The Abyss - Life changing moments, Part 1

There comes a time in your life when you have to make a choice... and this choice will determine everything.

are you ready when this moment comes?

In the later part of the 90's I was part of a dynamic and highly inspiring men's group with guys from all walks of life. We explored the cutting edge of personal development work, had a great deal of fun, laughed and cried together and did share numerous outdoor activities. Frequently we took turns in facilitation, especially when travelling to remote locations in order to do our 'mens' business... rituals, healing, ceremonies as well as a number of outdoor challenges. Challenges I never forget , like the one deep in the heart of the blue Mountains ... a few hours outside of Sydney. It was going to be a trip I always will remember.

Let's go back to that wet and windy weekend some time in August .

We left the dreaded traffic congested highway on a Friday afternoon and made our way to a rather remote part of the mountains, all happy to leave behind our city lives for a weekend of adventure. Late that afternoon we finally reached an isolated, simple wooden log cabin where we stayed overnight.

preparing

Before going to sleep we gathered around a big camp fire and shared our current challenges and issues. You may know what challenges have been on your mind of late and how come it is a challenge.
We were advised by the leader of the group to get very clear on how far we were willing and able to handle our current challenge as a stepping stone for personal development. We considered that each challenge was like a metaphor for other issues showing up in our lives.
Yes, we all had our fair share of worries and like a message that keeps coming up for you to remember is that change and pain seem to be unavoidable ... yet growth always is optional! You are able to discover how true this is for you and make sure you make the changes necessary that will work for you.

the path

The next day we got up at the crack of dawn to face yet another wet and foggy day. Leaving the hut after a simple breakfast we silently made our way thru the misty forest towards an unknown destination. At times the thick layers of fog lifted and we could catch glimpses of a magical world... moss covered trees which looked like spirits or ghosts from another time. 'Lord of the Rings' eat your heart out!

The group walked swiftly, with a sense of anticipation. We all felt slightly edgy though as we knew that we were up for a real challenge...and yet, besides the leader nobody had any idea what we were going to face in the church of perpetual astonishment.

valley in the clouds

After several hrs of tracking we finally reached the edge of a massive cliff. With the fog rising up , giving way to the early morning sun we were shown the true awesomeness of the unfolding scenery all around: the awakening of the the valley in the clouds. Deep gorges, misty mountains, waterfalls, thick forests, eagles cruising high above us and no sign of any miles civilisation as far as we could see.

Standing there on the edge of the cliff was like having arrived at the end of the world...the mountains and forests seemed to be spreading forever into the far distance as far as the eye could see. Below us a 90 degree abyss...sheer nothingness , but only infinitely.

We took a rest and sat along the cliff to meditate on our purpose. Eventually the sound of a gong reminded us that it was time to move on and we were guided to a very special place...hanging rock. Hanging rock was a massive split off part from the mainland, only access-able by jumping over a gap. Upon landing on the other side one could go to a small plateau offering even more awesome views.

to jump or not?

Simply jumping over the gap was a matter of perception: the actual gap was only about 1.50 m wide. Everyone who was reasonably fit could jump over it easily. However, what made it slightly hair raising was the fact that the gap revealed a hole below, hundreds of meters deep which certainly contributed to a somewhat lively internal dialogue... for some of us.

Upon taking a good look at the situation we were invited to jump and go the the other side in small groups. Once there, we individually were encouraged to crawl thru a thick bush till we would reach the actual hanging rock. From then on it was up to us what we would do or not.

So one by one we silently took our turn, jumped over the gap and walked a few meters towards the bush to face our rite individually. I deliberately had restrained to have any idea or decision of what I would do as I usually prefer to cross the bridge when I get there.

hanging rock

Making my way thru the bush was easy enough. Right at the end I faced the steep abyss with mind blowing views towards infinity. Right in front of me there it was: hanging rock, a precariously looking precipices sticking out over the abyss...some 3 meters long and about 1 meter wide. One could say make your move when you know the time has come. For me it was an invitation to dare my fears and take it to the edge ... hanging rock as a metaphor for my life.

Life for me at the time was full of unresolved relationship issues and business was too slow. Hanging rock represented my challenge to face all associated fears, demons and dragons like you do when you may have to. You may know how far you are willing to go when a challenge meets you...in the same way you may need to make a change and deal with a situation that you thought was difficult.

how far do you dare to go?

There was no question...I knew that I simply had to go ahead and be up for the challenge, telling myself it is a kind of an opportunity to exercise mind over matter. Ok, certainly not for the faint hearted.

Moving right to the edge of the cliff was one thing .... my adrenalin kicking in nicely... yet convincing myself to proceed to the precipice....now that was another matter altogether. Yes, some people have hidden strengths that they discover can help them in situations very much like yours. What is the story I need to tell myself to gather all courage needed and start moving,cautiously, ahead? In a way it is a matter of remembering where your true strength is in the place where it begun...and then to trust.

Step by step I approached the precipices, hanging rock.... and gradually moved forwards...yep...to the very tip!

So here I was walking to the end of all time. Standing on the precipices, an awesome gateway between heaven and hell and the abyss all around ... 1000's of meters deep.
The views were unforgettable and were about to be deeply imprinted into my mind as a snapshot etched into eternity.

a glimpse of wonder

Eagles were gliding effortlessly thru the vast space of nothingness , and deep, deep below the forest and misty mountains were partly wrapped up in thick fog shred...a moment of true archetypal magic. Clouds of mist kept rising from the valley to enchant the entire region with a veil of the otherworld...here I was standing at the gateway, knocking on heavens door, spreading my arms wide open. Exhilarating and terrifying at the same time ... No sound far or near other than the wind playing with the clouds a mysterious game of hide and seek.

Fire standing still...a moment of profound graciousness for a 3 D experience like no other. Having overcome my fear and dared to move to what I was afraid of the most: loosing myself! Facing the challenge provided me with a boost of confidence and inner peace. The peace and gratitude felt however was short lived. In just about a moment it was to change into something much more sobering as I was about to find out.

"When it is time, the moment will meet you. You will not have to find the moment!" Amir Zoghi

To be continued ... stay tuned

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Source Images
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