alone on a mountaintop

When you stand alone

On a mountaintop

Who is left?

This might seem a strange question. It almost doesn't sound like correct English: when you stand alone who is left. And this question is meant to be slightly puzzling, a bit like a Zen koan.

Let's take a look at it. First of all let's look literally. I don't know whether you have ever stood alone on a mountaintop. It's an experience that everyone should have at least once in their life. To be so high up, above the bustle of normal life, far from the towns and the roads and all that commotion. To be above the clouds even on a high mountain, where the air is cool and fresh, clean. And to be there alone without other people to socialise with. It's a situation that throws one back upon oneself. Standing alone on the mountaintop, one realises just how small one is, quite insignificant. And perhaps there comes fear. We're so used to having someone to reach out to for help when we need it, or at least having the comfortable feeling of being part of a society which takes care of people when a crisis occurs. Being alone on a mountaintop one is reliant upon oneself. For a few minutes, or a few hours, other people simply don't exist.

And that's where this question comes in. Who am I? What is left or rather who is left once I am removed from society, from my relationships, my human interactions; and also when I am removed from technology and manmade things; the comfortable feeling of being in my home with walls around me and a roof over my head. So much of who we consider ourself to be is tied up with other people – the way we relate to them – be it an intimate partner, family members, perhaps coworkers, friends, or even strangers in the street. There's a huge, rather complex, mostly unwritten code of behaviour between us. And this all gives one a sense of identity. And when we're taken away from that, when we find ourselves alone, especially if we are far away from the trappings of humanity, who are we then? Who is left once we allow all that human relating to drop away.

Standing alone on the mountain top, one can still sense and feel the moment: the wind, the rock, the sun or cloud. The mountaintop's a raw place, elemental. And if we stand there alone, we too will revert to a raw and elemental place within ourself.

 

There is a place within us which is not dependent on other people and how we relate to them. There's a place so natural that it doesn't depend on how much money we have in our bank account, what physical material possessions we have. Coming back to this simple place within oneself, this is what the spiritual journey is about.

And of course the mountaintop is not only to be taken literally. The mountain has long been a symbol for spiritual growth. Whilst we are seeking, it's as if we are climbing a mountain, leaving the valley far behind and getting an ever broader perspective on life. And if we are lucky, then we reach the top of the mountain, at last we can see 360°. The view seems endless. And in this place, this mountaintop within oneself, there is a great spaciousness and a silence and a tremendous stillness. And standing alone in this space, there is no I. There is simply all that is. And it's seen from the perspective of the mountaintop.