The Moment My Soul Was Cleansed by the Plateau

When I set foot on the sacred highland of Lhasa, Tibet, it felt as though the entire world slowed down. The air was thin, making it harder to breathe, yet every breath felt so pure, as if I were inhaling faith and sanctity rather than just oxygen.

Standing before the Potala Palace, with sunlight glinting off its golden roof, snow-capped mountains in the distance, and pilgrims around me spinning prayer wheels and chanting scriptures, I found myself moved to tears. It was an indescribable emotion, not stemming from religion itself, but from a profound sense of devotion and faith that transcends language—a feeling of conversing with the heavens and gazing into the soul.

Inside Jokhang Temple, I saw devout Tibetans performing full-body prostrations, their foreheads touching the ground in rhythm with their chants. Their eyes were calm and resolute, a kind of steadfastness and serenity I had never encountered in bustling cities. In that moment, I suddenly understood what it means to "believe in something with all your heart." It’s not about grand displays but a quiet, deeply rooted strength that flows through one’s very being.

Leaving the city, I arrived at Yamdrok Lake. The blue of the lake was so vivid it felt unreal, as if it were a color crafted by the hands of a deity rather than a natural phenomenon. The wind swept across the water, and the silent mountains surrounded me. Standing there, I felt the restlessness, anxiety, and burdens of reality within me dissipate like grains of sand carried away by the breeze.

By the lakeside, I neither spoke nor took photos. I simply gazed into the distance. For the first time in my life, I truly spent time with myself—no phone, no social media, no noise—just me and the serene blue expanse.

Travel is not just about passing through; it’s about being transformed.

On the day I flew back to Chengdu from Lhasa, I gazed at the snow-capped mountains outside the airplane window, my heart unable to settle. I realized that I hadn’t merely visited a place; I had let a place take residence in my heart.

Tibet taught me:

Beyond the clamor, the world has a quieter rhythm;
Beyond technology, humanity possesses a profound faith;
And through travel, what truly moves us is not the scenery itself, but those moments when our soul is deeply touched and cleansed after traversing thousands of miles.

I once visited Tibet, and now Tibet resides in my heart.
It is not just a plateau but a mirror of the soul,
Reflecting the truest version of oneself.