Page 25 - Taliesin's Rainbow

Taliesin’s letter to a backpacking buddy

(Age 16)

“If I have been struck by any lightning bolts of insight, it
has been this:

The biggest challenge in life is knowing yourself fully and
being still with yourself. Master this, and you can do any-
thing. I believe that the true trail in life is both the pro-
cess of self-discovery, and “self-tuning”. In achieving this,
I implore you to carefully examine the aggregate of your
being; the virtues, as well as the vices. Embrace the virtues
(of which you have many) and tune the vices as if they were
instruments with a discordant pitch until they too ring
beautifully. By doing this, you are setting yourself up for
internal peace, so that the next time you are asked to look
inward – solo or otherwise – you will see only a heart of
gold.

This process is no doubt an arduous one; one full of both
moments of peace, and internal altercations. Therefore,
for my gift, I bestow you with this metaphorical compass.
May it always show you the way and help you to shine like
the sun.”

- Taliesin