Do you agree that too much of our life is spent waiting to live? We wait for the right circumstances, for the right people, for signs that we’re on the right path to do, be, become and have what we want out of our lives. In the meantime, time goes by and we don’t take any action. Eventually, we realize we haven’t truly experienced the gift of life, but simply sleepwalked through it. We choose the passenger seat instead of the driver’s, we take the role of spectators, instead of actors. To make my point as clear as possible, I am going to share a story that I’ve come across recently. Shaolin master Shi Heng Yi guides us on a self-discovery journey where he pinpoints the importance of experiencing things firsthand to truly live, instead of simply listening to what the people around us say.
We are so overwhelmed by external factors that we overlook what we want and give up pursuing our goals.
Becoming aware that we are here to live an experience and that everyone has their own journey, their own path is the first step to freeing ourselves from the chains that prevent us from discovering who we truly are and what we are capable of.
Let’s now read the story illustrating this.
AN ENLIGHTENING STORY BY SHAOLIN MASTER SHI HENG YI ABOUT SELF-DISCOVERY
A man was living close to a mountain, and every day he was thinking, “How would it be to climb that mountain? And what would I see from the peak”?
So finally, the day came. The man went on the journey.
Arriving at the foot of the mountain, he met the first traveler.
So he asked, “How did you get up the mountain? And what did you see from the top”?
So the traveler shared his path, and also the view that he had had.
But then the man was thinking, “The way that this traveler described to me sounds very exhausting. I need to find another way to climb”.
So he continued to walk along the foot of the mountain until he met the next traveler.
So once again, he asked, “How did you climb up that mountain? What did you see from the top”?
Again the traveler shared his story.
Still not being determined on which direction and which way to go, the man asked 30 more people, 30 more travelers.
When he finished talking to all of them, he finally made up his mind.
“Now that so many people have shared with me their paths and what they all saw from the top” - he thought - “I don’t need to climb there anymore”!
YOU CAN SHARE INFORMATION, BUT YOU CAN’T SHARE EXPERIENCES
The man in the story never went on the journey.
As a result, he spared himself the fatigue it takes to get to the peak of the mountain, but he did not experience the joy that comes when you get to the top either. Ultimately, he missed the opportunity of a lifetime.
What does the story teach us?
The pursuit of our goals is like the mountain. There’s not a single path leading to the top; each individual needs to find the most suitable way for them.
What’s more, no one can really tell you what is up there, or how reaching the top makes you feel.
Information about the journey can be shared, but there are no words that can replace firsthand experience.
Only when you climb the mountain do you start gaining clarity.
Then, you no longer need to heed anyone or anything else, but yourself.
You can find out for yourself the proper direction and what decisions you have to take in order to achieve your goals.
LAST MESSAGE FROM SHI HENG YI
To bring meaning and value to our lives we need to learn to master ourselves, and not let anyone or anything get in the way of our journey.
"There are two mistakes along the way to Mastery.: not starting it and not going all the way". - Master Shi Heng Yi
FINAL THOUGHTS
Regardless of what your goals are, you cannot truly succeed if you don’t embark on a self-discovery journey.
Your life will never be meaningful.
If you start the journey of self-discovery instead, meaning, happiness, love, peace, and whatever else you desire will be within reach.
The question I have for you is:
Are you brave enough to embark on the journey that leads you to the peak of the mountain?
Don’t waste the only shot you have!
Along your personal journey, you will encounter challenges.
Those challenges will make it hard for you to climb the mountain.
Don’t let them stop you.
If you want to find out more about these hindrances check out the video below where Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi illustrates them providing you with advice on how to overcome them and get to the top of the mountain.
I think one day we will be able to transfer experience from one person to another. A lot of ancient wisdom will be challenged again. But the travel to the top will remain worth the effort.
Indeed, first-hand experience – the travel to the top of the mountain – is worth everything, every drop of sweat, every tear, as well as the joy that comes from being on the top of the mountain.