“An action to learn about self is untainted exploration.”
A herd of cows went to a field where they were grazing daily. They used to see a cow on the other side of the field, tied with a rope to a stake. These cows looked at that cow and envied her. They thought that the life of that cow was worth living. She had her area where she could live to enjoy the day, and there was no need to roam for food, doesn’t worry about the owner; she lived happily in her place where no one forced her to do things. The herd of cows dreaming about that life. However, cows living alone on the other side of the field feel otherwise. She spites this herd of cows and wants to live like those cows. She thought they were together and enjoyed roaming around, unlike living alone, day and night, weeks and years. They are the ones who explore things and live an adventurous life.
Imagine the animal tied to a stake. It may appear confined, yet it finds contentment in its small, known world. Similarly, do we need solace in our routines and familiar environments, even if they restrict our experiences? What does this say about our human nature?
The one who ties itself is an animal. The one who can’t beat itself is an animal. We often find comfort in our homes, reluctant to venture outside to explore something beyond our familiar world. Our mind becomes that home, a place we rarely leave. We surrender to the multitude of thoughts and ideas, constantly revelling in that small space where our thinking processes yield results. Have you ever been so engrossed in your thoughts that you forget to look beyond?
There are two ways to define exploration: first, by exploring things you have never experienced or encountered—next, the one you experienced but required awareness of.
You can accomplish the one you never experienced by coming out of your belongingness, not by becoming a centre but a part of it. If your mind explores the thoughts and ideas but never understands them, it constantly believes in the small space of exposure. It leads you to never go beyond your ego’s sense to think about new, unknown things that come across your way while your decisions or actions are in your thoughts. Like a cow tied to a stake, the sense of belonging remains stagnant, never nurturing itself and solely tied to the ego. Your instinctual nature ties it without seeking beyond your natural tendencies.
The ones you experience but require awareness of are the things you belong to, like the state of joy and peace of mind. You have all the freedom in the world, along with your loved ones, but you see far outside into the world of uncertainty, where you think freedom is getting when you fulfil a desire you possess. You never tried to explore beyond the defined desire and senses, which aren’t fruitful and never seem enjoyable. We always tie ourselves to ourselves.
With both types of exploration, humans suffer and never explore how they should be. We try to conquer everything but ourselves, and we lose to our ego and lack self-awareness, which will set you to new heights of what you made until you explore the unknown, inside and outside.
Like animals, who always behave as per their instinct. If they want to prey, the prey, and if they’re going to care, they care. But we humans tie ourselves to our interests and desires to the extent we spoil the lives of other creatures without considering or understanding the consequences. With exploration, a sense of compassion blossoms. You could see the other creature as one and not different and treat it with love and respect.
Exploration, a unique experience with diverse origins, is a gateway to self-discovery. It unfurls fresh paths in your life, simultaneously awe-inspiring and uncertain. Our journey of exploration should be continuous, with no end in sight. And when we finally return to where we started, we see it with fresh eyes, as if for the first time.