Once upon a time…..
A Prince was born to the King and Queen of an ancient magical kingdom.
As a child, the Prince wanted for nothing – except love.
It was the one thing the magic kingdom was virtually devoid of.
The adorable, gifted Prince grew up believing he was an ugly duckling that didn’t fit-in. He was sad.
The Prince coped with his emptiness and dis-ease by burying his natural uniqueness (his “Inborn Voice”) in the deepest recesses of his sub-conscious mind where nothing could reach it…not even his own conscious mind!
After burying his natural, clever, artistic, creative, sensitive, giving essence (that of a “poet”), the Prince covered his tracks to keep his oldest sub-conscious secret: he became something he wasn’t naturally meant to be: strong, independent, and confident (a “samurai”!): a sheep in wolf’s clothing!
As a boy, the Prince hid his true nature behind an impenetrable energetic shield: he channeled his considerable talents and energy into being an indestructible champion of underdogs (sub-consciously protecting his Inborn Voice): Superman, the Green Hornet, Batman, Kung Fu (the guy could become invisible and walk thru a pit of snakes – and he had dragon and tiger tattoos!!), and the best guy with a gun, the Rifleman!
In addition to growing up cultivating some serious Green Hornet energy, the Prince was convinced that his first childhood hero, the Queen’s father, was correct: all he had to do was “Be the best at whatever you do, and you won’t go hungry.”
“Won’t go hungry” sub-consciously resonated with the young Prince as an end to his perpetual internal sense of emptiness and longing. He was committed.
How many things did the Prince undertake and become “the best” at? A lot. At what cost? Right: also a lot. Garbage in equals garbage out; the Prince’s motivations were fundamentally flawed: they were selfish.
Nothing provided the Prince with lasting relief until at the age of 58, after thirteen years of obsessing over Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, something occurred to him.
Something “stupid simple” yet so well hidden in plain sight it can’t readily be seen.
The Prince’s life changed in that moment.
But let’s back up a bit…….
From red capes and plastic guns to business suits, a wife and two children, the Prince remained unwavering in his quest for relief.
The beginning of the end of the Prince’s suffering came when he met an enchantress in 2003.
It’s no coincidence she appeared before him as a loving, caring, sensitive, attractive young mother.
She lit a fire in the Prince that fueled his initial enthusiasm for what became his faith: the one thing in which he’d found not just relief but meaningful peace.
The enchantress told the Prince fantastical stories about a great teacher, Patanjali, who’d written the Yoga Sutras, an ancient “magic” 200-line poem which contained the essence of humanity: the good, bad and ugly – and outlined a means to find faith within one’s self and live peacefully.
The Yoga What? Patanjali Who?
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are a precursor to the Ten Commandments and the source of the universal Serenity Prayer. Those two aspects make up most of the “Preparation” section of Patanjali’s poem; the rest of the poem sheds light on the science and discipline of mindfulness, and enumerates superhuman affects experienced by Patanjali’s predecessors.
So what’s the bottom line? How do YOU find mind-blowing, life-altering and lasting peace, and experience the incomprehensible?
Always let go.
Follow the Golden Rule.
Practice “cleanliness is next to godliness” and
“proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance”.
Never surrender.
Meditate. Meditate. Meditate.
NEVER stop being mindful and thankful for the ability to be so [for being alive!!] When that does happen naturally, ALWAYS pick the torch back up and carry on!
Faith fuels strength. Meditate; tap into yours.
And what became of the Prince? He lost his silver spoon but found something priceless: his “Inborn Voice”.
