The DAILY SPARK Blog

SHOUT vs. WHISPER

A Buddha asked his disciples, ‘Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?’  Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, ‘Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.’ ‘But why shout when the other person is just next to you?’ asked the Buddha. ‘Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?’ Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the Buddha.  Finally he explained, ‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot.  To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other.  The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.’  Then the Buddha asked, ‘What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close.  The distance between them is very small…’ The Buddha continued, ‘When they love each other even more, what happens?  They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.  Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all.  That is how close two people are when they love each other.” 

“So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.”

Source:  Unknown

REFLECTION:

  • When communicating with a loved one, do you often shout?
  • How can you shorten the distance between your hearts?

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.

Poem by Hafiz.  From the book:   I HEARD GOD LAUGHING: Poems of Hope and Joy  – Translated by Daniel Ladinsky

Hafiz Khāwje Shams-od-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī, (1320 – 1389) known by his pen name Hafez and as “Hafiz”,  is one of the most beloved poets of the Persians, and is considered by many – from different cultures – to be one of the seven literary wonders of the world. 

REFLECTION:

  • Are you still making moves… playing chess with God?
  • Are you willing to surrender?
  • What is your next move?

RISK WORTH TAKING

Every time we make the decision to love someone, we open ourselves to great suffering, because those we most love cause us not only great joy but also great pain.  The greatest pain comes from leaving.  When the child leaves home, when the husband or wife leaves for a long period of time or for good, when the beloved friend departs to another country or dies…. the pain of the leaving can tear us apart.  Sill, if we want to avoid the suffering of leaving, we will never experience the joy of loving.  And love is stronger than fear, life stronger than death, hope stronger than despair.  We have to trust that the risk of loving is always worth taking. 

Quote by Henri Nouwen

REFLECTION:

  • Have you made a decision to love someone despite the risk of pain and suffering?
  • Are you attempting to avoid suffering by not loving?
  • Is there someone you can take the risk of loving today?