The Virgin Mind

In one of meditation session in the prison, a prisoner asked a touching question: "I am now punished here for years because of killing, shall I be punished again after death?". This question is really touching the heart.

To be honest, the journey after death is determined by the quality of one's mind in the moment of death. Sadly, almost all people experience great shock in the time of death. The one who died were shock, the family were also shock. The combination between these two shocks makes the journey after death to be a journey of sadness.

Garden of Peace

One day Nasrudin asked God softly and politely: "why did you give me a beautiful wife?". With a calm voice God answered: "That's why you choose her". My wife is not only beautiful but also peaceful my Lord, said Nasrudin. Again God replied with the same answer: "That's why you choose her". At the end of the conversation, with full of apology Nasrudin asked: "why my wife is such stupid?". This time the Lord whisper like this: "That's why she chose you."

 The spiritual message that is hidden behind this funny story is simple, there are too many people who are greedy for superiority and want to throw out all flaws. More than that, there are so many managers and householders who totally reject the flaws of their subordinates and spouses. A few minor flaws can cause major harm. As a result, souls never grow.

To be honest, to find potential subordinates or spouse is like finding seeds of flowers. No one
prohibit you to choose the healthy seeds.  But more important than just being busy of choosing, it is the sensitivity to continuously taking good care of the seeds. Mainly because the last sensitivity enables both sides grow together.

A spiritual friend who is a gardener shared an interesting story. One day he found a beautiful flower tree. But his lack of sensitivity made him to put the plant that needs little sunlight under the blazing sun. The result is predictable, this beautiful flower tree weakened and withered.

Ritual of Love

Some young spiritual seekers asked a significant question: "does religious ritual heal the soul?". It depends on how deep people disclose the meaning behind rituals. If the understanding is deep, the daily practice is also deep, rituals help souls on the journey of healing.

In Japan there is a beautiful ritual called the art of tea. The first step in the art of tea is to empty the cup. It simply means, empty the cup of mind from the past and the future first, then one can pour the tea of the present. 

Flower of Compassion

Some of younger generation have a unique way to grow. Whenever they argue, they keep denying. It seems that they find happiness in denying the others. The daily menu of these people are arguing. Whether the other's arguments are valid or not, they simply argue. A path of growth that need to be respected.

Students on the path of meditation are different. From day to day meditation keeps guiding not to give food to the thought. Arguing, denying, blaming, the feeling of being right at all time, are some of the foods of thought. Any one who often gives food to the thought like being praised, being recognized, then their mind will be bigger and bigger from day to day.