mandag 22. april 2013

THE BUS THAT GOT STUCK IN A HOLE

The disunited mind is far from wise...
how can it be at peace? When you know
no peace, how can you know joy?
- Bhagavad Gita

While being driven along the India-Pakistan border a bus got stuck in a hole on the road caused by a bomb during a war between the two countries. After trying unsuccessfully to get the bus moving, the driver asked all the passengers to disembark and help by pushing the bus while he revved the engine.

After several minutes the bus had not budged even an inch so the driver got out to make an inspection again. What he discovered was that half the passengers were pushing the bus from the front while the other half were pushing from the back.
That story is a useful symbol of the way our minds often work.

One mind says 'go', while the other says 'stop'.
One mind says 'yes' while the other says 'no'.
One mind says 'proceed' while the other says 'halt'.
One mind says 'it's OK' while the other says “it's not OK'.
One mind says 'go ahead' while the other says 'go back'.
One mind says 'leave' while the other says 'remain'.
One mind says 'speak up'' while the others says 'keep silent'.

No wonder we're stressed, confused, lacking in clarity and life direction. The tool for settling the mind and giving it focus is meditation. As we sit quietly, the mind's incessant chatter begins to ease up and we gain the insight we need to live skillfully and wisely. It is in silence that we can experience a clear mind which then frees us to be happier and healthier.


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