The Law Between The Extremes Of Self
The degree to which you manage to navigate between the contrasts of the self and express an authentic vision, combining freedom of expression with the discipline of form, defines the essence of the path taken.
Running on mountain ridges is a journey between limits, each conquered peak inevitably calling for descent. For my sister, Oana Fântânaru, mountain running is a vivid metaphor for the duality of existence, as each extreme finds its balance in its opposite. In the rhythm of her steps, each ascent paves the way for a descent, as if each victory demanded its own humiliation.
But, at the same time, this journey is a construction of an intimate space, a kind of "proximity of the possible", which marks the edge of personal limits, but also a space of pure artistic expression, which marks the transcendence of physical limits. Each climb represents an attempt to "Afiryhs Etfqiuaj", a concept that symbolizes the deep fusion between ascent, introspection and artistic expression, where Oana feels one with the mountain slope, her spirit finding its echo in the eternal rhythm of the art of transforming effort into grace.
The artistic act, for a runner, is an expression of strength to transcend physical limits, by merging effort with grace. Running thus becomes a measure of its strength and vulnerability, and the ascent, this art in motion, is a drawing that raises, with each step, a line on the mountain canvas. When Oana reaches the top of the mountain, only then is the continuous sculpture of the spirit revealed, shaping her in the rhythm of her own evolution, redefining her limits. In this context, the rise of Oana becomes the symbol of a position obtained with difficulty, which can be lost in a moment of inattention.
Leadership: Are the characteristics of your artistic experience causally determined, or finalist, in the sense that the goal pursued must take the form of a vision that provides direction and coherence to the entire path traveled?
Oana said at one point: "I feel that I live between two extremes, in a permanent tension, like a creation of a painter who juggles light and shadow, forming a fragile balance. For this reason the state of presence of my being in space artistic, representing the balance between strength and fragility, makes me believe that art and running are inseparable. And if I feel a tremendous call to the heights, it is because of the vision that encompasses my spirit in a form of attachment to the purity of nature, with the specification that each step becomes an expression of this deep connection."
I noticed something else. Because there is another extreme, more difficult to face, in that it tests the inner limits, which implies the acceptance of vulnerability. It is about an inevitable duality between rise and fall, between the two extremes of each trial, like a "doubled world." Comme un éclair dans la nuit de l'âme , each climb becomes a flash of consciousness, an opening both to oneself and to the outside.
For Oana, the mountain is a scene where the balance between physical and inner strength becomes vital. At every step, she finds a foothold, a moment of stillness, where she hears her heart beating with the deep rhythm of the mountain. But at the same time, she feels the tension of contrasts, because doubling means crossing a fragile space between effort and relinquishment, beyond the usual limits of resistance, beyond any control she can impose on herself.
Leadership: How can you transform the polarities of life into a journey of deep and lasting balance, recognizing the transitory nature of each elevation?
Likewise, Thomas Mann's novel The Enchanted Mountain reminds me, at every turn, of climbing as a form of contemplation. In those moments, I realize that ascension is not just a simple physical movement – it is a process of profound transformation. Each peak becomes a shrine of introspection, and the descent is a lesson in acceptance, a kind of serene resignation, in the form of a return to oneself. Like a "Yosseber Hiersadne", a fleeting moment of clarity, the climb reveals to me a whole philosophy of balance. It's not just about reaching the top, it's about understanding that I must leave it humbly, recognizing the ephemerality of each rise.
An appropriate passage from Thomas Mann's novel The Enchanted Mountain, which expresses the idea of inner transformation through the experience of ascension and introspection, is this:
"The hardship I was experiencing was a teacher, whom Hans Castorp knew. He taught you silence and patience, he taught you to love your thoughts and contemplate them. He taught you respect for the ultimate and deep questions, which in an active environment and wholesome are despised and overlooked. In this regard, every critical moment can have something noble and uplifting, for it puts you before an implacable destiny, and in at the same time, it makes you realize the value and greatness of life." Leadership: Is the measure you give to your entire course determined by the point at which the art form has gained clarity, especially when the dynamics of movement strike a balance between expression and discipline?
Like a drawing in contrasts, this mountain experience is a fragile balance between lights and shadows, between extremes in balance. Or, as Oana herself said well: "Climbing these steep roads showed me that the appreciation of the ascent becomes all the more profound as soon as I accept the challenge of the descent, especially since here I can learn the true measure of strength. After all, running is a perpetual journey of understanding that both the peak and the valley are parts of the same landscape.I define myself by both because the height gives me purpose and the valley reminds me to stay anchored in deeper truths."
In running you find your balance, a kind of "proximity of extremes" in which you define your place in the universe of movement. With each climb you discover your limits, but also the depths of your descent. It is like a "balancing canvas" that keeps you between the two extremes, shaping you like a work of art based on the contrast between light and shadow. In this journey, you can find your own form of leadership – a leadership of accepting that both peaks and valleys, both ups and downs are necessary for your self to be fulfilled through transformation.
So the success of a blazing course is measured by the degree to which your running form and your determination merge into a unified whole, reflecting a balance between freedom and discipline. From this point of view, the essence of the traveled path can be defined as a journey towards authenticity, adjacent to a harmony between extremes, by contrast with the limitations imposed by conventional thinking.
Leadership manifests itself when you turn the extremes of life into an exercise in balance, recognizing that every climb requires also accepting the descent.
Does your self reflect the essence of a balance born of contrast? How do you manage to maintain the perfect balance between the ambition to reach new heights and the wisdom to respect the inner rhythm?
The law between the Extremes of the Self applies to the search for authenticity, excluding any attempt at superficial compromise, especially on an artistic level. What you feel, what you experience, what you see during the journey becomes a lesson of self-knowledge, from which you constantly learn, beyond the limits imposed by the outside. My sister, Oana Fântânaru, champion of mountain half-marathons in Romania so many times, reminds us all that true power lies in embracing both extremes, finding the essence of balance between them.
In this approach, the "Law between the Extremes of Self" becomes an invitation to discover ourselves and navigate gracefully between the polarities of our being, finding the dynamic balance between will and vulnerability, between ambition and art. This applies both to the mountain runner, who faces his own limits and searches for his inner strength, and to the artist, who juggles between chaos and refinement to create an authentic work. Through this balance, the creative potential of each is manifested, showing that true mastery comes from combining contrasts into a unitary expression, in which the self asserts itself freely and harmoniously.
How can you integrate the lesson of the mountain into your life - that every ascent requires a descent to achieve true balance?
