The Best Archer in All of China
All of us try so hard to DO stuff, to ACCOMPLISH things, to leave our MARK. We sweat, we strain, we hustle -- all in an attempt to get a result we can feel really good about. That's all fine, of course, but sometimes, in the act of accomplishing our goal, we lose touch with who we are. The following story, adapted from an old Zen tale, elaborates on this curious phenomenon.
Once upon a time there was a man named Wu Li, a most gifted archer. Time and again, Wu Li would enter archery tournaments and win. He won so often and so convincingly that word of his accomplishments soon spread throughout the land. By the time he was 22, Wu Li was known as the best archer in all of China.
One day, upon returning home from yet another victory, Wu Li found himself rushing through a marketplace and bumping into an old man carrying a basket of potatoes. Potatoes went flying everywhere and the old man fell to the ground with a thud.
"Old man!" shouted Wu Li, "Get out of my way! Don't you know who I am?"
The old man looked up, squinting.
"Oh yes. I know who you are," he replied. "You are Wu Li. Second best archer in all of China."
"Second best?" bellowed the gifted one. "Second? Ha! I am the absolute best. There is no one in the world who can beat me."
The old man smiled and stood as he slowly gathering his potatoes.
"Yes, you are great, Wu Lei. But there is someone even greater than you!"
Wu Lei was silent, his whole being like an arrow about to be launched.
"Who is this impostor? Where does he live?"
"Oh," the old man said slowly, as if entering a temple. "His name is Master Po. He lives many miles to the North -- high atop Mt. Chi Han."
"Then I will go an challenge him!" the young archer exclaimed. "I will put an end to such nonsense."
Pushin past the old man, Wu Li stormed off into the night.
For 60 days he walked.
When he finally arrived at the foot of the mountain the young archer could not believe his eyes. The mountain was sheer rock face, covered with ice, and pitched at a 90 degree angle straight to the sky, hidden by clouds.
A lesser man would have ended his journey then and there. But not Wu Li.
He climbed. And when he was done climbing, he climbed some more.
On the 8th day of his ascent, the Wu Li saw the crest, grabbed on, pulled himself up, stood, and found himself looking at what appeared to be a little old man sitting on a blanket.
"Welcome wayfarer," the old man said, "I have been expecting you."
Wu Li took a deep breath.
"I... am... Wu Li... best archer in all of China and I... I challenge you!"
The old man, as motionless as the mountain itself smiled, bowed once, then looked to the sky.
"Very well, as you are my guest, please go first."
Without a second's hesitation, Wu Li grabbed an arrow from his quiver, notched it on the string of his immense bow, closed his left eye, tilted his head, looked up, drew the string back and with all of his might, and let the arrow fly.
As it neared the top of its flight, he pulled a second from the quiver and shot it high, halving the first in two and, in a rapid succession of ten, continued, each arrow splitting the one before it, arrow halves landing in a perfect circle around the seated Master and, upon entering the ground, made the ancient sound of Om.
"Hmm," said Master Po. "Impressive. Most impressive. Now, I believe, it is my turn."
Reaching behind him (where there would have been a quiver if he had a quiver), he pulled what would have been an arrow (if he had an arrow), notched what would have been a string on what would have been a bow, closed one eye, pulled slowly back, paused for what seemed like eternity, and then -- in slow motion pantomime -- let go.
Smiling ever so slightly, he turned to the puzzled challenger.
"You, my friend," said Master Po, "have mastered the art of shooting with a bow and arrow. I... have mastered the art of shooting without a bow and arrow."
Excerpted from Awake at the Wheel.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:27 PM | Comments (0)
September 29, 2011A Way to Slow Down
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:51 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2011Gandhi Speaks
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:26 PM | Comments (1)
September 26, 2011Stand Still. Stand Very Very Still.
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September 24, 2011There Is a Poem
Photo: Evelyne Pouget
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Buddha in Winter
Photo: Evelyne Pouget
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Hudson Valley Fall
Photo: Evelyne Pouget
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Falling in Love?
Have you ever
fallen in love?
How about
RISEN in love?
I'm talking about
the unconditional kind.
Prem Rawat can help.
This just in from
the WOPG blog
Illustration: Sara Shaffer
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:54 PM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2011100 Reasons To Go Within
Since the beginning of time, and even last Thursday, there have always been "inner directed" people -- seekers of peace, truth, and knowledge of the self.
Some of these people turned away from the world and ended up in caves, forests, or ashrams. Some sought the guidance of Masters. Others, stayed closer to home and simply checked out their nearest yoga class.
Have you ever wondered why people make this choice -- what moves a person to turn within? Well, I have -- and here they are -- 100 of the most common reasons.
Yours may be on it. If not, just let me know and I will add it to the next edition. Maybe.
100 Reasons to Go Within
1. You just lost your job.
2. Oprah told you to.
3. Your 401K is now a 101K.
4. The world always seems to let you down.
5. You're not getting any younger.
6. You've always been curious about this "going within" business.
7. Someone you love just died.
8. You think the Dalai Lama is cool.
9. You read it in a book.
10. Your girlfriend ran away with your therapist.
11. Your house just burned down.
12. Watching Dancing With the Stars no longer does it for you.
13. You're an unhappy atheist.
14. You've recently been diagnosed with a terminal disease.
15. You're about to have a root canal.
16. Your three-year plan has revealed itself to be a total charade.
17. It's free.
18. You have a living Master who keeps reminding you to go within.
19. Your wife, husband, kids, and hair have all left you.
20. You like what Jesus had to say about it.
21. There's no time like the present.
22. You had a near death experience a while ago, but could never figure out how to stay in that blissful place.
23. Your team just lost the Big Game and you realize that everything you give yourself to in this world eventually disappoints.
24. You're stuck in traffic
25. You're on your death bed
26. You're on vacation
27. Inner space is a lot more interesting than outer space.
28. Space is curved. If you looked long enough through a powerful enough telescope, you'd end up seeing your own butt.
29. You've always been fascinated by the lives of sages, saints, and monks.
30. Nothing else seems to be working for you.
31. You want to build your house of bricks.
32. You've seen Avatar twice.
33. You always knew that going within was important.
34. You finally figured out that the entire world is your projection and the flickering images on the screen aren't the only thing to focus on.
35. There's nothing good on TV.
36. You lost the remote.
37. You lost your way.
38. You read Siddhartha.
39. You'd rather have your own experience than read about someone else's.
40. You love George Harrison.
41. You want to lower your stress.
42. Googling it didn't get you anywhere.
43. You don't believe your own story anymore. (And you're tired of telling it).
44. You realize that your personality is a complete fabrication and you want to find out who (or what) exists behind the mask you call your "self."
45. Your best friend suggested it.
46. You're the reincarnation of Shiva.
47. You're the reincarnation of Shiva's chiropractor.
48. You keep wondering why the spelling of "Shiva" and "Yeshiva" are so similar.
49. You've always favored silence and simplicity.
50. When you go to a video store, it takes you a long time to find anything you want to rent.
51. You once heard Prem Rawat talk about it and it sounded really good.
52. You went on a retreat last month and, even though the people there seemed to be completely full of themselves, smiled too much, and didn't have a sense of humor, you liked the way you felt when you weren't busy judging them.
53. It's good for your blood pressure.
54. You'd rather be on the inside than the outside.
55. The Dow is down (but not the Tao).
56. Your server is down.
57. All roads lead to Om.
58. You don't want to end up like the musk deer who wanders forever in search of the intoxicating fragrance that emanates from its own navel.
59. You prefer Rumi, Hafiz, and Kabir to Lady Gaga.
60. For thousands of lifetimes this is what you've done.
61. Your moon is in the House of Pies.
62. You want to find out what Prem Rawat meant when he said that "there are a lot of people who know there is a drop in the ocean, but only a few who know there is an ocean in the drop."
63. You want your mojo back.
64. Face it. You're just not that happy with your current state of affairs (even though you always tell people you are "fine" when they ask you how you are). It's kind of like you have a low grade virus or know there is a party going on nearby that you haven't been invited to and can't figure out why.
65. The happiest moments of your life have been listening to your Master speak about the beauty of going within.
66. You want shelter from the storm.
67. You've always sensed there was something universal inside of everyone -- far beyond religion or philosophy -- and you want to know what it is.
68. You read Be Here Now many years ago.
69. You're tired of waiting for Christmas, retirement, or a positive cash flow.
70. You've heard there's is at least one living Teacher who can show you how.
71. You'd rather know the "I" than the iPhone.
72. Three magi from Jersey City just showed up at your door. They are each holding a large pepperoni pizza and telling you that you better go within or they're gonna break your kneecaps.
73. Hey, if it doesn't work out, you can always get back into that network marketing thing.
74. Your favorite part of every meal is grace.
75. You don't need any credentials.
76. It's sugar free.
77. Some time ago, for no apparent reason, you experienced a profound sense of gratitude, expansiveness, and joy. Everything made perfect sense. Alas...that feeling came and went. Now you want to get it back.
78. Rush Limbaugh has nothing to do with it.
79. It's non-caloric.
80. Every time you go to a bookstore, you find yourself wandering around the spiritual section.
81. When you were a little kid you alternated between feeling like an orphan and a visitor from another planet. You always wanted to "go home." Now you understand that home is not a geographical place, but a state of consciousness and "going within" has something to do with it.
82. Sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll took you only so far.
83. You realize that Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, and Lao Tzu can't all be wrong.
84. Your most favorite people on planet Earth have all committed to this journey.
85. You understand that to "go within" you don't need to give up bowling, poker, steak, sex, baseball, beer, crossword puzzles, scrabble, sushi, cappuccino, square dancing, break dancing, blogging, basketball, William Burroughs, designer jeans, Otis Redding, jello, science fiction, bonsai trees, tweeting, fruit loops, weightlifting, jazz, bargain hunting, coin collecting, the Kabaalah, dirty jokes, making fun of politicians, arm wrestling, Bruce Lee, Lee Marvin, Marvin Gardens, toasted marshmallows, and googling your own name when no one is watching.
86. You don't want anything else.
87. You realize that if you can't be happy in your own skin, nothing else is ever going to matter.
88. Your favorite songs are all love songs.
89. You feel a deep thirst within that cannot be quenched by anything else.
90. You want to.
91. You have to.
92. It's time.
93. You know that God is within and you would like to make his/her/its acquaintance.
94. Did I mention that you're not getting any younger?
95. Tick tock tick tock.
96. You're tired of the rat race.
97. You've been looking for love in all the wrong places.
98. You're almost coming to the end of this list.
99. You're almost coming to the end of your life.
100. Rush Limbaugh has nothing to do with it.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:28 PM | Comments (6)
September 20, 2011GRETA SPEAKS: Make Each Day Count
If you had only one month to live, what would you talk about if someone interviewed you? In this touching 8-minute video, Greta Brenman, who passed away on 6/18/08, shares her feelings about life and the guidance of her teacher, Maharaji (aka Prem Rawat). Wow.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:51 PM | Comments (4)
September 17, 2011Li Po Speaks
"You ask
why I make my home
in the mountain forest,
and I smile,
and am silent,
and even my soul
remains quiet:
it lives in the other world
which no one owns.
The peach trees blossom,
The water flows."
-- Li Po
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:55 AM | Comments (1)
September 11, 2011Free At Last
Here is a very inspiring article
by a prisoner in the
Dominguez State Jail
in San Antonio, Texas --
a man whose life
completely changed
the day he heard about
Prem Rawat. Now he is free.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:29 AM | Comments (0)
September 09, 2011Wedding Day
If you, or anyone you know, is getting married, here's a poem I wrote that might be good to include in the ceremony.
WEDDING DAY
There is a kind of dancing
not taught on Earth,
a moving together like tides,
a spinning in space, a turning,
ecstatic whirling through the place only lovers,
unconditionally loving each other, find.
This bodily prayer is the essence
of the marriage vow;
why flowers bloom, why children bow,
why man and woman grow infinitely
closer to each other
and eventually let go.
It cannot be learned -- only remembered,
the distant memory returning at moments
like this
when hearts are light
and love
is the only thing that matters.
More poetry
Photo
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:23 PM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2011HAFIZ: Tripping Over Joy
"What is the difference
between your experience of existence
and that of a saint?
The saint knows
that the spiritual path
is a sublime chess game with God
and that the Beloved
has just made such a fantastic move
that the saint is now continually
tripping over joy
and bursting out in laughter
and saying, "I surrender!"
Whereas, my dear,
I am afraid you still think
you have a thousand serious moves."
- Hafiz (from I Heard God Laughing)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:20 PM | Comments (1)
September 05, 2011HAFIZ: Becoming Human
"Once a man came to me and spoke for hours about 'His great visions of God,' he felt he was having.
He asked me for confirmation, saying 'Are these wondrous dreams true?'
I replied, 'How many goats do you have?'
He looked surprised and said, 'I am speaking of sublime visions and you ask about goats?'
And I spoke again, saying, 'Yes brother -- how many do you have?'
'Well, Hafiz, I have sixty two.'
'And how many wives?'
Again he looked surprised, then said, 'Four.'
'How many rose bushes in your garden? How many children? Are your parents still alive? Do you feed the birds in winter?'
And to all he answered.
Then I said, 'You asked me if I thought your visions were true. I would say that they were if they made you become more human, more kind to every creature and plant that you know.'"
This man has helped me become more human.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:56 AM | Comments (5)
September 04, 2011The Gospel of Everyday Life!
The first five albums I ever owned were by a little known gospel/blues/folk duo -- Joe and Eddie. Some times I would run home from school just to listen to them. Now it's your turn. Crank up the volume and let it rip. (Make sure you listen to the whole thing.)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:17 AM | Comments (3)
