On letting go

 I listened to this story and it rang a little chord inside so I thought I would share it here on this Mangala blog; a little place for sharing.  This story came from a great master of the way - the Tao, although I am not in the knowledge of his or her name.  I hope it pulls a little chord somewhere within and helps you too - 

"A student told his teacher the trouble he was having with letting go - he was in a situation that he knew wasn't working for him but he could not bear to change that situation - he couldn't let it go and move forward.  He felt like he was stuck, but had uncertainty of what change might bring.  The teacher listened to the student and then proceeded to make some tea.  It was boiling hot as he poured it into a glass and gave it to the student to hold.  The students hands began to burn but he held on to the cup not wanting to disappoint the teacher.  The hot tea was really starting to burn his hands but he held on - the skin on his hands was turning redder and redder as the hot liquid was scolding him, eventually he could not hold on any longer and dropped the glass.  The teacher smiled turned to the student and said - you see it is not so difficult to let go after all is it!  Don't let the situation continue to burn you, you must realize the suffering that something may be causing you and thus if you are suffering then the others around you will be feeling it too.  So drop it like you have dropped that hot glass - eventually it was easy to drop wasn't it and now you have relief in your hands."

Have courage to make new steps, know that the earth is there supporting each step you make.  Like watching the leaves fall from the trees they let the breeze carry them to the ground - go with the way of the breeze have the strength to trust - all you need is inside - you can be free.  Happiness - Ananda - is inside; the teachings of Vedanta tell us that this happiness is not in things or places, or jobs or people, but in a deep understanding of the true self, so start to walk my friend - follow the breeze and be free.  You can start by just sitting and feeling your breath, follow your breath with your mind - don't worry if you become distracted just pull your mind back to your breathing.  Notice when you are breathing in and notice when you are breathing out, find the little natural pause between every inhalation and every exhalation, notice that little pause and find the silence part.  Simplicity like the leaves falling from the trees is not easy in a world that may seem so complicated - but it is so profound in the simplicity of just following the breeze!

You have courage, you have strength, find the silence part of your breathing, take a little holiday from the chitter chatter of your mind and dissolve into the silence part of your breath, have courage and let go.

I wish you the beauty of following the breeze and trusting the earth on which we step.

Love from the heart and AUM Shanti Shanti Shanti

May the oceans be clean, pure and give us space, may the trees be in plenty and give us our breath, may the earth be strong and full of nutrients, may we protect the oceans, trees and earth.

Mangala / Nicky.