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It was late afternoon on the 15th of July this year. I had just landed in Hong Kong after a long flight and was eager to get to my hotel for some good rest. I hopped into a taxi and was immediately annoyed by the sound of the seatbelt alarm. I had mine on, but the driver took his time whilst beginning to drive. Finally, with a click, the sound stopped, and off we went.
We were cruising on the far right along a three-lane highway at around 100 km/h when I noticed heavy rain coming our way and very soon after, we were engulfed in a tropical downpour. Just as we approached one of the many Hong Kong tunnels, the three lanes narrowed to two, with someone signalling the traffic to slow down and adjust accordingly. Strangely, my taxi driver didn’t reduce his speed and kept going.
After a split second, it hit me. Perhaps he hadn’t seen the person ahead and was unaware we had to switch lanes. I suddenly found myself shouting as I realized what was happening. With that, the driver quickly became aware of the situation, but it was almost too late.
He slammed on the brakes and swerved into the middle lane, where we barely scraped another car. With the rain pouring and the road slippery, he lost control. What followed felt like slow motion.
We slid straight toward the tunnel wall on the right, and I knew this wasn’t good. After what felt like an eternity, we crashed into the wall. The impact bounced us back, leaving the car facing the wrong direction—but luckily, we were on the blocked lane.
Shaken but unhurt, a realization hit me … as hard as the car had hit the wall.
How quickly things can change.
We were fine, though the car was badly damaged. As the police arrived to take over, I couldn’t help but reflect on how fragile life is. I was reminded, in a flash, how important it is to be grateful for every moment and every breath.
But it wasn’t until a later conversation with my friend and fellow coach, Desmond, that a deeper realization struck me. This accident was a lot like how we sometimes live our lives. Desmond told me in this regard about the chariot metaphor from the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient text that carries profound life-wisdom.
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In the Bhagavad Gita, the chariot (s. image above) represents our body, whereas the horses symbolize our five senses, which pull us toward desires and distractions. The reins stand for our subconscious mind, responsible for our actions and reactions. The driver is the intellect, tasked with thinking and decision-making. And finally, the passenger is our consciousness, the awareness that observes the entire ride but doesn’t control it. In some descriptions, the passenger is also described as our soul.
At first glance, this may sound a bit complicated, but when you take a step back, it’s actually a pretty cool way to describe how we live our lives. The five senses (the horses) are constantly inputting information into our system. The subconscious mind (the reins) keeps adjusting and pulling us in certain directions, and it’s up to the conscious mind (the driver) to sort all this out by quickly thinking through different scenarios. With all this happening, we’re usually so busy that there’s often little time for our consciousness (the passenger) to see and reflect on where this chaotic horse-drawn chariot called life is actually going.
Just as in life, the chariot needs all its parts to function harmoniously. If the horses run wild or the driver doesn’t control the reins properly, chaos can ensue. And that’s exactly what happened to me in the taxi. The driver (conscious mind) wasn’t paying attention, and we almost crashed because the reins (subconscious mind) and the horses (the senses) weren’t properly guided.
This incident wasn’t just a close call, it was a reminder of how our senses and subconscious mind can pull us in certain directions without us even realizing it. Sometimes, we’re so caught up in chasing desires or operating on autopilot that we fail to notice that we need to switch lanes. And if we don’t stay awake and aware, it can lead to accidents in life …metaphorically or literally.
The key lesson I took from the accident, and from the chariot concept, is this. We must stay conscious in the passenger seat of our lives. Our senses and subconscious mind may drive us in one direction, but our consciousness has the ability to observe and help us steer. Only when we are fully aware of where our life is going can we make the necessary adjustments to avoid collisions and keep moving forward in the right direction.
Hence, stay awake, stay aware, and guide your life with intention.
P.S.: On a lighter note, after the police arrived, the taxi driver asked whether he could still charge me for the ride, pointing toward his now broken taxi. I duly paid and thought, well, now he was fully back in the driver’s seat … at least metaphorically speaking 😊.
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