BANYAN TREE
TEACHING STORY
LET WAGGING TONGUES WAG
In the kingdom of Arabia lived a queen called Layla. Her wisdom illuminated the land like the sun, her beauty blinded men, and her wealth was greater than that of any of her subjects.
One morning, her chief advisor asked to see her, and said, “Great Queen Layla! You are the wisest, most beautiful, and wealthiest woman in the world. But I have heard unpleasant things; some people laugh at or complain about your decisions. Why, in spite of all you have done for your subjects, are they still not content?”
The queen laughed and replied, “Loyal advisor, you know how much I have done for my kingdom. Seven regions are under my control, and all of them have enjoyed peace and prosperity. In all the towns, the decisions of my court are just and inspired. I can do almost everything I wish. I can order the frontiers to be closed, the gates of the palace to be locked, the treasury coffers sealed indefinitely. But there is one thing I cannot do—make people shut their mouths. It matters not what false things people say; the important thing is to continue to do that which I consider being true.”
Moral: People will always judge and say something or the other. Always listen to yourself and your heart because it knows what’s right.
THIS, I KNOW
OM SWAMI
• Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them—that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
• Any thought that gives you peace is a positive thought. The more you fill your mind with positive thoughts, the better your state of mind will be. And that naturally results in better physical health.
• Peace doesn't mean a life devoid of adversities, troubles, and challenges. Instead, it means to be surrounded by all of that and yet have faith and be calm. That is the real meaning of peace.
• The practice of gratitude lends incredible emotional strength. If you are emotionally strong, you can succeed at anything, anything at all. Gratitude makes you emotionally pure, and such purity, in turn, allows you to love unconditionally.
• Concentration is the act of building focus, and meditation is the art of retaining it without losing awareness.
• Forgiveness sympathises and compassion empathises. And love? Love synthesises the two.
• Nothing is impossible for the one who treads the path of meditation.
INSPIRATION
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Believe in yourself and in your dream
Though impossible things may seem
Someday, somehow you’ll get through
To the goal, you have in view
Mountains fall and seas divide
Before the one who in his stride
Takes a hard road day by day
Sweeping obstacles away
Believe in yourself and in your plan
Say not, I cannot, but, I can
The prizes of life we fail to win
Because we doubt the power within
—Anonymous
ONE-MINUTE WISDOM
JUST ONE WORD
The governor on his travel stepped in to pay homage to the Master. “Affairs of the state leave me no time for lengthy dissertations,” he said. “Could you put the essence of religion into a paragraph or two for a busy man like me?”
“I shall put it into a single word for the benefit of your highness,” said the Master.
“Incredible! What is that unusual word?”
“Silence.”
“And what is the way to silence?”
“Meditation.”
“And what, may I ask, is meditation?”
“Silence.”
QUOTE
“The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond and must be polished, or the lustre of it will never appear.”
—Daniel Defoe
JUST FOR LAUGHS
MEDITATION or BETTER THAN NOTHING
Two men meet on the street.
“How are you?” one asks.
The other replies, “I’m fine, thanks.”
“And how’s your son? Is he still unemployed?”
“Yes, he is. But he is meditating now.”
“Meditating? What’s that?”
“I don’t know. But it’s better than sitting around doing nothing!”