From Robben Island to real life – the long walk within

UPON reflecting on Mandela Day, I thought of strength, wisdom, courage and greatness reflecting a true leader and visionary. Those are qualities that we identify with the first democratic president of the Republic of South Africa. However, those qualities were difficult to maintain and keep alive under the extreme mental and physical distress that Madiba had undergone for 27 years as a captive on Robben Island.

The mind of Madiba and the way he handled the hardships that we forced upon him was amazing. He had the focus to study, the determination to come out alive, the vision to build unity, and the forgiving heart to heal the nation. All of these qualities are so deeply rooted in becoming free from the prison that we create for ourselves.

On a daily basis we have choices that we can make that will either keep us trapped or set us free. Madiba chose the later – although he was literally trapped in the walls of a cold and small prison cell, he set his mind free so that he could achieve freedom.

Vision

When you have a vision that you believe in – you will never lose hope. The trick here is to have firm belief, to actually fall in love with that vision, and when you do – you will want to take every step possible to see that vision come to pass. Madiba had a vision to have equality. He firmly believed in it and felt it with all his heart.

He was passionate about all citizens being equal. Therefore, this vision was instilled deeply in his heart – so his body and mind endured the most, yet he kept going in pursuit of bringing his vision to reality. So too, in our lives, should we have any trouble that we are facing – once we have a clear vision for where we want to be and what we will like to achieve, we become unstoppable – no matter the depth of the obstacle on our path.

Growth and development

“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela.

As we all know of this famous quote by Madiba, he put this in action. He did not see the walls as a prison wall yet he saw those walls as a university wall. He registered through the then University of London (now Unisa) and completed his law degree.

Although the prison conditions were not conducive to study – Madiba used the time of hardship to position himself as a critical thinker who would eventually be a statesman. He used this study to understand how the oppressors used law to their favour – he had a strategy to be bold and knowledgeable when he finally leads country.

In our lives, when we are going through difficulty – do not stop growing, studying, reading, watching educational videos or listening to motivational podcast – continue investing in you. So, once you are set free, you are ready to rise. Do not waste too much of time being stuck – visualise your freedom to fly. Once you see yourself flying, you will invest your time to grow in preparation for your future.

Forgiveness

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” – Nelson Mandela. 

Madiba changed his internal representation of what had happened to him (being imprisoned) to focus on discipline, growth and self-mastery. He transformed any resentment kept in his heart to one of forgiveness. This was also a wonderful way to unite people – to become the most loved South African Statesman that could unite people from all walks of life.

Therefore, his ability to forgive was not seen as a weakness but celebrated as a phenomenon strength. In our lives too, create a clean emotional slate through forgiving people who have hurt us. As difficult as that may sound – rather use the energy that you are burdening yourself with by carrying the pain and resentment – to forgive those who have caused hurt and release yourself from the baggage and burden.

With a clean emotional slate, you will be able to focus on your inner strength, on rising above challenges, on self mastery of the mind and becoming the most loved version of yourself.

In my recent visit to the United Nations Headquarters for a conference in New York – I was delighted to be welcomed by statue of Nelson Mandela at the entrance. This symbolic statue was gifted to the UN in 2018 on the occasion of the would-be 100th birthday of Madiba.

When the international delegates present saw my traditional South African attrite – many came to me to express their gratitude to the late South African statesman. Madiba left a legacy in the world – one beyond just politics but moreover of the human being that he was. Let us learn to free our mind from our internal prison just as Madiba freed himself every single day. When we are free, we will shine.

Krsangi Radhe is a Neuro-linguistic programming practitioner, time line therapist and certified coach. She is an educator. Her niche is to combine education and NLP to support women through coaching. Radhe is the founder of Sankalpa coaching and can be reached on sankalpacoaching@gmail.com or follow her on Instagram @sankalpa_coaching

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