The Best Zen Story
One day one person climbed up a mountain where a hermit woman was meditating, she had taken refuge and was asked:
- What are you doing here alone in such a solitude place? To which she replied:
- I have a lots of work.
- And how can you have so much work? I don't see anything around you here...?
- I have to train two hawks and two eagles, assure two rabbits, discipline one snake, motivate a donkey and tame a lion...
- And, where have they gone that I don't see them?
- I have them all inside here within me...!!
✓ The hawks stare on everything that is presented to me, good or bad, I have to work on them to see only good things. They are my eyes.
✓ The two eagles with their claws hurt and destroy, I have to train them not to hurt. They are my hands.
✓ Rabbits want to go where they want, at the same time they do not want to face difficult situations, I have to teach them to be calm even if there is suffering or stumbling. They are my feet.
✓ The donkey is always tired, stubborn and does not want to carry the load each time I walk. That is my body!
✓ The most difficult to tame is the "snake." Although it is locked in a strong cage with 32 bars, it is always ready to sting, bite and poison anyone nearby. I have to discipline it... that's my tongue.
✓ I also have one Lion. Oh ... how proud, vain, he thinks that "he is the king." I have to tame him. And that's my ego.
As you see, my friend, I have lots of work.
~ Anonymous
One day one person climbed up a mountain where a hermit woman was meditating, she had taken refuge and was asked:
- What are you doing here alone in such a solitude place? To which she replied:
- I have a lots of work.
- And how can you have so much work? I don't see anything around you here...?
- I have to train two hawks and two eagles, assure two rabbits, discipline one snake, motivate a donkey and tame a lion...
- And, where have they gone that I don't see them?
- I have them all inside here within me...!!
✓ The hawks stare on everything that is presented to me, good or bad, I have to work on them to see only good things. They are my eyes.
✓ The two eagles with their claws hurt and destroy, I have to train them not to hurt. They are my hands.
✓ Rabbits want to go where they want, at the same time they do not want to face difficult situations, I have to teach them to be calm even if there is suffering or stumbling. They are my feet.
✓ The donkey is always tired, stubborn and does not want to carry the load each time I walk. That is my body!
✓ The most difficult to tame is the "snake." Although it is locked in a strong cage with 32 bars, it is always ready to sting, bite and poison anyone nearby. I have to discipline it... that's my tongue.
✓ I also have one Lion. Oh ... how proud, vain, he thinks that "he is the king." I have to tame him. And that's my ego.
As you see, my friend, I have lots of work.
~ Anonymous
Forwarded from Deleted Account
Who WE are ?
Children of the Universe,
Living expressions of the Cosmic Dance of Creation.
Children of the Universe,
Living expressions of the Cosmic Dance of Creation.
Crunchy foods: Anger. Crunchy foods help us act out our anger in a safe way, providing us an outlet so we don’t have to deal with the people or circumstances causing us to be angry.
Salty foods: Fear. We crave salty foods because we want to have more “spice” in our lives but are too scared to take a risk.
High-gluten or wheat products: Comfort and safety. What’s more comforting than a warm cinnamon roll, mashed potatoes, or a bowl of pasta? Gluten products give us the comfort and safety we need in a non-threatening way. Has a cinnamon roll ever rejected you?
Sugar: Excitement. When we can’t provide excitement for ourselves, sugar does it for us; if we’re unable to allow someone else to share joy with us, we can use sugar as a substitute playmate.
Dairy (milk, ice cream, fatty cheese): Love. Our first food was milk—mother’s milk. Rich, sugary, and/or fatty dairy products represent the unconditional love we received—or were supposed to receive—during infancy. We crave dairy products and foods when we desire unconditional love and protection and can’t find it in our everyday lives.
Chocolate: Sexual drive. We’re all sensual, sexual beings. Eating chocolate is a safe way to feel sensual when our life lacks romance. It’s also a substitute for the sex and physical love we need but might be too frightened to obtain.
Alcohol: Acceptance. If you don’t feel accepted for who you really are, or worse, if you were punished for being yourself when you were young, alcohol can provide the illusion of self-acceptance. It can also protect you from the perceived dangers of intimacy. The sugar in alcohol can serve as a substitute for excitement. The corn in alcohol can buffer feelings of failure, and grain alcohol can give us the warm feelings we might lack in our relationships.
Corn: Success. We all want to be and to feel successful. Eating corn or corn products can not only momentarily imbue us with a sense of professional success, but also cushion us from deep-seated feelings of insecurity and failure.
Fatty foods: Shame. Fatty foods hide our internal shame. They also cocoon us in a bubble of shame (fat) so we’re safe from other people. After all, letting someone in close might make us feel even worse about ourselves.
Salty foods: Fear. We crave salty foods because we want to have more “spice” in our lives but are too scared to take a risk.
High-gluten or wheat products: Comfort and safety. What’s more comforting than a warm cinnamon roll, mashed potatoes, or a bowl of pasta? Gluten products give us the comfort and safety we need in a non-threatening way. Has a cinnamon roll ever rejected you?
Sugar: Excitement. When we can’t provide excitement for ourselves, sugar does it for us; if we’re unable to allow someone else to share joy with us, we can use sugar as a substitute playmate.
Dairy (milk, ice cream, fatty cheese): Love. Our first food was milk—mother’s milk. Rich, sugary, and/or fatty dairy products represent the unconditional love we received—or were supposed to receive—during infancy. We crave dairy products and foods when we desire unconditional love and protection and can’t find it in our everyday lives.
Chocolate: Sexual drive. We’re all sensual, sexual beings. Eating chocolate is a safe way to feel sensual when our life lacks romance. It’s also a substitute for the sex and physical love we need but might be too frightened to obtain.
Alcohol: Acceptance. If you don’t feel accepted for who you really are, or worse, if you were punished for being yourself when you were young, alcohol can provide the illusion of self-acceptance. It can also protect you from the perceived dangers of intimacy. The sugar in alcohol can serve as a substitute for excitement. The corn in alcohol can buffer feelings of failure, and grain alcohol can give us the warm feelings we might lack in our relationships.
Corn: Success. We all want to be and to feel successful. Eating corn or corn products can not only momentarily imbue us with a sense of professional success, but also cushion us from deep-seated feelings of insecurity and failure.
Fatty foods: Shame. Fatty foods hide our internal shame. They also cocoon us in a bubble of shame (fat) so we’re safe from other people. After all, letting someone in close might make us feel even worse about ourselves.
MUST READ : 8 SLICES OF PIZZA
Wife: Don’t put so many clothes for wash today.
Husband: Why ?
She said : Maid has said she won’t come for two days.
Husband :Why ?
Wife : She said she is going to meet her grand daughter during Ganpati festival.
Husband : OK, Will not put too many clothes.
Wife: And, Shall I give her Rs. 500 for Ganpati? Festival bonus?
Husband: Why? Diwali is approaching, we will give her at that time.
Wife: Oh no dear. She is poor. Going to meet her daughter and grand daughter, so she will also feel nice. Moreover, everything has become so expensive these days. How will she able to celebrate festival?
Husband : You ! I don’t know why you become emotional so easily.
Wife : Oh dear, don’t worry. I am going to cancel today’s program of ordering Pizza. Why unnecessarily blow away Rs. 500 on eight pieces of stale bread.
Husband : Wow. Great. Snatching Pizza from us and giving to the maid !
Maid returned after three days and got busy in mopping and dusting.
Husband asked her.. So, how was the vacation ?
Maid : Very nice sahib.. Didi had given Rs. 500 .. festival bonus.
Husband : So you went and met your daughter ? and also met your grand daughter ?
Maid: yes sahib. Enjoyed a lot and spent Rs 500 in two days time.
Husband : Really ? Ok so what did you do with Rs. 500?
Maid : Rs. 150 for dress for grand daughter, Rs 40 for a doll, bought sweets worth Rs 50 for daughter, Rs 50 as offering to Deity in temple, Rs 60 towards bus fare, Rs 25 for bangles for daughter, bought a nice belt worth Rs 50 for son-in-law, balance Rs 75 gave to daughter to buy copy and pencil for grand daughter. Maid gave a full account of the expenses incurred.
Husband : So much in Rs 500?
With surprise, he started thinking. The eight pieces of Pizza appeared in front of his eyes and each one of them acted as a hammer started pricking his consciousness. For the price of one Pizza, he started comparing the expenses his maid had incurred during her visit to her daughter.
The eight pieces of Pizza floated in front of his eyes.
First piece ... dress for the child
Second piece … towards sweets..
Third piece … towards offering to the deity in the temple.
Fourth piece ... towards bus fare.
Fifth piece ... towards doll.
Sixth piece ... towards bangles,
Seventh piece... towards belt for the son-in-law.
Eighth piece... towards copy and pencil.
So far he had observed pizza only from one angle. He turned it upside down and observe how it looks like from the other side but today his maid showed him the other side of the pizza. The eight pieces of pizza showed him the real meaning of life and the meaning of “Spending for life” or “Life for spending”.
Think about it.
"Spreading Happiness"
Wife: Don’t put so many clothes for wash today.
Husband: Why ?
She said : Maid has said she won’t come for two days.
Husband :Why ?
Wife : She said she is going to meet her grand daughter during Ganpati festival.
Husband : OK, Will not put too many clothes.
Wife: And, Shall I give her Rs. 500 for Ganpati? Festival bonus?
Husband: Why? Diwali is approaching, we will give her at that time.
Wife: Oh no dear. She is poor. Going to meet her daughter and grand daughter, so she will also feel nice. Moreover, everything has become so expensive these days. How will she able to celebrate festival?
Husband : You ! I don’t know why you become emotional so easily.
Wife : Oh dear, don’t worry. I am going to cancel today’s program of ordering Pizza. Why unnecessarily blow away Rs. 500 on eight pieces of stale bread.
Husband : Wow. Great. Snatching Pizza from us and giving to the maid !
Maid returned after three days and got busy in mopping and dusting.
Husband asked her.. So, how was the vacation ?
Maid : Very nice sahib.. Didi had given Rs. 500 .. festival bonus.
Husband : So you went and met your daughter ? and also met your grand daughter ?
Maid: yes sahib. Enjoyed a lot and spent Rs 500 in two days time.
Husband : Really ? Ok so what did you do with Rs. 500?
Maid : Rs. 150 for dress for grand daughter, Rs 40 for a doll, bought sweets worth Rs 50 for daughter, Rs 50 as offering to Deity in temple, Rs 60 towards bus fare, Rs 25 for bangles for daughter, bought a nice belt worth Rs 50 for son-in-law, balance Rs 75 gave to daughter to buy copy and pencil for grand daughter. Maid gave a full account of the expenses incurred.
Husband : So much in Rs 500?
With surprise, he started thinking. The eight pieces of Pizza appeared in front of his eyes and each one of them acted as a hammer started pricking his consciousness. For the price of one Pizza, he started comparing the expenses his maid had incurred during her visit to her daughter.
The eight pieces of Pizza floated in front of his eyes.
First piece ... dress for the child
Second piece … towards sweets..
Third piece … towards offering to the deity in the temple.
Fourth piece ... towards bus fare.
Fifth piece ... towards doll.
Sixth piece ... towards bangles,
Seventh piece... towards belt for the son-in-law.
Eighth piece... towards copy and pencil.
So far he had observed pizza only from one angle. He turned it upside down and observe how it looks like from the other side but today his maid showed him the other side of the pizza. The eight pieces of pizza showed him the real meaning of life and the meaning of “Spending for life” or “Life for spending”.
Think about it.
"Spreading Happiness"