The Poisoned Tree
Copacul otrăvit— de Jack Kornfield
Maturitatea pe care o putem dezvolta în abordarea dificultăților noastre este ilustrată de povestea tradițională a unui copac otrăvit. La prima descoperire a unui copac otrăvit, unii oameni văd doar pericolul. Reacția lor imediată este: "Să-l tăiem înainte să fim răniți. Să-l tăiem înainte ca altcineva să mănânce fructele otrăvite". Aceasta seamănă cu răspunsul nostru inițial la dificultățile care apar în viața noastră, când întâlnim agresiune, depresie sau durere în noi și în alții. Răspunsul nostru inițial este să evităm, spunând: "Aceste otrăvuri ne tulbură, să le dezrădăcinăm, să scăpăm de ele, să le tăiem".
Alți oameni, care au călătorit mai departe de-a lungul căii spirituale, descoperă acest copac otrăvit și nu-l întâlnesc cu aversiune. Ei și-au dat seama că deschiderea spre viață necesită o compasiune profundă și sinceră pentru tot ceea ce este în jurul nostru. Cunoscând copacul otrăvit este într-un fel o parte din noi, ei spun: "Să nu-l tăiem, ci să avem și compasiune pentru copac." Deci, din bunătate, ei construiesc un gard în jurul copacului, astfel încât alții să nu fie otrăviți, iar copacul să aibă și viața. Această a doua abordare arată o schimbare profundă a relației de la judecată și frică spre compasiune.
Un al treilea tip de persoană, care a călătorit încă mai adânc în viața spirituală, vede același copac. Această persoană, care a câștigat multă viziune, arată și spune: "Oh, un copac otrăvit, perfect, exact ceea ce căutam". Acest individ preia fructele otrăvite, îi investighează proprietățile, le amestecă cu alte ingrediente și folosește otrava ca un medicament mare pentru a vindeca bolnavii și a transforma bolile lumii. Prin respect și înțelegere, această persoană vede într-un mod opus majorității oamenilor și găsește valoare în cele mai dificile circumstanțe.
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În fiecare aspect al vieții, șansa de a transforma paiele pe care le găsim se află în inimile noastre. Tot ce ni se cere este atenția noastră respectuoasă, dorința noastră de a învăța din dificultate. În loc să luptăm, când vedem cu ochii înțelepciunii, dificultățile pot deveni norocul nostru.
Când corpul nostru este bolnav, în loc să luptăm împotriva bolii, putem asculta informațiile pe care ni le comunică și să le folosim pentru vindecare. Atunci când copiii noștri se vaită sau plâng, în loc să-i ignorăm, putem să fim atenți la nevoile lor profunde. Atunci când avem dificultăți cu un aspect al iubitului sau partenerului nostru, am putea întreba cum tratăm acea parte în noi înșine. Dificultățile sau slăbiciunile ne conduc de multe ori la ceea ce trebuie să învățăm.
Semnificația întrebărilor pentru reflecție: Cum te referi la găsirea de valoare în cele mai dificile circumstanțe prin respect și înțelegere? Poți împărtăși o poveste personală despre un moment în care ai reușit să transformi paiul în aur? Ce vă ajută să învățați din dificultăți?
Excerpted from A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to finding value in the most difficult circumstances through respect and understanding? Can you share a personal story of a time you were able to turn the straw you found into gold? What helps you learn from difficulties?
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18 Past Reflections
On May 2, 2019 Deepak wrote :
There are times in one's life , to become aware of this poison and reflect for it is a wake up call for bringing about a transformation about the self . That is my own experience in life and it led to believing in my own self and bringing about the necessary changes in my own life . In my own context I am grateful to that wake up call till today .
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On Apr 30, 2019 Merv Martin wrote :
The tree is not poison, it's strong medicine, not to be used as food. It tells us this quite plainly. Listen...
1 reply: Liz | Post Your Reply
On Apr 30, 2019 Komal Desai wrote :
I would like to share a very personal story about difficulty and growth. My father was an alcoholic and as expected I grew up in a household where every night we did not know what we would encounter . Luckily my grandparents were like guardian angels for my mother, brother and myself trying their best to shield us from the chaos and dysfunction. My only thoughts while going through this difficult times were number one what I could do to make all my grandparent’s efforts worthwhile and secondly how I could become capable of not only supporting myself independently but also helping others. I put all my energy into studying which was the only thing that was in my control at that vulnerable age and by God’s Grace got into Medical College which became the turning point of my life .
My childhood was full of fear, anger, shame, worry, sadness due to the incessant havoc alcohol and my father created in our lives but looking back I don’t have any bitterness or complaints about... [View Full Comment]
3 replies: Liz, Deepak, Frank | Post Your Reply
On Apr 30, 2019 Jacqueline wrote :
I had to undergo a total hip replacement , walking had become painful. Iwas grounded during that time and feeling sorry for myself. I got out some art materials and was able to produce a dozen paintings . The paintings are being sold to benefit those who lost their homes in the California fires and some have been made into greeting cards to support orphans in Nepal.
So my suffering turned out to be a chance to connect with my own creativity and be of service to others in the end.
i am so gratefulto be able to walk without pain.
So my suffering turned out to be a chance to connect with my own creativity and be of service to others in the end.
i am so gratefulto be able to walk without pain.
2 replies: Liz, Sophia | Post Your Reply
On Apr 30, 2019 Simon wrote :
I think the reason why it is difficult for me to relate to difficulties for ex. in my relationship is that these issues are unresolved in myself and hurt too
much in my inner system. it‘s just too much to deal with it. and this too-much-ness pushes away and creates more pain in the person ‚having difficulties‘.
step back, reflect, take back the projection and slowly deepen my understanding of my own painful parts, thats healing.
love
simon
much in my inner system. it‘s just too much to deal with it. and this too-much-ness pushes away and creates more pain in the person ‚having difficulties‘.
step back, reflect, take back the projection and slowly deepen my understanding of my own painful parts, thats healing.
love
simon
1 reply: Liz | Post Your Reply
On Apr 26, 2019 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
It is not easy to accept difficultchanges and adverse circumstances happening in life. Instead of grumbling and complaining or avoiding and averting or denying I need to understand them and accept them. I have learned to look at such changes with clear eyes, open mind and open heart. Such circumstances do cause pain. They can cause fear or despair. The pain may turn into suffering. It is up to me how to relate to them. I have learned not to react to them but tokindly and compassionately pay attention to them, understand them and take constructive steps to work through them.
As I am getting old I run into many kinds of difficult changes such as increasing pain in certain parts of my body, decreasing energy and not being able to have restful sleep and people whom I love passing away. These are big changes. I relate to them by accepting them gracefully.
Difficulties are teachers. I have learned many lessons by keeping my mind curious and my heart open. It is how I relate to them make a bi... [View Full Comment]
1 reply: Liz | Post Your Reply
On Apr 26, 2019 David Doane wrote :
We have too much of a get rid of difficulties mentality and would benefit from having more of an attitude of what's this difficult circumstance about and what can I learn from it. In our druggized society, we drug feelings we don't want out of existence rather than listen to them -- they are the result of a way of being and are signaling us to examine our way of being and be different. The times I have listened to my anxiety and depression rather than drugging them into oblivion, I've learned to increase accepting and being myself. What helps me learn from difficulties is knowing that difficulties are also lessons to learn from and problems are opportunities. Those are cliches that are true. Nietszche said that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger. It helps me to know that if difficulties don't kill me or I don't kill myself, I can learn and grow from them.