AMNIMAKEN
LINES · WAVES · WIND · MIND
Small-group ski-touring, surfing and freediving journeys, and retreats in meditation and Tsa Lung. Sometimes separate, sometimes woven together in the mountains, by the ocean and within.
AMNIMAKEN is a personal project by Oleg Gritskevich: journeys through mountains, ocean, breath and mind. Some are mainly about skiing or surfing, some about meditation and breath, and sometimes the two come together.
THE STORY
In 1997, waiting for a flight at JFK, I came across a book called Snowboarding to Nirvana. My English was only good enough to understand the title (fortunately). But that was enough. It sounded almost like a plan. I have spent more than twenty years on the first word. Now I am working on the second.
WIND & MIND
Wind & Mind is the thread running through AMNIMAKEN.
WIND is the physical and energetic side of experience: body, breath, movement and energy. MIND is awareness, attention and direction.
Physical activity moves energy. We can notice this while skiing, surfing, running, riding a bike or simply walking. The practice is not only what happens before or during the activity, but also what happens afterwards: instead of immediately turning to the next distraction, we can pause, feel the body and breath, notice the energy that is present and consciously choose where to direct our attention.
In board sports, movement often follows the eyes. Where we look influences where we go. Wind & Mind explores a similar relationship between movement, energy and attention.
Movement → Energy → Awareness → Direction
Tsa Lung and meditation are formal ways of exploring this relationship, but the same principle can become part of physical activity and ordinary life.
FOUR DIRECTIONS
LINES
Ski touring and splitboarding beyond the ordinary
Small-group ski-touring and splitboarding journeys in terrain I know well, and exploratory trips into less-travelled ranges. Plans follow snow and conditions; on selected journeys, meditation and breath practice become part of the day.
For ski tourers and splitboarders with off-piste experience and their own avalanche gear.
Choose: a day in Gudauri with Ride Together, a remote multi-day camp, or an exploratory expedition.
WAVES
Surfing and freediving with breath as integrated practice
Surf and freediving coaching from certified local instructors, with Tsa Lung, meditation and breath practice at separate times of the same day. The water and the practice support each other, but are never mixed.
For confident swimmers; no surfing or freediving experience needed.
Choose: Surf & Breath, Depth & Mind, or a coastal retreat focused on practice alone.
WIND
Turning scattered energy into directed energy
Tsa Lung is a Tibetan practice of breath, movement and attention, taught in small groups with individual correction. It gathers a restless “wind in the mind” into clearer, steadier attention, and its breath retention may help adaptation to lower oxygen, relevant for freediving and altitude.
For anyone curious; no yoga or meditation background needed.
Choose: one day, a weekend, three days, five days, or practice within a journey.
MIND
Learning to use the mind more skillfully
Meditation as a practical skill: clearer attention, greater awareness and emotional balance, in daily life and outdoors. Until August 2027 it is part of selected journeys as practice; dedicated courses and retreats begin after that.
For complete beginners and people with an existing practice.
Choose: a journey that includes meditation now, or a meditation retreat from August 2027.
Upcoming Journeys
Where I’m planning to go next
I organise only a limited number of group journeys each year.
The calendar is deliberately light.
WINTER 2026/27
GEORGIA
CLOUD & BREATH
TSA LUNG RETREAT
19–23 December 2026,
Gudauri
Booking open
WINTER 2027
TURKEY
KAÇKAR MOUNTAINS
JOURNEY
30 January – 7 February 2027,
Kaçkar Mountains
Booking open
SPRING 2027
KYRGYZSTAN
HIDDEN LINES
EXPEDITION · TIAN SHAN
10–23 April 2027,
Tian Shan
Program coming soon
SUMMER 2027
SRI LANKA
BREEZE & BREATH
TSA LUNG RETREAT
2–6 August 2027,
East Coconut Plantation, Sri Lanka
Booking open
SUMMER 2027
SRI LANKA
SURF & BREATH
SURF RETREAT
7–13 August 2027,
East Coconut Plantation, Sri Lanka
Booking open
SUMMER 2027
SRI LANKA
BREEZE & MIND
MEDITATION RETREAT
14–18 August 2027,
South Coconut Plantation
Program coming soon
SPRING 2028
EGYPT
DEPTH & MIND
FREEDIVING RETREAT
28 April – 5 May 2028,
Dahab, Egypt
Registration opens 1 September 2027
WHO THIS MAY SUIT
AMNIMAKEN is for people drawn to nature and self-exploration, who prefer small groups of like-minded people to mass tourism, and who value silence and remoteness.
You do not need previous meditation experience, and most ocean programs do not require previous surfing or freediving experience. Mountain programs have their own technical requirements, described on each program page.
MY ROLE
My role varies with the journey. In the mountains I may guide directly; where specialist instruction is required, such as surfing or freediving, I work with qualified professionals. My role is to integrate meditation and breathing practices as fully and naturally as possible into the activity itself.
I am also a certified Tsa Lung teacher, trained by Tulku Lobsang Rinpoche. View my profile.
STILL WILD MOUNTAINS
Guidebooks, Ski Trip Design and Winter Expeditions
Still Wild Mountains is the part of my work dedicated to guidebooks, mountain research, route development and expedition design. It is where exploration becomes practical knowledge: books, routes, custom ski trips and expeditions. Also available on Amazon.
GET IN TOUCH
A journey can begin with a simple message
You may want to join something already planned, or perhaps you have a place, route or idea of your own. Write to me directly and I will tell you whether I think I can be useful.
VOICES
If you have joined me in the mountains, on the ocean, or in a Wind & Mind practice, you are welcome to share your experience.
Last Reviews
Trust, Strength and Growth in the Mountains
Wanted to take time to thank you again for all these trip we’ve been through.
I realise that I’ve learned a lot about my self and everything would not have been possible without your guidance. It has been a absolute chance for me to meet you and pleasure to share all this time with you.
Just wanted you to know that it would be a real pleasure to welcome you in any place you and your family anywhere in France or around.
In these moutain you gave me so much strength and I had a absolute trust in all your guidance, it kept me pushing forward and just wanted to thank you again.
From Guide to Friend
Dear my friend Oleg,
First of all I want to thank you for this amazing trip to India which filled me with a lot of positive impressions.
You are not just an awesome guide, you also became, after our three trips, a good friend of mine.
This little gift of mine is a small thank you and should be a part of your investment in your next drone.
Regards, Dane
More Than Just a Splitboarding Trip
Hi Oleg,
I am very thankful for this journey that you guided so well and shared the experience with us you made last year.
I really enjoyed the trip with all its different aspects, from splitboarding to the spiritual events.
Hopefully we will have more adventures together.
I wish you all the best and good pow.
An Unforgettable Adventure Beyond Splitboarding
Dear Oleg,
Thank you so much for organising this unforgettable adventure. Every day was very special and different, from home stays to very small villages.
I loved that you always combine splitboarding with a spiritual experience and meeting with the local people.
I am already looking forward to our next adventure, my friend!
