“A famous warrior came to Master Hakuin and asked him: — Master, tell me: do heaven and hell really exist? — Who are you? — Hakuin asked. — I am a Warrior from the personal guard of the great emperor. — Nonsense! — snapped Hakuin. — What emperor would keep someone like you? You look […]
A young man once went to a wise man and asked: “Sir, what should I do to become wise?“ The wise man did not answer. The young man asked the same question several times, but the sage remained silent. The youth left and came back the next day with the same question. Still, there was […]
Much has been written about what emotions are and the ways to cope with difficult emotions such as anger, fear, jealousy, envy, spite, vengefulness and pain. In my experience as a psychotherapist, however, everything written on this subject can be reduced to one simple thing – to imagine these emotions in the form of a […]
“I believe that awareness … creates greater suffering than before, even if of a different order. Many counsellors and doctors discover this only after they themselves have been conducting therapy for a long time and working with clients for years… At first, we believe that we will enlighten people. We hold a wonderful vision of […]
“You are not who you think you are. Ever since you were born, your identity has depended on very limited experience… Around 1890, a chief of the Blackfoot tribe was on his deathbed. His name was Isapo Muksika – Bōdila, and he whispered the following words into the ear of the missionary priest: What is […]
Once upon a time, in a city in the far West, there lived a girl named Fatima. She was the daughter of a prosperous spinner. One day her father said to her: “My child, prepare for a journey. We are going traveling. I have business on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea. Perhaps there you […]
Once, Gurdjieff was sitting surrounded by his students and said: “Until you discover your chief feature and become conscious of it, you will not be able to realize your true nature.” One of the students asked: “Could you give us an example, please?” “Very well,” Gurdjieff replied. “Look at the man sitting in front of […]
Once, a father sent his son to the wisest man in the world to learn the secret of happiness. When the young man arrived at the palace, he entered a great hall filled with people; there were musicians, dancers, and all kinds of marvels. In the center of the hall sat the wise man, speaking […]
“Once, a powerful king had to make a decision that went against his heart. Two of his ministers had committed a crime, and although he loved them deeply and wished to forgive them, this was against the laws of the land and would set a dangerous precedent. According to the law, their crime was punishable […]
As Osho shares in one of his parables, “Do not perish in the trap of hope; do not get carried away by the idea that help comes from the outside. No one else intends to fulfill your hopes. That happens within you. A hunter once got lost in the jungle. For three days, he encountered […]
A philosopher and a mystic lost their way in a forest on a dark night. It was a very dangerous forest, full of wild animals; the darkness was impenetrable. One of them was a man of doubt, the other a man of faith. Suddenly a storm began, thunder struck, and a flash of lightning lit […]
A man was walking across a field. He passed by a farmer and asked him: “How long will it take me to reach the town?” The farmer looked at him and gestured with his hand for him to keep walking. The traveler thought the man had not understood him and asked again: “How long will […]
