Climbing the Mountain of Self-Reflection
In the excerpt “Cookie of my Childhood” from Peace is Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh describes his childhood experience of going outside after receiving a cookie from his mother and sitting there for long periods of time without a worry in his mind. In the text, the author attentively puts the reader into his perspective, as he depicts his experience using descriptive words of the environment, such as “[being there] with the sky, the earth, the bamboo thickets, the cat, the dog, the flowers” (Hanh, 20). This creates a warm feeling within the reader as they can themselves imagine being there, breathing the air, and seeing the sky.
Hanh is implying the importance of peace in the mind and the beauty of every moment. Humans can tend to go about life on ‘cruise control’ at times, missing the true meaning and importance of various moments in their lives, which remains yet another undiscovered experience. Although in the excerpt Hanh refers to a literal cookie he is eating, the cookie is a symbol to anything in a person’s life that will bring them joy and happiness every time.
Life and everything on earth has a system, an equilibrium. Within any life form, we can reveal a certain structure to exist, whether it be the way an organism survives, reproduces, or perishes. As Shabestari writes in The Secret Rose Garden, “The foot of an ant is larger than an elephant” (Shabestari, 13) if you know where to look. With this idea, anything can appear to be different depending on the perspective it’s displayed. This goes to show how extensive life and nature is then what can be seen with the naked eye.
Four years ago, I decided to take what would end up being one of the greatest decisions of my life. I determined this would be the year I did what so many in my country found a challenge, attempt after attempt. One of the biggest physical and psychological trials a young adult can have is conquering the largest mountain in Ukraine, Mount Hoverla. In the eyes of a teenager, 2,061 meters (6,762 feet) of rough terrain and steep slope up will definitely seem daunting but it was an experience I could not give up for anything in the world.
Shabestari invites us to see the immensity of time and space in every movement and life experience. He writes that:
Every particle of the world is a mirror. In each atom lies the blazing light of a thousand suns. Look closely at a grain of sand, The seed of a thousand beings can be seen. Within the pulp of a millet seed, an entire universe can be found.
In essence, if you know how to look, you can see the intricacy in almost anything extant.
On the hike, all the basic elements of the world were exposed, and suddenly everything around me had a purpose I never thought of before. As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle states best,
“Nature is the true revelation of the Deity to man. The nearest green field is the inspired page from which you may read all that it is needful for you to know” (Doyle, 46).
In a way, the very basic formula for life can be understood from a single leaf, as all human life is akin one way or another. The nectar in the flowers was there for the birds to eat, the trees were there to provide a shelter for animals, and the rivers were there to construct a sustainable habitat. Mount Hoverla, being a key link in the chain of the Carpathian Mountains that stretch out to Europe, has some of the most breathtaking views noting how undeniably beautiful the nature of Ukraine really is. Many pursue to conquer this enduring trek but in the end, it is a test of self-will and fortitude. The trail is split into three options, straight up the mountain (3 hrs), around the main mountain (4.5 hrs), or through the meadows (longer). I chose the first option since I wanted to get back to the main base before nightfall.
The trail begins through what looks like an enchanted forest taken right out of a movie. The birds chirping from every direction, the smell of the flowers that flourish all around, and the sound of modest rivers flowing all unravel the vastness of the trail that lies ahead. The peak of the Hoverla sits boldly in the distance over the tall trees that cover the sky above.
This equilibrium of life can also be interpreted as yin and yang. The balance of energy in the world. I once heard a phrase, “If you know how to look, an entire universe can be found”, that I suddenly recollected and sensed a personal relation to that reference about anything I witnessed. For example, a person can get disgusted seeing a homeless person begging for money on the street, but, there is a whole life that was lived by that person, memories, and experiences that make that person unique.
The ‘cookie’ of my own life is any time I would spend in the countryside, like on this hike, or in a park. After moving to New York, I would sometimes enjoy a mid-afternoon walk in Central Park after a long day of school or work. The atmosphere created by the tranquilizing sounds of nature, the fresh smell of trees, and the harmony of birds chirping would commence a warm feeling within me that I would never forget. I cherished the hours I would spend sitting by a tree, drawing the lake, or simply enjoying the scenic views of Midtown Manhattan. But the same was present for me in the mountains of Ukraine.
More often than not, I would learn something new or do something productive at the end of these walks in the mountains or in the parks, whether it was a new project idea or to try out something I have never done before. These experiences would bring me joy and create lasting memories shared amongst good friends. The best part of these trips would be when I inadvertently wound up meeting new people. As Thich Nhat Hanh stated in Peace Is Every Step, “If you are attentive, you will see it,” (Hanh, 21). This quote implies that if we really care to see something, we will notice it and we will see anything in its true form. I feel that any human being can relate to having only at certain times experienced their own ‘meaningful’ moments. The irony of this situation is that although these moments can hold a significant role in a persons’ life, they can be noticed more often if people were more observant to see them.
Various stops along the route up Mount Hoverla display neighboring towns in the distance, vast meadows, more mountain range, and forests.
“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” (Snyder, 169)
Throughout the duration of this trip, the whole world to me seemed meaningless. All that was going through my mind was being present there at the moment, appreciating the nature in front of me. Nature where the trees unite with the soil, where the air unites with the clear blue sky and the bees circulate the flowers. I thought of how balanced nature is, despite constant human eradication. As Teilhard de Chardin said,
“Do not forget that the value and interest of life is not so much to do conspicuous things…as to do ordinary things with the perception of their enormous value.”
I strongly agree with this, as beauty can really be seen in anything if you want to see it.
Along the trail, I found my inner peace. Being one with nature, I found the meaning of my own true peace, something I felt could not be traded for anything else in the world. The trail, in a sense, felt like a road to find peace. In the mountains, nature’s greatest features are exhibited in the form of forests, rivers, and animals that inhabit the land. I found comfort in the gentle feel of the grass, nature’s bedding of the soil. These feelings surmounted to a general sense of enjoyment and pleasure I couldn’t compare to anything else I’ve ever felt.
After about an hour and a half of hiking on the trail, we reached the first base of Mount Hoverla. From there, the beauty of the vast Ukrainian lands is presented in front of my eyes. From there, visible in the distance, cows, and sheep are being herded as the sun slowly starts to descend on the plains. As I glimpsed at the boundless mountain-range, it becomes clear to me that I have entirely underestimated the power nature has and the feelings it can compose.
Reaching the peak of the mountain, the apex of the country where my heart will always belong is an exhilarating experience, and most definitely untradeable for anything else in the world. Everything around the mountain seemed to be at a point of equilibrium as if nothing could ever disturb it. A certain sense of peace and tranquility is perceived and an aura of stillness radiates throughout the mountain range. Just as Thich Nhat Hanh recollects this feeling as something so sweet and delicate as a cookie, I too, have notably memorialized this feeling.
Works Cited
Hanh, Thich Nhat. Peace is Every Step. Bantam Books, 1992.
Shabestari, Mahmud. The Secret Rose Garden. The Mirror of This World. Phanes Press, 2002.
Chardin, Pierre Teilhard. The Human Phenomenon. Sussex Academy Press, 2003.
Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Stark Munro Letters. CreateSpace Publishing, 2012.
Snyder, Gary. The Gary Snyder Reader. Counterpoint Publishing, 2012.
