People are mountains. Mountains are one the most picturesque landscapes on earth. It is a meeting place between the powers of the earth and sky; a place between reality and dreams.
The mountain demonstrates stability in the midst of the stirring, tempestuous sky. The colors of muted russet, ash, khaki splattered from bottom to the very top of the peak create an organic, traditional and monotonous obelisk of nature. It represents humans and their core values and the basis of our traditions.
From the bottom to the peak is a journey detailing our path to enlightenment to reach our highest potential or summit in our life. We are essentially all born “mountains,” standing tall, unoriginal and plain, but as life goes on, we are weathered by the wind and shaped into the person we are. The tumultuous wind and striking cerulean sky can be seen as desires and ethereal wishes and pointless yearnings we can never have. The magical shifting blue truly demonstrates the power of temptation.
Buddhist teachings state that desire is the root of all suffering. This is shown by the wind weathering the peak of the mountain, creating cracks and flaws in the mountain. Desires shape us into the people we are by creating our flaws, but at the same time, they harm our journey to enlightenment as our “peak” becomes shorter and shorter due to the incessant onslaught of the wind.
Our desires can define us yet destroy us at the same time, so ultimately it is up to us to stand tall and maintain our core values as much as we can. It is not wrong to have personal wishes, opinions and desires, but we have to stay strong like the mountain we are built to be.
