Robert Hruzek’s writing challenge this month is What I Learned From a Mountaintop Experience. Robert writes:
The question you have to ask yourself is, Have you ever had what is commonly known as a mountaintop experience? You know what I mean, right? I’m talkin’ about an experience so amazing, so profound – maybe even so life-changing – you’ll never forget it.
Well, chances are, you have, and if so, we’d like to hear about it!
Oh, sure. Been there. Done that. For me it was a shift of consciousness that occurred in the fifth grade. I still remember looking at that book on the origins of the solar system and suddenly getting it…how small and insignificant we humans are compared to the immensity of space. The experience blew me away and shaped the rest of my life. I wrote about it in At Home in the Universe over at Cheerful Monk. I also wrote about what I did about it in Building a Solid Foundation.
So for now I’ll simply summarize what I learned from the experience: The power of humility and humor. The two are related. It’s hard to take ourselves too seriously when we realize how small we are in relation to the universe (assuming there is only one, which some people doubt). And getting our egos out of the way is empowering. We can focus on what we’re trying to do without worrying about what other people think. We completely free ourselves from comparisons with other people because our differences are insignificant. What could be more liberating?
What about you? Have you ever had a mountaintop experience?
Have I ever had a mountain top experience? Sure, though specific examples of what you are describing escape me — it’s almost 2 AM 😉 .
Specific mountains on the other hand are memorable. That’s what first came to mind when I read the headline.
Specifically Pike’s Peak in Colorado and Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. Cold and blustery winds with the temperature at freezing or below in the middle of summer!
Very exhilarating.
Of course, we knew what to expect and dressed for it, unlike many others that we saw in both places.
The views from the tops of mountains can certainly put a different perspective on things, especially when you’re bracing against the wind.
Make’s for a great appreciation of hot chocolate, too!
Mike Goads last blog post..THAT isn’t news!
I’ll never forget sitting with my grandmother on her swing about 70 years ago & saying “It’s day, then night, then day, then night, then day, then night–) My 1st experience with how fast time flies–when you’re having fun.
My moment of that flash was when I heard a sage explaining the concept of time in philosophy. He said that it would take eight minutes for the world to die if the Sun died, as it takes eight minutes for the light to travel from the Sun to the earth. He also said that the nearest star that we can see from the earth is some four light years away from us. In other words, what we may be seeing now, may not even exist as the light left that star four years ago! If that be the case, what is time? Where are we in the scheme of things and I particularly? Yes, it humbles you and takes you into different directions in your quest for answers to life’s problems.
rummusers last blog post..An Incredible Story.
rummuser, YOU are the sage (& an undercover Englishman).
Hey, thanks for the humbling thought today, Jean! Yes, realizing our place in the Universe can be pretty sobering, indeed. But it’s even more amazing to think we have the opportunity to try and figure out how it all works! Shows God’s humor, if you ask me – He needed to give us something to keep us busy and stay outta trouble! 😀
Hi Jean, for me the results are about a deep relaxation into presence rather than effort.
Mike,
It sounds as if the wind made more of an impression than the view. That’s a good metaphor too. It would make a good post. 😉
bikehikebabe,
I don’t know about you, but time is zipping by a lot faster now than when I was a kid. My husband and I keep saying it wouldn’t matter much if we lived to be a thousand. If time keeps accelerating the way it has been, we would scarcely notice. 😉
rummuser,
It sounds as if your experience was similar to mine.
Robert,
I can’t imagine God without a sense of humor. As Robert Frost wrote (approximately):
If you will forgive my little jokes on Thee,
I will forgive Thy great big one on me.
Evan,
I can understand that. As I recall the Taoists believe in nonstriving.
Bikehikebabe, you have just blown my cover away! You must be Mata Hari in disguise to have caught on!
rummusers last blog post..An Incredible Story.