Zen Ghost Story by Jane Derry

Zen Ghost Story by Jane Derry

www.focusontoday.com Effective and Intuitive Private Counselling,Online,Face to Face and Telephone. Learning to live in right relationship with self, spirit and others.

The Lion in the Marble

Focus on Today www.focusontoday.com Effective Couples Counselling in Kelowna

The Lion in the Marble

The use of stories is a wonderful way to introduce and explore spiritual concepts. I love to tell stories and have plenty of opportunity in my work with people in recovery. I am going to share here a very effective and feeling-provoking little tale. Then there are some questions - I encourage you to answer them for yourself. www.focusontoday.com

The Lion in the Marble

Once upon a time, (when I start my stories with this, people know a story is about to follow, and they usually lean in) there lived a little boy about 5 years old. The little boy was shy but curious and loved to wander the cobbled streets in his little Italian village.

One day he noticed a huge block of marble being delivered to the artisan of the village. The little boy followed the marble down the street, and watched it being set up in the Master Sculptor’s workshop. The child was fascinated, and came to watch the man and the marble whenever he could for several weeks.

The little boy and his family left the village for a number of months to go and visit family in another part of the country. When the boy returned, he was anxious to go see the man and the marble. As soon as he was able, he scampered down the streets to the workshop. He stopped in his tracks, he gasped, he stepped back, he couldn’t believe his eyes! Where the block of marble used to be, there sat a large and powerful lion.

The wide eyed little boy looked at the sculptor and whispered quietly, “Sir, tell me, how did you know there was a lion in that marble?”

The sculptor smiled at the child, “Boy, I knew this lion was in the stone, because I saw him there with my heart, and then I removed everything that was not the lion.”

1. Who or what is chipping away the marble surrounding your true self?
2. Who or what has been adding on more marble?
3. What are the chips and chunks that have fallen away?
4. What are those chips and chunks that aren’t you, made of?
5. What is in the center of your block of marble?
6. Choose one or more of the following:

a. Describe that center in a couple of paragraphs or essay.

b. Draw or paint the center.

c. Write a poem describing the center.

d. Any other creative expression that you can share with the group, representative of the center.

I hope this little tale has challenged you to explore the pure center of your being. If you would like to share your answers, please do!

Jane Derry General Manager and Spiritual Director of A Home Away Retreat. A private results oriented addiction recovery facility. Non-institutional rehab that works - turns addictions to assets.
http://www.ahomeaway.org

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www.focusontoday.com Effective and Intuitive Private Counselling,Online,Face to Face and Telephone. Learning to live in right relationship with self, spirit and others.

Focus On Today, The Lion in the Marble

Focus On Today, The Lion in the Marble

www.focusontoday.comEffective and Intuitive Private Counselling,Online,Face to Face and Telephone. Learning to live in right relationship with self, spirit and others.

You Can't Change the Past... - Focus On Today

You Can't Change the Past... - Focus On Today

www.focusontoday.com Effective and Intuitive Private Counselling,Online,Face to Face and Telephone. Learning to live in right relationship with self, spirit and others.

The 12 Steps and Zen Koans: Don't Tell Me ...

The 12 Steps and Zen Koans: Don't Tell Me ...: "... I Can't Do That. Once I heard that you cannot arbitrarily attach koans to anything... ummm ... but that's what I've done here, this..."

www.focusontoday.comEffective and Intuitive Private Counselling,Online,Face to Face and Telephone. Learning to live in right relationship with self, spirit and others.

Sailing Decision, Beneteau First 36.7, Commodore Cup KYC 2010

www.focusontoday.comEffective and Intuitive Private Counselling,Online,Face to Face and Telephone. Learning to live in right relationship with self, spirit and others.

Let It Be - Discernment from the Universe

Let It Be

posted 12 minutes ago by Focus On Today

Like for a lot of people, this past two years has definitely been a bit of an endurance test. The shaken world economy also came into our home, and the recession became a reality. It has manifested in, when not appropriately treated spiritually, a lot of clouded vision, tightness of heart, and fear. It is finally Spring though, and it feels impossible to miss the tremendous and vast promise of the Universe as it unfolds in the slender shoot of the daffodils and the cheerful treble of returning songbirds. As I mentioned above, when treated spiritually, hard times are easy, but being human means, for me, usually being human and looking for human answers to solve apparent problems. I think that if I just think hard enough, or worry more, or twist the apparent problem over and over and over in my mind, that I shall be clever enough to come up with the grand solution. When I realize I'm doing this, again, I turn it over to the Universe, and ask for help. This past week, I specially asked for clear discernment as to God's will for me. What should I 'do'? And, as the Universe is unfailing, I got a personalized response that was impossible to miss. I had a fairly rare visit with my 15 year-old nephew, Anthony; we live in different cities. I was at his home, and he offered to perform his latest piano recital piece for me. With great deliberation and elocution, the familiar, but not often heard, The Beatles" song, Let It Be resounded through the living room. Anthony's beautiful instrumental version was accompanied with the words in my head, Let it be, let it be, let it be, ya, let it be, there will be an answer, let it be. All goose-pimply at hearing my message from the Universe, delivered through the experience of Anthony's joyous playing, I thanked my Higher Power for this unusual clarity. Apparently the Universe wanted to make sure I really got the message. Two days later I was audience to Dr Wayne Dyer speaking in Vernon, BC. This was the first time I had heard Dr Dyer live, but I was not surprised that his daughter Sky had accompanied him. She often joins his presentations and sings a cappella during the show. Halfway through the presentation, Dr Dyer turned the stage over to Sky, and she filled the arena with the familiar and more often now heard, you guessed it, Let It Be. The goose-pimples doubled, and I was overwhelmed with the love and assurance of the Universe that I didn't have to do anything. Dr Dyer said it very eloquently later in his lecture, speaking to me for the Universe, "Jane, you don't have to do anything, you just need to be done. Let it be." Nothing I have done has coaxed the songbirds to return or the first green buds to appear. No amount of mental gymnastics and agonizing over scenarios will resolve my 'problems'. The Universe has got it all worked out if I can relax and let it be. All the action to be taken will be intuitively obvious. And thanks be to God. (As I type these last words, gorgeous Red-tail Hawk - The Messenger, soars by my window like a wink from the Universe.) Jane Derry is a skilled and intuitive counsellor. She specializes in working with individuals and families facing addiction issues and codependency, as well as conflict resolution. Jane's main focus is to help you connect with your higher spiritual self. Jane and her husband John Derry, B.Sc., Phm, Master Counsellor, through their practice Focus On Today, are ready to help you find clarity in your life. Online, Skype, Face to Face, or Telephone services are available. http://www.focusontoday.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_Derry Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6114739

www.focusontoday.com Effective and Intuitive Private Counselling,Online,Face to Face and Telephone. Learning to live in right relationship with self, spirit and others.