‘Pen-Y-Ghent in the mist’, April 2nd 2010. Photo: My son. What is it that the mountain spirits get up to, that makes them cast a thick mist about their peaks to hide their diabolical activities? The ancient Greeks were convinced the Olympian spirits were all-powerful, and took an often-unwelcome and meddlesome interest in human affairs. The Tibetans see their mountain spirits as another aspect of the fractured samsara, and like all other spirits can be encouraged towards enlightenment by compassionate treatment.