Banyan Tree
teaching story
Droplets from heaven
Children are like droplets of water falling down from God’s waterfall. These droplets fall into the cupped hands of parents standing under God’s shower of blessings. These droplets wobble around, looking for right guidance and direction. Parents need to cup their hand in the right shape to safely guide their children and help them move on in life. Parents walk on the path of life with their precious water droplets cupped safely in their hands. If they overprotect and cup their hands too tight, the water will ooze out. If they protect too little, with palms kept open, even then the water will flow out. If parents fulfil all the demands of their child and never say ‘No’ to them, it means the parents are holding the water droplet with open and flat hands. If parents say ‘No’ to everything, they are not giving them enough exposure by being overprotective. They falsely believe that by cupping their hands around their children very tightly, they can ensure their safety. In both the cases, the water will certainly flow out, leaving the parents empty-handed. Some parents cup their water droplets in a balanced way but walk too fast. This makes the water wobble. It does not give stability to the child and hinders their growth. You need to cup your hands around them, in just the right shape and walk at the right pace, giving them age-appropriate safety, security, and experience. Give them what they need, and they will never flow out of your hands and continue to be part of God’s waterfall.
Ivana Sajjanhar, Age: 9 years
Thubten Yeshe
This, I know
Karma is not something complicated or philosophical. Karma means watching your body, watching your mouth, and watching your mind. Trying to keep these three doors as pure as possible is the practice of karma.
A powerful jet plane needs a good pilot; similarly the powerful mind should be piloted by wisdom.
Simply observing how your mind is responding to the sense world as you go through your daily routine can really be a perfect meditation and bring a perfect result.
Your mind is like a mirror, reflecting everything without discrimination. If you have understanding-wisdom, you can control the kind of reflection that you allow into the mirror of your mind.
inspiration
If a tree could wander
Oh, if a tree could wander and move with foot and wings!
It would not suffer the axe blows and not the pain of saws!
For would the sun not wander away in every night?
How could at ev’ry morning the world be lighted up?
And if the ocean’s water would not rise to the sky,
How would the plants be quickened by streams and gentle rain?
The drop that left its homeland, the sea, and then returned?
It found an oyster waiting and grew into a pearl.
Did Yusaf not leave his father, in grief and tears and despair?
Did he not, by such a journey, gain kingdom and fortune wide?
Did not the Prophet travel to far Medina, friend?
And there he found a new kingdom and ruled a hundred lands.
You lack a foot to travel?
Then journey into yourself!
And like a mine of rubies receive the sunbeams' print!
Out of yourself such a journey
will lead you to yourself,
It leads to transformation
of dust into pure gold!
—Rumi
just for laughs
Birthday present
What did one Zen meditator give to another for her birthday? Nothing.
What did the birthday girl say in response?
“You are so really thoughtless for giving me this meaningless gift.”
To which the giver replied,
“Thank you!”
quote
Self-realisation means to know truth through yourself and not through others. By seeking God first, through self-realisation, all things—strength, power, prosperity, wisdom, health, and immortality—will be added unto you.—Paramhansa Yogananda