Self Esteem and the Power of a Hug

QUOTE: "We are what we are trying to be, its just we can't always see it." Phil Booker, Author
By: Wisdom-and-Philosophy.com
 
Jan. 31, 2011 - PRLog -- I’ll remind you how sometimes we can become obsessive about achievement, when in principle, we already ARE what we’re trying to be or to travel to.

An anorexic doesn’t think they are slim, so they continue to lose weight. An obese person finds every justification to eat. What can we deduce from that? That everything is a mind game. In these two cases they somehow satisfy their mind, and the actions that follow are not important.

Have you every become depressed over a particular subject, then sat back and contemplated on what positive aspects of life you have around you, your family, friends and comfortable life style; and then it was that positive energy that brought you out of the depression?

It’s a mind game…

In Wisdom this mind game becomes a technique that is nothing short of a profession. You need to understand your gut reaction, your instant observations and the answer when it pops into your consciousness. Sometimes you cannot see the wood for the trees. You may be searching right now for happiness, when in actual fact you’re living in it!

It isn’t a matter of changing course to find happiness, but keeping on course.

This next story illustrates SEEING, or in the stories case, HEARING… When you try and reach your goal, you may be trying in vain and not realising you’re sat right on top of what you’re trying to achieve. Take the trying away and just BE…

HERE IS ONE STORY in illustration

THE TEMPLE BELLS

The temple had stood on an island two miles out to sea. And it held a thousand bells. Big bells, small bells, bells fashioned by the best craftsmen in the world. When a wind blew or a storm raged, all the temple bells would peal out in unison, producing a symphony that sent the heart of the hearer into raptures.

But over the centuries the island sank into the sea and, with it, the temple and the bells. An ancient tradition said that the bells continued to peal out, ceaselessly, and could be heard by anyone who listened attentively. Inspired by this tradition, a young man travelled thousands of miles, determined to hear those bells. He sat for days on the shore, opposite the place where the temple had once stood, and listened--listened with all his heart. But all he could hear was the sound of the waves breaking on the shore. He made every effort to push away the sound of the waves so that he could hear the bells. But all to no avail; the sound of the sea seemed to flood the universe.

He kept at his task for many weeks. When he got disheartened he would listen to the words of the village pundits who spoke with unction of the legend of the temple bells and of those who had heard them and proved the legend to be true. And his heart would be aflame as he heard their words . . . only to become discouraged again when weeks of further effort yielded no results.

Finally he decided to give up the attempt. Perhaps he was not destined to be one of those fortunate ones who heard the bells. Perhaps the legend was not true. He would return home and admit failure. It was his final day, and he went to his favourite spot on the shore to say goodbye to the sea and the sky and the wind and the coconut trees. He lay on the sands, gazing up at the sky, listening to the sound of the sea. He did not resist that sound that day. Instead, he gave himself over to it, and found it was a pleasant, soothing sound, this roar of the waves. Soon he became so lost in the sound that he was barely conscious of himself, so deep was the silence that the sound produced in his heart.

In the depth of that silence, he heard it! The tinkle of a tiny bell followed by another, and another and another . . . and soon every one of the thousand temple bells was pealing out in glorious unison, and his heart was transported with wonder and joy.  
If you wish to hear the temple bells, listen to the sound of the sea. Don't reject it; don't reflect on it. Just look at it.

(Anthony de Mello, SJ, copyright, The Song of the Bird)

HERE IS AN EVERYDAY EXAMPLE

The present moment has so many gifts that most of the time we are not even aware of their existence. I hope this story helps in my explanation of how important this little time period is.

THE POWER OF A HUG

One year ago, my family and I attended the wake of my dear friend's mother. Daniel's mom had only recently learned of the cancer that soon ravaged her body, a cancer that caused her excruciating pain. This disease' lethal blow came unexpectedly soon.

At the service, I was surprised and touched when Daniel thanked me for a hug I had given him a week before. He had been visibly distressed about his mom's deteriorating condition and was unable to speak. Wanting to do something, I had simply walked over and given him a hug.

Daniel explained to me how that hug was somehow just what he needed at that moment, and for the first time since his mother's illness, it inexplicably enabled him to have the strength and solace to carry on. Since that first hug, he recounted, there were suddenly one after another from others; these hugs forming a powerful loving chain that kept his spirits afloat in his sea of sorrow.

"Promise me," implored this eloquent and successful businessman, "that you will write about the power of a hug."

(In loving tribute to Daniel's mother, Angelina. By Patricia Schaefer a freelance writer.)

by: http:// Wisdom-and-Philosophy.com

# # #

Andria Bolton
Editor, Author and Businesswomen
Wisdom-and-Philosophy.com and How-to-be-Happy.co.uk
http://www.predictions-for-2012.com/
End
Source:Wisdom-and-Philosophy.com
Email:***@philbooker.plus.com Email Verified
Tags:Self Esteem, Self Development
Industry:Self esteem, Self development
Location:England
Account Email Address Verified     Account Phone Number Verified     Disclaimer     Report Abuse



Like PRLog?
9K2K1K
Click to Share