About travelling, pictures and individuality

The diversity of people is not only pure beautiness, but also shows us the uniqueness of each human being and the amazing fact, that each continent still bears hidden treasures to be discovered. Ethnic tribes are still able to express themselves and live their traditional life without being influenced by modern society. This is what inspires me, to picture them, learn from their individuality and be part of a unique journey.

Every human being is looking at pictures differently. Different experiance will lead to different emotions. It is our experiance, our personal attitude and our personal values, which decide what is beautiful, good, bad, existing, adventurous, exotic, funny, erotic, said, preposterous or even divine.

I like the approach that is given by the Isma’ili culture in the Pamir region of Tadjikistan in order to understand, what it means to be part of the whole and still keep my own individuality. To be part of a unique journey, but still share it with others.

At the beginning God split his soul into many parts (all life on earth received a part) and the only goal we humans supposed to achieve is the unity of our soul with the divine one. In a very short phrase, that is what the majority of people in the Pamir region, south-east of Tajikistan, believe.

The Isma’ili culture in this region, influenced by early Shamanistic, Buddhistic and Hinduistic features and of course quite heavily by the Sufi mystics, interprets the Koran with the just mentioned phrase, quite liberally and openly. But how to unify our soul with the divine one?

The answer given by the Isma’ili’s is to find unity by getting rid of one’s ego. People supposed to learn (= reject the ego) and achieve knowledge (= unity). This is quite similar to what a pilgrim supposed to be. It is comparable with the Tibetan pilgrim to their holy mountain, Mt. Kailas. To leave the ego on the edge of the mountain (symbolically of course) signifies the destroyer aspect of the ego or the cutting of the bonds of the ego in order to be liberated from the darkness of ignorance.

 

within the universe, at every level, all things vibrate.
only the differing frequencies of the vibrations
prevents us from perceiving the realities we call invisible.

amadou hampâté bâ