Are you creating a stress-free life or are you allowing worry and trying to control overtake your life?
A young archer once approached a master teacher and expertly shot an arrow into the center of the bull’s-eye a great distance off. Swiftly, he followed with another and split the first arrow in two. “Beat that,” the arrogant youngster boasted. Gesturing for the young archer to follow him, the wise one headed up the mountain to a cliff overlooking a deep canyon that was spanned by a weathered gray log. With great composure, the master walked to the center of the log, and in one smooth stroke, pulled an arrow from his quiver and let it fly straight into the trunk of a tree a great distance away. He casually backed off the log and turned to the youth. “Your turn,” he said, without an ounce of ego. The young archer stared into the sprawling cavern below and started to shake uncontrollably. No way was he going to be able to put a foot on that log, let alone take a shot at anything from the middle of it. “You have great control over your bow,” the great teacher said, nodding to the student, “but little over the mind that lets loose the arrow.”
Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it’s dark. Zen
There is a big difference between learning the principles of truth and applying them in a precarious life situation. Master teachers will help guide you into arena where you must learn to calm your mind in order to call upon your learned skills. Creating a stress-free life isn’t about avoiding challenges, it’s all in how you meet those challenges in your mind and heart.
Spiritual Contemplation: What life situations look very difficult for you to cross? What skills do you have that you know work in calmer situations? Are you ready to calm your mind and step into the middle and take the shot?
Affirmation: I find the calm within as I successfully cross the biggest chasms to my strss-free life!