Saturday, October 1, 2016

Simple Gifts - Here and Heaven




For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
                      -   Mark 8:36

So the pilgrim had one of those dreams again. He woke tired and filled with sweat as if he had been wrestling with some unknown angel. He couldn’t remember if he won or lost the wrestling match. He thought that maybe because he woke as the sun rose that he had probably won. Still unsure with his own interpretation he ran to meet with his master teacher and confessor. After he fumbled to find the words to explain what had occurred the teacher smiled and looked at the pilgrim with compassion.
The teacher asked, “”What is this obsession you have with winning?”
The pilgrim was confused by the teacher’s initial reaction and responded to him , “One doesn’t like to lose.”

“Why not?”, smiled the teacher.

“ No one likes to feel embarrassed after trying so hard“, whispered the pilgrim.

“ Embarrassed with what?” the continually smiling teacher queried.

“ You know, embarrassed about putting one’s complete effort that results in not gaining anything , you know…losing,” The pilgrim stood frustrated.

The teacher outstretched his hands compassionately smiling saying “Losing what? Is it that your pride and your ego were lost? Is that a good or is that a bad thing ? Do you think anyone loves you any less or that you can love others any less because you had that dream? What does it really matter anyway? Maybe that angel was you? Maybe this moment now is the dream. Maybe we are here… and heaven.”


The pilgrim tried to bring this conversation to a more proactive conclusion and asked,“ So what can I do?”


The teacher poured a cup of tea for the pilgrim and gently handing him the cup he smiled and said, “Be grateful, be present to how all is sacred and learn true simplicity to bow and bend. Keep your heart open all ways. Help any you meet on the way.”



                                           Yo Yo Ma and Alison Kraus - Simple Gifts
                                                  https://youtu.be/baNueuDCue0

                                                Yo Yo Ma and Friends - Here and Heaven
                                                       https://youtu.be/21vw-0GWBKQ                      







For my Soul Teacher




amdg
















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