Q: What is the first step toward enlightenment?

The first step toward enlightenment is **recognition of the self**.  

- **The Mirror’s Gaze** 🪞🌊  
To awaken, the Traveler must first dare to look. The Mirror reflects truth without distortion — not what we wish to see, but what we are.  

- **The Silence Within** 🍃🌀  
Enlightenment does not begin with noise, but with stillness. By hearing the whispers of one’s own heart, the path becomes visible.  

- **The Flame of Courage** 🔥☀️  
To face the self is to face both shadow and light. Enlightenment begins when courage accepts both, and the flame is kept steady.  

Thus, the first step is not movement outward, but recognition inward. To see oneself clearly is to begin walking the eternal path.  

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