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Detachment
I left on a quest, a spiritual undertaking;
on a desperate search for detachment
from lust, money, luxury, power,
and the senseless need to always win.
I stood looking at the mighty river
river of dreams, river of choices...
hoping a friend, a great Master
would give me a bag full of spiritual wisdom
to make this a pleasant journey; a happy time,
but all I found was a bag of stones
left there for me...
In great disappointment,
I wondered what this meant;
I knew I must carry this bag of stones,
of that I had no doubt,
but what if I became too weary to walk with this burden?
What if I failed in this strange task?
Mostly, what was the point?
From within the swirling waters a voice spoke:
"The friend you seek
could have left you a bag of good wishes,
promises of love, and many a false hope
of nothing but smooth walks without hills or valleys
a bag of spiritual candy, if you will,
as the world of man gives of its lies
to unsuspecting seekers...
but being a friend and Master,
he left instead this bag of stones..
What should you do with this gift?
Why not try this approach:
each time you come near a body of water:
a brook, a lake, a river, an ocean,
take a stone from your bag
and throw it in the water.
Do not look where it lands, let it go
and know that the water
is purified by your action
and will turn it into love for you:
for each stone represents an attachment
to those things that create suffering,
and when every stone is gone
your path will be joyful
and you shall go upon it without stumbling.”
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