Going Into the Unknown

Image of the Week
Image of the Week

Going into the unknown world and confronting it without a penny in our pockets had meant that differences between rich and poor, educated and illiterate, all vanished; and beneath all these divisions, a common humanity emerged. Whether we slept in comfortable beds or on the floor of a barn or under a tree, it was all a gift.

As wanderers we were free of shadows from the past. The experience of a beautiful emptiness within myself, with neither material nor spiritual possessions, unlocked my soul. It was a journey without destination; journey and destination became one, thought and action became one.

I felt myself moving like a river. A river and its flow are not separate things; I and my movement were not separate. The journey was me. It was as much an inner journey as an outward one. It was a journey into detachment. The contradiction between movement and stillness ceased. I was on the move in stillness. I was a wanderer, wandering through life. Living from day to day, from inspiration to inspiration.

In wandering I felt a sense of union with the whole sky, the infinite earth and sea. I felt myself a part of the cosmic existence. It was as if by walking I was making love to the earth itself. Wandering was my path, my true self, my true being. It released my soul-force; it brought me in relation to everything else. I stool like I stand in front of the mirror. People, nature, everything became like a mirror, and I could see myself in them, what I was.

--Satish Kumar

[ share/read comments ]

Moved by this reading? Join a live Awakin Circle to discuss in community.
Join this week
More ways to connect

Add Your Reflection

1 Past Reflections
NI
Jun 12, 2006
Advice for a pilgrimage ... respect everyone, not criticize, be balanced, no lies, don't steal. My offering to you: reciting the Earth Store Boddhisattva chant 10,000 times. In some way things can never stay the same, especially after a pilgrimage. Connect with everyone, every single person. When tiny things upset you, push it further. Crank it up. Pilgrimage is in our nature. Take me with you. Getting out of your comfort zone ... sense of openness comes alive in you. Make sure you have a return tickets. :) Quote-a-day: at the end it doesn't matter how many years you've lived, but rather the life in those years. Just live! I'll sing my offering: seven lines of the poem that starts with-- every step is a destination, through an ancient nation, not in a rush not a run. Should a return be immiment? Maybe, maybe not. Hiking in Africa, I came down a slightly different path. Creates the most amazing view. Take it on with an adventurous spirit. Stay honest. No short cut ... View full comment