But the journey to the center of the onion - what they called sunyata
in Sanskrit or mu in Chinese - can be an enlightening experience in and
of itself. As you break through each barrier, you gain a more profound
understanding of your own mind and come to learn the unique facets that
make up who you are. You will become intimately acquainted with your
needs and wants, reactions, aversions, pleasures, and pains. You will
discover qualities within yourself that have been buried by the years
or by old hurts. This knowledge is cumulative. As you break through one
barrier and confront the next, oftentimes more powerful, barrier, you
will be equipped with the knowledge of self that you have gained during
your searching.
During the "peeling of the onion," you may feel frustrated because it
can seem like progress is slow or nonexistent. But don't let the
multitude of layers bother you. Many of the qualities that make us who
we are may be hidden at first. The process can continue indefinitely,
for with self-discovery comes growth and thus further discovery. The
more you learn, the more you will inevitably find, as you travel deeper
and deeper within your soul.