We Belong To Each Other: The Oracle of Delphi and a Story About Life's Path
Read this for thoughts on: Service, Leadership, Compassion
Key Insight: We can make a huge difference to each other’s lives through the smallest of gestures. Keep being. Keep helping and reaching out for help. Keep loving and being loved.
An unforgettable hike up to the archaeological site of the ancient Oracle of Delphi left me deeply humbled earlier this year.
I really feel why this place is called the navel of the world.
The majesty, the beauty, the profound energy of this city all feel palpable.
The air, the mountains, the forests – all bear witness to seekers and travellers for almost 3000 years.
I walked all the way to the top of the stadium and the view was extraordinary ??
STORYTIME lol.
When I was at the bottom of the mountain, I told myself the top was way too high.
I wanted to just look up from the bottom.
Still, something about being at the top of the mountain called to me. I felt into that. Not my head but the inner voice that said: I want to go to the top.
I wasn’t wearing the right shoes.
My legs hurt from the hike the day before.
It was 35 degrees and scorching hot.
I was dehydrated.
I had a headache.
So I brought the part of me that wanted to climb forward.
She/I told myself, I am here.
I am here.
I am.
Here.
I am walking the same steps that many have walked before me, from all across the world. Kings, queens, sages, philosophers, students, healers and statesmen. I am on that very road.
Staying at the bottom to look up just didn’t feel right.
The Why Creates the How.
Knowing that to be my core ‘why’, I created the physical and emotional energy to fulfil the very premise of Delphi – seeking greater heights of knowledge, of consciousness and heart lol.
But. Given the conditions, how the actual fuck would I get to the top though lol? How would I have the energy? ?♀️
All I physically felt was the heat. Dehydration. Wrong footwear. Muscular pain. Even a feeling of idiocy that I wanted to do this.
?♀️??♀️
So. I saw two people just a few steps further on the path.
Seeing them reassured me that I could take a few steps.
I said, I’ll walk to where they are and stop.
I can do that.
Ten steps.
So I did. No inner conflict there lol. The view was a bit better than the bottom. I liked being up there. I rested. I took a photo.
Then I said okay, either I walk down or…
I looked up. I saw a family, further ahead.
I saw a young girl. Seeing her reminded me of my own spirit of adventure. Maybe even resilience.
So I said to myself: I’ll only walk to where she is and stop there. At any point I can stop. Hashtag self-compassion #amirite ?
But I kept going. Met more people. Heavy terrain. Rough terrain. Slippery rocks. Smooth steps. I kept moving.
Further along, I met the people walking down from their hike, saying “you’re almost there!”
I kept walking higher and higher, until I reached the top.
For a second it felt amazing. Breathless and elated, finally – I had made it.
But funnily enough, what felt good was the walk.
Not so much the top.
There is probably a life lesson in there about enjoying the process lol.
But really, what felt good – what still feels good – is that I had walked all the way.
As we are made of the same stuff as the universe, expanding is a natural state of life and being.
So many teachers say that we have goals not for the goals themselves, but because we want to become the person who can create them.
As I walked back down the hill, I saw others walking up as I had. I gave them the same encouragement that I got.
“You got this!” “Not too long now!” “You’re awesome!”
Instead of getting tired, I kept generating more and more energy as I moved up. The source of this energy comes from deep within. It’s the energy of feeling aligned and connected and supported as I act and move and venture.
I’m not saying all this to sound impressive lol but rather this.
What impressed me is the huge difference we can all make to each other’s lives through the smallest of gestures.
The way we can move each other.
The way we can make others feel less alone.
More connected.
Through an act. Through words. Through living.
Simply by being,
That young girl reminded me of who I am.
Those two travellers reminded me of what I’m capable of.
The others encouraged me and made me smile
When I went to the café later, a woman came up to me and said ‘you kept me walking and I made it to the top!’
The Oracle guided us all. We guided each other. We walked each other as we walked ourselves.
It reminded me to keep helping others and reach out for help. Keep giving. Keep receiving. Love. Be loved.
This is the stuff of Life.
On this path, in life and along the mountains,
We belong to each other.
❤❤❤
