rocks might look too smooth to balance, but Michael says that after working with stones for so long, he's able to see the tiny indentations and bumps that can serve as these little tripods.
"If you look very close," he says, "you may be able to see the tiny notches in which the rocks rest."
For Michael, these balanced stones symbolize not only finding that quiet center amid challenging times, but the idea that anything, no matter how physics-defying it may seem, is possible.
He refers to the practice of stone balancing as his personal version of yoga. While he sees it as a fun way to relax and de-stress, he also sees it as a deeper learning experience, with something new to be learned with each stack.
Today, Michael creates stone stacks, traditionally called cairns, on his explorations, and also creates these stunning photos so the world can see them, too.
He's created the stacks in all kinds of settings and climates, and photographs them in different weather conditions and times of day to capture the different ways they can be appreciated.
And he's always experimenting with form and different ways to balance, like this bridge-like piece.
He's also happy to give tips to beginners, and encourages people to try this themselves.
For beginners, he suggests starting with larger, rougher rocks. "Using larger stones… will magnify the feeling of the clicks," he says, referring to the sound of the three contact points notching together.
The other biggest tip? "The trick I've found is to play and experiement!" Each structure is a learning experience, so just jump in!
You can see many more photos of Michael's creations on his website, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.
And the next time you're outside, see how many stones you can stack — just be sure you're allowed to do so, as some nature preserves prohibit the moving of stones!
And be sure to SHARE this unexpected art form with your friends!
