Dr. Bob gave us “The Story of Mushkil Gusha”. It begins with the suggestion that we not try to interpret but to just let the story work on us. There is much in the story that doesn’t make sense and these teaching stories have been around for many, many years. It is said that the teaching story can take us to a higher consciousness. I will leave that idea there for you. I just can say I have found those stories not only interesting, but valuable.
My daily tasks of observing self and others without criticism or judgement is certainly a challenge. This week I have observed a couple of examples.
When someone puts me down in one way or another, the thoughts react in defense or judgement and an imaginary conversation can ensue for days. I have unconsciously interpreted that I know what they meant by their words and it was to annoy me or try to change and improve me in the guise of “helping”.
I was excited to hear that from the mulberry fruit from a neighbor 5 years ago that grew into a tree above my house had mulberries. Because of the blindness, he offered to help me find them.
In my excitement, I went to the yard knowing there was nothing else and swung my cane back and forth until it hit the trunk. He appeared and picked a few berries which I popped into my mouth.
As we left, I found my way to the sidewalk with my cane on the grass until I felt cement and turned to the right. I tapped back and forth from grass to cement until both were cement and figured I was at the driveway. When I asked him for help, he said “You found your way out, find your way back.”
And, of course my inner being reacted with all sorts of “snarky” remarks which I refused to express because it only escalates an argument, defense and hard feelings.
As I entered the house and the thoughts went wild, I remembered this idea of interpretation and remembered he recently was hit by a car while riding his bike and here I was asking him to cut the top out of the tree so it would grow mulberries lower and thus easier to pick.
That was only one interpretation, so what is fact is that I have no idea where that statement was coming from and it is much kinder to myself and to him to let it go.
The idea of not thinking we know what another person means by their words is valuable to remember. We can also ask them point blank if what they said was meant to put us down. I have tried that when I can remember and have an opportunity to do so.
Two other favorite teaching stories are “The Magic Horse Story” by Idries Shah and also “The Princess of the Water of life” if you would like to explore the internet for either of them.