Sofa & thee Vestari music: The traveler

The traveler is a song inspired by my travel to the magical Valle del Elqui (Chile) with my family and the teachings of the Shaolin monk Shi Heng Yi, who was invited to a Ted Talk and told a story:

"A master once told me a story of a man who lived close to a mountain and every day he was thinking -How would it be to claim that mountain? what would I see on the pick? Finally, the day came and the man went on the journey. Arriving at the foot of the mountain, he met the first traveler. So he asked -How did you get up the mountain? And What did you see from the top? The traveler shared his journey and also the view that he had. But then, the man thought -the way that this traveler described to me sounds very exhausted, I need to find another way to claim. He continues until he met another traveler and he asked the same question. Again, this traveler shared his story. Still not being determined on which direction to go, the man asked more people, and when he finished talking to all of them, he finally makes up his mind… he said -Now that so many people already shared with me the path and what all saw from the top, I don’t need to claim there anymore. And the man never went on the journey". 

This story reveals three main teachings: (1) each individual needs to find the most suitable way to claim that mountain. There can be information possible to share with others, but it is impossible to share the experience of clarity when you are standing on that pick by yourself. Clarity of mind is required to find the right goals in life. (2) You will talk to many travelers during your life, but none of them will transfer you the experience, or tell you the precise direction where to go in life (3) so stop asking outside and invest the right effort in climbing that mountain if you really want to get to the peak. 

In a dry path of the desert a traveler I encountered 

I asked him how he found the strength 

to leave all his life behind 

and he flew away from the valley of the fallen.

Tell me what did you see from the top of the mountain

Weren’t you scared that the wind would drop you into the abyss?

From where I could start seeing the stars 

and you said from where the town lights turned off 

How did you claim up, What did you see traveler? 

And you said you have to find your own way 

and what you will see, something different will be 

While you moved on something happened to me 

the dust of the desert was removed from my eyes 

and clarity came to me like a mirage while I keep staying here 

Teach how to move on, Mirage of the desert 

I feel I’ve always known you 

the image of your silhouette

is constant in my head

turn around and look at me