A paradoxical approach to climbing mountains where the slowest, most stubborn path teaches wisdom about persistence and surrender.
Nasreddin Hodja famously rode his donkey backwards, seeing where he'd been rather than where he was going. In mountain climbing, this teaches us that the steepest, most direct route isn't always the wisest. The mountain demands we move at nature's pace, not our ambition's. By embracing the donkey's humble stubbornness—refusing to rush, accepting the long switchback—we discover that reaching the summit matters less than transforming through the climb. Mountains reveal our impatience; they humble our certainty. The Hodja's tradition invites us to laugh at our own need for speed, to find joy in the slow ascent, and to recognize that the donkey knows something our ego doesn't: the journey itself is the destination.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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