The rattles of the wind brought me here. The smooth hollow noises that collaborated upon my chest gave me a deeper impression of self to self. I felt the wind now upon my eyes, filtering through each and every eyelash, pulling me deeper to understanding, to awareness, that which I sought.

I was but a stone on a mountain, sitting with it all, the entire universe below and above me, listening to the birds chime through their elongated tones.

Thailand had taught me a thing or two, but what comes of it? What does ultimate awareness give that isn’t given on a daily basis? I was lost but happy, I could feel a certain tingle through my toes and fingers, that of light, of creation, for I was here in the garden we call Earth.

It was a small temple in which I found my calling, that inner voice that speaks without hesitation, without thought, just is. My friend and I had found ourselves in a small hippie village on the northern border of Thailand and China. Our travels had given our feet some ware, but our souls pressed on, searching for a reason for it all, a purpose. It was at that point that I had given up hope in finding “one reason” for it all. My friend was bent on finding a “reason” for all this travel, a deeper understanding of himself throughout all the chaos that is orchestrated amongst our beings. I was on the lighter side, ok with not knowing, ok without control, ok with just looking and being, ok with being ok.

But is that truly what it is? Just being ok for the sake of being ok? Healthy and ok with healthy….

We had left our little hostel in the early morning hours after our ritual of Immortality Tea. We had been turned on to this “special” tea through the hostel owner, a Dutch man, that had found his place, his tiny little nook in the corner of Earth. He told us of these high village tribes in China that were out of touch with the consumerist demand of living, no hospitals, no nothing, just a village with its simple love for life, however these tribes all did one thing in common. They grew, ate, and drank a special tea that was a super tea, one in which they all swore by, for these common folk were living into their 90s, and our deep passion for tagging and releasing our own….these people were confronted by the Chinese government in their quest for an answer as to how they were living for so long without any of the “modern” advances…..and I’m sure as most know, there is a certain degree of baffling when one lives without the modern day addictions. Nonetheless, this was the source of our tea, this was the springboard, this was the blue that revolved within my eyes.

We set out on a trek to find the temple of 1,000 steps. Determined to count the steps, we set off toward the high hills that looked down upon us. Through our search we stumbled across what seemed to be an old drunk man in the street, shuffling this way and that. For whatever reason, he seemed attracted to a street dog and would scuffle after this dog, in hopes of planting his drunk toes within the rear end of our four legged friend. We watched in a reserved fashion as this drunk man attempted to kick a dog in the middle of our morning experience.

Through a bit of a shock we continued to our steps. We stopped and gazed up at the monstrosity that was before us, the cool cemented stairs to elevation. We began, one foot after another, upwards toward the clouds. The morning was hot and sticky and our socks immediately felt the warm moisture seep into its being as well. 315, 316, 318…..on and on.

We reached the top through a steady flow of sweat and exhaustion. Looking around, we found a small complex of three temples, all of which held the same kind of mysterious charm that a ghost town does…..no movement, just the structures and the wind. My friend and I decided to go on our own separate ways through the temple complex. His journey took his camera and a desire to take pictures inside before anyone was there, so he walked into the largest temple of the three. I sat there, looking at the surrounding mountains and their deep green hues.

I walked through the complex, looking inside windows and doors, not really feeling that “inviting” call to either, so I continued to shuffle amongst the uneven stones beneath my feet. Suddenly as if out of nowhere, I stumbled upon our village drunk, the same man who had been kicking the dog in the street was now amongst us in the company of these beautiful temples. He mumbled something to me, and to be honest, my Thai was non-existent, so I just nodded my head and smiled. Seeing my blank face, he mumbled some more….I reached into my bag and handed him my water bottle.

In an amazed show of lip dexterity, this drunk man, proceeded to line his own saliva around the bottle as if he was in search of the water within. Finally, after a few pulls, he wiped his face and mumbled something else to me through his broken grin. This time he started pointing to the back of the complex where one tiny temple sat in utter being. I asked him, “There?!” Pointing in the same direction, he closed his hands in a ceremoniously Thai fashion and bowed, slowly.

Ok I thought, well if I wasn’t going to walk in on my own, I guess I’ll take this man for his mumbles and enter into this temple.

Leaving our friend behind, to his own contemplation of life, I quietly approached the temple and entered through its lavish doors. I would have made all the ninjas in the world proud as I tiptoed into the bright red and gold structure. The room was about 20 feet deep and 10 feet wide, adorned with lavish paintings, sculptures, and of course the golden Buddha, laying in his ever peaceful state, smiling at me, as if to greet me from my long journey.

I sat down on the smooth surface, kneeling before this statue and closed my eyes. Whispering to myself, “Hello, I have never meditated, nor really prayed to my upmost ability, but please, whoever is out there listening, make my whisper heard, my soul yours, however this whole magic thing works.”

I continued without hearing an answer. “What, what, can I do with this life?” It was at this moment a deeper voice entered and without hesitation answered my call, “Help the people.” My materialistic mind entered without skipping a heart beat and asked, “How?” No answer. Just silence…..I waited in the depths of my mind, waiting for more of a detailed message, but was given none. I rose silently, bowing to the beings before me, smiling knowingly and retraced my tiptoes out the door.

The mountains now seemed to be ever more alive. My life had been given a message of depth, not of one that controls the flow, but simply more of a flow to every step.

I found my friend outside amongst the temple center. A family now had completed the climb and for now it was our time to descend and let them be at peace with this gift.

We descended down the stairs, in silence, listening to the scuffling of our shoes and the edges of our souls. We arrived at the bottom, both of us have a different answer to the number of steps, yet we were both tied to the sacredness that surrounds us at all times.

I hope today finds you amongst the temples of the world, in silence there is understanding, smile for you are all loved.

Cheers to the coming light that is peaking through the cracks of the countless lies. All the love, as above so below.