A journey with no roads

Amrit Sadhana

I had just been to the blue mountains near Sydney. These ancient mountains are clad in vast forests of eucalypts which in the hot sun discharge a fine mist of eucalyptus oil from their leaves. The mist refracts light, which makes the haze look blue at a distance. They look very appealing but scary at the same time. They beckon the visitors amidst their bluish vastness. Adventure always attracts.

Blue Mountains

There was a peculiar sign put up by the government at many points :" Don't get into the forests alone, you may get lost."
This made me think, isn't it the same about life? Isn't life as mysterious as these sprawling blue mountains? Just close your eyes and ponder for a moment, isn't the thing we call life a vast expanse of wilderness ? Can anyone peep into the future? We try to create support systems, guides and safety measures but there are no road maps over here, no charted paths or signs such as: " The way to success" or "The way to fame" or "This road goes to wealth." Those who are successful never know at the beginning of their journey that they are going to reach the top. They just grope in the dark, trust their intelligence and take the jump. People walk their way and make the path by walking, it is not there already built for them. Such a path would be useless. It would be stale and borrowed.

You cannot walk on the path carved by others. It is their path made by their hard labor for themselves. Their personality, their needs and their growth was completely unique, so it will not fulfill your needs. Living means going through the pain of growing, nurturing and evolving the dormant seeds deep inside so that they can bloom into unique flowers. Unless you embark on the journey of the unknown, take risks, your blossoms will not be authentic, your hidden potential will not actualize. There are no shortcuts in life either.

This is why life is like a mountainous terrain full of adventure. Osho says, do not depend on horoscopes and astrologers, do not look for road signs and maps, they are misleading. The insecurity, the adventure is the essence of life. Only death can be secure and safe. If you have a choice between the known and the unknown, always choose the unknown. It may be risky, but the spiritual gains will be immense, for life dwells in danger. It needs rebellion, a spiritual metamorphosis.It sharpens intelligence, creates a center inside, you feel intigrated. More alive, more conscious. Getting lost in the forests may not be advisable but loosing oneself into the vastness of life would be very rewarding.