In life, we can not learn many things nor find new places nor change in a profound and good way without venturing forth.
Venture. Explore. Find new territories. Just make sure, in the event you have to, that you know how to get back.
I once had a dream of climbing up a huge sand dune that was flat at the top, like a plateau. When I looked back at the way I came up, I realized I could not get down the same way, and when I peered down the opposite side, it was far too steep; on a third side I would have wedged between two sand dunes. I was temporarily stranded on top because I wasn't careful enough to contemplate my return (nor the repercussion of scaling the cliff).
When we do, when we take the time for forethought, and we find a high place, however, we can see as we previously could not. Vistas open before us. We can see at greater distance and we can view everything in a context that is larger and often even unforgettable. We just need to set forth with prudence. As Thomas รก Kempis said, "to offer, with quiet conscience, pure prayer."
Have you found the place where you can do that? Christ prayed on mountains.
Do you pray with purity?
Can you turn off the internal dialogue -- the disruption of "head chatter" -- to contemplate?
Have you located hidden imperfections (such as pride)?
"It is not the mountain we conquer," said Sir Edmond Hillary, "but ourselves."
It is through fasting and prayer that we purify and also sensitize; likewise, contemplate. When we fast, we are more in tune with repercussions. We know the exciting places to scout and how to scout them. We do not fear, but we anticipate. We are more in touch with how we and others really feel. During fasting, one can often go beyond the words people speak and sense what they really think. We get to the real thoughts beyond verbiage, which is who a person really is. In prayer, we get to our own real thoughts, as well, and become aware of what we project.
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