|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Monkey With The Wooden Apples
There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest. He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter. He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him. He became so attached to them, that he didn't even notice his hunger at first. A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands. He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruit. In fact, he couldn't relax, either, if he was to defend his apples. A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails. The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind. He was tired, hungry, and he couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full. What if he just let go? Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? He was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it's fruit was enough. He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. He was happy again. Letting Go Of Wooden Apples Like that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go. A man carries an image of himself as "productive" - carries it like a shiny wooden apple. But in reality, his busyness leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life. Still, letting go seems crazy. Even his worries are sacred apples - they prove he's "doing everything he can." He holds onto them compulsively. This is a hard thing to see. We identify so strongly with our things even, feeling pain when our cars are dented. How much more powerfully do we identify with our beliefs and self-ideas? Yet they don't always feed our souls, do they? And we become tired of defending them. How else could the story end? The monkey might be found dead of hunger, under a beautiful tree, with fruit within reach, but still grasping his wooden apples. I chose to end it with him letting go, because only with open hands can we recieve. Steve Gillman has meditated and studied meditation for over twenty years. You can visit his website, and subscribe to The Meditation Newsletter at: www.TheMeditationSite.com/newsletter.html">http://www.TheMeditationSite.com/newsletter.html
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
Musicians Survival was Truly a Miracle: Singer Songwriter Fights for his Life Every morning when singer-songwriter Michael Alan looks into the mirror and sees the surgical scar across his chest he is reminded of how lucky he is to be alive. Three years ago he suffered a major heart attack and a year after the episode he was required to have open-heart surgery. The True and Magnificent Power of Giving You've probably heard of the popular saying "It's better to give than to receive." But do you actually know what hidden power lies within this magnanimous act known as "giving?"When you give something from your heart without expecting anything in return, you release a powerful force that will trigger your good deed to "bounce" back to you in amazing, and sometimes unusual ways. What Inspires You? Have you ever thought? What inspires YOU? What is it that drives you day in and day out? What is it that inspires you?We think of creative people as being inspired and ask about their work. What inspired you to paint, draw, produce this piece of work? What inspired you to make this? Usually the answer is: a book, poem, film, experience, person, a place or in Cole Porter's case the 'phone call from the director'. I Am Unique We have given a lot of thought, paid an indecent amount of money and taken much action over the years to change the way we are. To become 'better' human beings. Two Choices That can Make Next Year The Best Year of Your Life What if there were just two choices you could make to insure that next year would be wonderful? There actually are, and these choices are quite simple in concept, yet not easy to do. They are not things you do on the outside, such as exercising your body (which is always a good thing to do!) but ways of thinking and being on the inside. Stand Up! One of the most undervalued blessings is God's will to make every individual a unique creation. It takes all kinds of people to do the great work of the Lord's kingdom, and it's a good thing that each of us has special talents, callings, and gifts to serve this purpose. Fear No Evil - How To Avoid Worry And Fear "Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me."Do these words have meaning for you? Are you able to live them? Is your faith that strong? For most of us, the answer is probably no. Hitler and the Tsunami In Catholic school the nuns used to tell us that we should love everyone as we loved Jesus. We didn't have to like them but we had to love them. The Bouncer (Turning Defeat into Victory) I'm a pretty competitive guy, though I try to keep it in perspective. But there are times, often when I least expect it, when life teaches me lessons about the true nature of competition. Weapons of Mass Distraction Anything that draws one away from the business of living and being worthy - such as drugs, alcohol, distractions of all descriptions, and sleep when the intent is oblivion, not to mention the idea of killing oneself - is a means of escaping, a little death, and death itself is the ultimate escape.Anything can be a means of avoiding problems. Important Things to Know / Remember About Life I love you not because who you are, but because who I am when I am with you There is no one in this world that worth your tears, and if they are, they will never make you cry. If someone loves you not in the way you would like to, it does not mean that they don not love you in their own way A good friend is the one that will hold your hand and will touch your heart. Winning the Thought Battle If you have read my articles or heard me speak, you know that I always come down to action. We need to act if we are going to be successful!Yet, our success starts long before our actions. By Now, Im an Expert at Memory Loss I sat down to write my weekly humor column, but I just could not remember what I wanted to write about. This seems to be an increasingly more common affliction, ever since I turned 40. Changing Course Direct Answers - Column for the week of March 17, 2003I'm at my wit's end. My wife of 20 years is leaving me. Nine Things More Important than Capital When starting any enterprise or business, whether it is full-time or part-time, we all know the value of having plenty of capital (money). But I bet we both know or at least have heard of people who started with no capital who went on to make fortunes. Summertime - Take Time To Smell The Roses I AM SO GRATEFUL for the time to smell the roses. Lying in a hammock between two shade trees Or wandering through a multicolodred rose garden, Sitting quietly and communing with nature Beholding something beautiful in each person I meet. Stay With It! I walked out of his office inspired. All I could immediately recall were those soft-spoken words, "STAY WITH IT". Put To The Sword Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 23, 2002My girlfriend has an aggressive sense of humor. She teases and likes to parry put-downs. Psychic Sponge Syndrome: The Easy Inner-Centrifuge Remedy Here's a nifty trick to use to clear yourself of any psychic "stuff" you may pick up as you move through the world. I learned the basic format for it from a woman who had the booth space adjacent to mine at a tradeshow. Been There, Done That Fourteen years ago I was divorced from my second wife, her idea. I'll call her Kay.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Interesting sites: site map- backup program- Bali travel guide haba legetųj- V2 snus- |