The Most Beautiful Offering

In all religions there are people who yearn to worship and make offerings. It is a kind of soul which is longing to return home. This is the objective of many spiritual practices. Sadly, not too many people who deeply miss their soul home, find their peace. Many souls grow from uncertainty to anxiety.

Being driven by uncertainty and anxiety like this, Arjune asked Shri Krishna for an honest insight, viewing Shri Krishna as the embodiment of God. When the dialogue entered the territory of offering, with a beautiful smile, Shri Krishna replied: "if you do it sincerely and honestly, water and flowers alone are more than enough".

This answer raises the following question, why should the form of offering be water and flowers? It is not easy to answer this question. For thousands of years mankind has been speculating about the meaning behind the water and flowers. Many of the answers have been written about here and there.

And in the depth of meditation, water is sometimes a symbol of a flowing mind. And flowers are the symbol of a beautiful heart. As we all know, the flowing water can easily share a sense of peace within. It is like a holy bell that reminds you and teaches you to always flow in life. That's the important secret of peace.

To put it simply, it is of course ok to try, it is also ok to pray, but whatever your life blessings, learn to hug it with a deep feeling of gratitude and thankfulness. Anyone who beautifully hugs every blessing of this moment with a deep feeling of gratitude and thankfulness, they transform life into a river of peace.

Just as the true river flows into the ocean, the flowing mind is also similar. Any inner seekers who deeply train their mind to keep flowing for years, in a matter of time they will come to a beautiful ocean (named a beautiful heart). That's the direct experience of many souls who have already arrived home.

The following homework then, is how do we keep the mind flowing? In Tantra there is a beautiful analogy. A suffering mind is similar to the frozen snow. It is not only hard, but also it can easily collide with other parties. And the sacred teachings are like the sunshine.

Some of the snow can be melted by the sun. However, there are other areas of snow that can not be melted by the sun. Human suffering nowadays are similar. There are so many sacred teachings that have been shared here on earth. But there's no sign that the human suffering is decreasing over time.

For that reason, inner seekers require a magnifying glass to make the snow of suffering melt quickly. And among the various options that are available, devotion to the true Guru is the most often mentioned in Tantra. Jetsun Milarepa was a high-level yogi who followed this path. He himself experinced a great misery. However, Milarepa's extraordinary devotion to his Master Marpa made Milarepa's snow of suffering melt fully.

More than just moving out of the frozen snow of misery, Jetsun Milarepa also experienced a spiritual attainment which is very rarely attained by human beings. The life of Milarepa became a very shining light that illuminates countless seekers. The story took place in the 11th century, but the Milarepa's story still become an important source of light to countless light seekers. To be frank, this is the most beautiful offering that a devotee can make.

Author: Gede Prama

Photo Courtesy: Twitter @ RealBali_com

Proof Read By: Kirsty Spence