Has your Heart Become Hard?

The young monk was in a dilemma.

He had been invited for a feast at the home of the very people who had rebuked his path. After much introspection he was still confused. Should he go or should he turn down the invitation.

One part of him dreaded going for it would bring back memories of the pain and rejection. Another part of him said that an invitation is like a gift and must be accepted with grace.

Unable to ascertain the right thing to do he went to seek guidance from his teacher.

The teacher looked into his eyes and the monk felt as though his entire being had dissolved under the Master’s gaze. Then he heard his Master speak.

When the dough is soft, it is pliable.

You can roll it and make chapattis or bread; and then it can satisfy someone’s hunger.

You can give it shape and make toys out of it; and then you can satisfy someone’s loneliness and give him something to do.

You can roll it between your fingers and use it to stick two surfaces; and then it becomes the glue that joins things and brings them together.

But once the dough hardens, it becomes brittle; it is no longer useful nor does it serve anyone.

Like a body without a soul, which hardens when it dies, the corpse must be burned for it no longer breathes nor is it alive.

So if you wish to be useful, be soft like the dough

So you may serve God, or he may serve through you.

And that others may benefit through your service, and to your soul you may be true.

If you wish to know what is right, follow what is hard.

If you wish to be useful, allow yourself to be soft.

Tears rolled down the young monk’s eyes and a strange peace descended upon his heart.

He felt the hardness within him melt and discovered freedom as he turned soft. He rose to touch his Master’s feet and prayed;

May this body grace their event and this heart remain soft

May my being serve them and dissolve their blocks

May my ego be shaken and in it dissolve

So my soul may awaken and i may resolve

The purpose of my being may be fulfilled in my seeing

That as the hardness within me does melt

Through all encounters that life has dealt

With softness and equanimity I may become one with the breath

And overcome the hardness that comes upon all at death.

Whenever you experience hurt or pain, a part of you becomes hardened  and slowly begins to die. It robs you of  flexibility and makes you lose spontaneity. It robs you of freedom and makes you a prisoner of your own being. It robs you of joy and confines you to the hell of  self allowed misery.When you find the courage to do the hard thing, you begin to melt the hardness within you.

Examine which part of your being needs to be kneaded so it may become soft and pliable like fresh dough.

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