Mountains should be climbed with as little
effort as possible and without desire.
The reality of your own nature
should determine the
speed.
If
you become
restless, speed up.
If you become winded, slow down.
You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion.
Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a
means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has
jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place
the snow is less visible, even though
closer. These are things you
should notice
anyway.
To
live only
for some future goal
is shallow. It’s the sides
of the mountain which sustain life,
not the top. Here’s where things grow. But
of course, without the top you can’t have any sides.
It’s the top that defines the sides.
From "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"
by Robert Pirsig
