a profound story

[Guest guest]

Here is a story from Catherine Ingram's book Passionate Presence:

Experiencing the Seven Qualities of Awakened Awareness, that I have

found to embody most of the safeties into one small exercise. Here it is:

 

There is a story of an old wise woman named Suko who lived in Japan

and was known for her great joy. One day a man came to visit her and

said, " I am very self-centered and unhappy most of the time. Please

tell me how to become joyous. " Suko replied, " Whatever happens to you,

simply say to the universe, 'Thank you; thank you for everything. I

have no complaints whatsoever.' " She told him to come back in a year

and report to her his progress.

The man left and one year later returned to Suko. He reported that he

had been doing what she had told him. He had been saying " thank you "

for everything. But, alas, he was still self-absorbed and miserable.

" Now what? " he asked.

And Suko said, " Again say, 'Thank you. Thank you for all of it. I have

no complaints whatsoever.' " It is said that the man realized in that

moment the true power of gratitude, that there was no exception to

what one can be thankful for, and that even his misery could be seen

with appreciation. It had worn down his resistance, humbled him, and

brought him to the wise woman. As the story goes, he entered into a

stream of everlasting joy.

 

 

 

I haven't realized the profundity of this until I started practicing

it today. I actually feel the joy that I've been searching for! I feel

the joy of a child, and it hasn't been in short intervals, I've felt

it steadily through this day. It seems that this statement embodies

all of the safeties. It has brought me inner joy, gratitude,

forgiveness for another's and my own actions, love, tolerance,

patience, the courage to be honest, trust (it feels like Shakti has

increased her power from this different vibration I'm giving off),

truth, and I feel I'm in a better position to serve others because I'm

operating from a sense of wholeness rather than a sense of lack.

I hope this helps someone else as it is helping me now.

with love

Craig