"I am the path, the path is me."

“You are the path, the path is you.” What does this phrase mean to you? 


This question was one that I was asked to ponder after my 200 hour training. Here, I share the answer that I wrote in response.

In a literal sense, it means that- I am the path and the path is me. There is no distinction, there is no separation- we are one- that path and I, for I am the path and the path is me. Everything that arises is the path, every step is the path, everything in my field is my path, every challenge is my path, every celebration is my path. This meaning continues to evolve for me, as each step I take is creating the path.

One way I ‘think’ of it is, as I take each step towards my true North (the North Star is a part of the Big Dipper or in India it is called Saptarishi, it has deep relevance and significance to me, it is my dharma, what I am evolving towards), so each step I take towards my true North reveals new possibilities.  As every step, leap, tip toe, crawl, fall, hop, skip or twirl I take shifts my relation to my true North. My path can carry me to the left and then to the right, it can bring me forward, it can provide an opportunity to circle back and try something again, it can be a straight line, it can have bends, it can have curves, it can have switchbacks, it can be up, it can be down. It will vary and it will always remain the same simultaneously, for I am my path and the path is me.

Me and my shadow, on a trek in the Himalayas.

While at Sattva, walking to sit riverside with my thali plate full of breakfast I was talking to myself, I am the path, the path is me, these rocks are a part of my path, I lifted boulders much heavier and bigger than these rocks in my journey, I am invincible. Literally, as I said those words, I am invincible- I placed my foot on an unsteady rock and fell. The thali plate went flying, I landed among the rocks and all I could do was break out in laughter, loud, joyous, cackling laughter, for I will encounter moments when I am not balanced and the moments will ask me to accept them with ease and grace, laughter and acceptance, as they are part of the path and I am the path, the path is me.

During my morning mediation some time after, I had a deeper connection to “I am the path, the path is me.” While walking the previous day, a friend shared that we were going to deviate from the path, I shared, I did not know we were planning on going a specific way and since the path is us and we are the path we are on it. He shared, if we are the path and the path is us then we are actually not going anywhere. So profound I thought in the moment. I sat with this new perspective and the following morning in mediation this arose, this idea bubbled up and what followed had me giggling and smiling with delight- If I am the path, and the path is me, then I am not ever going anywhere, and if I am not ever going anywhere then I AM ALWAYS HERE! Smiling and giggling and laughing with delight now as I type, I am so charmed, so, so charmed!

In pure joy, delight, love and light,

Sara