by Paulo Coelho
Life is not about giving or receiving advice. If we need assistance, it is better to see how others solve--
or fail to solve -their problems. Our angel is always present, and often uses someone else's lips to tell us something. But it usually reaches us in a casual way, generally at a moment in which -although we are attentive -our preoccupations prevent us from seeing the miracle of life. We must allow our angel to speak to us in the way he knows best -when he thinks it is needed. The master says: "Advice is a theory about life -and the practice of life is generally quite different."
A padre in the Charismatic Renewal movement inRio de Janeiro was riding on a bus when he suddenly heard a voice saying that he should stand up and preach the word of Christ right there. The padre began to converse with the voice: "They'll think I'm ridiculous! This is no place for a sermon." But the voice insisted that he had to speak out. "I'm a timid man, please don't ask this of me," he implored. The internal impulse persisted. Then he remembered his promise -to accept all of Christ's designs. He stood up -consumed with embarrassment -and began to speak of the Evangelist. The riders listened to him in silence. He looked at each of the passengers, and all were staring directly at him. He said everything that he was feeling, completed his sermon and sat down. Even today, he has no idea what task he was performing there on the bus. But that he was performing a mission, he has no doubt whatsoever. An African witch doctor is leading his novice through the jungle. Although he is quite elderly, he makes his way with agility, while his young novice slips a falls many times. The novice picks himself up, swears, spits on the traitorous ground and continues to follow his master. After a long hike, they reach a sacred place. Without pausing, the witch doctor turns around and begins to walk back to where they had started. "You have taught me nothing today," says the novice, after falling again. "I have been teaching you something, but you have failed to learn it," says the witch doctor. "I'm trying to teach you how to deal with life's mistakes." "And how should I deal with them?" "The same way as you should deal with the falls you have taken," answers the witch doctor. "Instead of cursing the place where you fall, you should try to find out what made you slip in the first place."
The father superior of the monastery at Sceta was visited one afternoon by a hermit. "My spiritual advisor does not know how to direct me," the hermit said. "Should I leave him?" The father superior said not a word, and the hermit returned to the desert. A week later, he returned to visit the father superior.
"My spiritual advisor does not know how to direct me," he said. "I have decided to leave him." "That is wise," said the father superior. "When a man perceives that his soul is discontented, he cannot ask for advice. Make the decisions needed to preserve your passage through this life."
A young woman comes to see the wanderer. "I want to tell you something," she says. "I have always believed that I had the gift of curing. But I never had the courage to try it with anyone. Until one day, my husband was having great pain in his left leg, and there was no one available to help him. I decided -with some embarrassment -to place my hands on his leg and ask that the pain disappear. "I did this without really believing I would be able to help him, and as I did so, I heard him praying. 'Please, Lord, make my wife capable of being the Messenger of Your light and your strength,' he said. My hand began to become hot, and the pain disappeared. "Afterwards, I ask him why he had prayed that way. He answered that it was in order to give me confidence. Today, I am able to cure, thanks to those words."
The philosopher, Aristipus, was enjoying his power at the court of Dionysus, the tyrant ofSyracuse . One afternoon, he came upon Diogenes preparing a meal of lentils for himself. "If you were willing to be courteous to Dionysus, you would not have to eat lentils," Aristipus said. "If you knew how to enjoy lentils, you would not have to be courteous to Dionysus," Diogenes answered. The master says: "It is true that everything has its price, but the price is always relative. When we follow our dreams, we may give the impression to others that we are miserable and unhappy. But what others think is not important. What is important is the joy in our heart."
A man who lived inTurkey was told of a great master who lived inPersia . Without hesitation, he sold all of his belongings, said good-bye to his family and went off in search of wisdom. After several years of wandering, he found the hut where the great master lived. With fear and respect, he knocked on his door. The great master appeared. "I am fromTurkey ," the man said. "I have come all this way to ask you just one question." The old man was surprised, but said, "Fine. You may ask me one question." "I want to be clear about what it is that I am asking. May I say it in Turkish?" "Yes," said the wise man.
"And I have already answered your only question. If there is anything else you want to know, ask your heart. It will provide you with the answer." And he closed the door.
The master says: "The word is power. Words transform the world, and man as well. "We have all heard it said: 'We should not talk about the good things that have happened to us, because the envy of others will ruin our happiness. ' Nothing of the sort. Those who are winners speak with pride of the miracles in their lives. If you release positive energy into the air, it attracts more positive energy, and makes those who really wish you well happy. As for the envious and defeated, they can only do damage to you if you give them this power. Have no fear. Speak out about the good things in your life to whoever will listen. The Soul of the World has a great need for your happiness."
There was a Spanish king who was very proud of his lineage. He was also know to be cruel to those who were weak. He was walking one day with his senior people through a field inAragon , where, years before, his father had fallen in battle. They came upon a holy man there, picking through an enormous pile of bones. "What are you doing there?" asked the king. "All honor to Your Majesty," said the holy man.
"When I learned that the king ofSpain was coming here, I decided to recover the bones of your father to give them to you. But no matter how hard I look, I cannot find them. They are the same as the bones of the farmers, the poor, the beggars and the slaves."
"Who is the best swordsman?" asked a warrior of his master. "Go to the field near the monastery," his master answered. "There is a rock there. I want you to insult the rock." "But why would I do that?" the disciple asked. "The rock will not respond." "Well, then attack it with your sword," the master said. "I won't do that, either," the disciple answered. "My sword would break. And if I attack the rock with my hands, I'll injure my fingers and have no impact on it. That wasn't what I asked. Who is the best swordsman?" "The best is the one who is like the rock," said his master. "Without unsheathing a sword, it demonstrates that no one can conquer it."
The wanderer arrives at the village of San Martin de Unx, in Navarra, and is able to find the woman who keeps the key to the Roman church in the ruined place. With great kindness, she climbs the narrow stairs and opens the door. The darkness and the silence of the medieval temple have an emotional impact on the wanderer. He falls into conversation with the woman, and as they talk, mentions that, although it is mid-day, little can be seen of the beautiful works of art there in the church. "The detail can be seen only at dawn," the woman says. "The legend says that it was this that the builders of the church wanted to teach us: that God has a particular time for showing us His glory."
The master says: "There are two gods. The god that our professors taught us about, and the God who teaches us. The god of whom people always speak, and the God that speaks to us. The god we have learned to fear, and the God who speaks to us of compassion. There are two gods. The god who is on high, and the God who takes part in our daily lives. The god who makes demands upon us, and the God who pardons our debts. The god who threatens us with the fires of Hell, and the God who shows us the best path. There are two gods. A god who crushes us under our sins, and a God who liberates us with His love."
The sculptor, Michelangelo, was once asked how it was that he could create such beautiful works. "It's very simple," he answered. "Wh
en I look at a block of marble, I see the sculpture inside it. All I have to do is remove what doesn't belong." The master says: "There is a work of art each of us was destined to create. That is the central point of our life, and -no matter how we try to deceive ourselves -we know how important it is to our happiness. Usually, that work of art is covered by years of fears, guilt and indecision. But, if we decide to remove those things that do not belong, if we have no doubt as to our capability, we are capable of going forward with the mission that is our destiny. That is the only way to live with honor."
An old man who is about to die calls a young man to his side and tells him a story of heroism: in wartime, he had helped a man to survive. He provided the man with shelter, food and protection. When the man who had been saved was once again in a safe place, he decided to betray his saviour and turn him over to the enemy. "How did you escape?" the young man asked. "I didn't escape. I was the betrayer," said the old man. "But in telling the story as if I were the hero, I can understand everything he did for me." The master says: "We all need love. Love is a part of human nature, as much as eating, drinking and sleeping. Sometimes we find ourselves, completely alone, looking at a beautiful sunset, and we think:
'This beauty isn't important, because I have no one to share it with. ' At such times, we should ask: how often have we been asked to give love, and turned away? How many times have we been fearful of approaching someone and saying, unmistakably, that we love them? Beware of solitude. It is as much of an addiction as the most dangerous narcotic. If the sunset no longer makes sense to you, be humble, and go in search of love. Know that -as with other spiritual blessings -the more you are willing to give, the more you will receive in return."
A Spanish missionary was visiting an island when he came upon three Aztec holy men. "How do you pray?" the padre asked. "We have only one prayer," one of the Aztecs answered. "We say, 'God, you are three and we are three. Have pity on us. '" "I'm going to teach you a prayer that God will hear," said the missionary. And he taught them a Catholic prayer, and went on his way. Shortly before returning toSpain , he stopped again at the same island. When his ship approached the shore, the padre saw the three holy men walking across the water toward him. "Father, father," one of them said. "Please teach us again that prayer that God listens to. We have forgotten the words." "It's not important," the padre answered, having witnessed the miracle. And he asked God's pardon for not having understood that He speaks all languages.
Saint Johnof the Cross teaches us that, along our spiritual path, we should not look for visions, or believe the statements we hear from others on the same path. Our only support should be our faith, because that faith is clear, transparent and born within us. It cannot confused. A writer was conversing with a priest, and asked what it was to experience God. "I don't know," the priest answered. "The only experience I have had so far is the experience of my faith in God." And that is the most important.
The master says: "Forgiveness is a two-way street. Each time we forgive someone, we are also pardoning ourselves. If we are tolerant of others, it is easier to accept our own mistakes. That way, without guilt or bitterness, we are able to improve our approach to life. When, out of weakness, we allow hatred, envy and intolerance to vibrate around us, we wind up being consumed by the vibrations. Peter asked Christ: 'Master, should I forgive the other person seven times?' And Christ answered: 'Not just seven, but seventy times. ' The act of forgiving cleanses the astral plane, and shows us the true light of the Divinity."
The master says: "The ancient masters were accustomed to creating "personages" to help their disciples to deal with the darker side of their personality. Many of the stories about the creation of such personages have become well-known fairy tales. The process is simple: you have only to place your anxieties, fears and disappointments within an invisible being who stands at your left side. He functions as a "villain" in your life, suggesting attitudes that you would not like to adopt -but wind up doing so. Once that personage is created, it is easier to reject his advice. It's extremely simple. And that's why it works so well."
"How can I know what is the best way to act in my life?" a disciple asked his master. The master asked that the disciple build a table. When the table was almost finished -needing only the nails driven into the top -the master approached the disciple. The disciple was driving the nails with three precise strokes.
One nail, though, was more difficult, and the disciple had to hit it one more time. The fourth blow drove it too deep, and the wood was scarred. "Your hand was used to three blows of the hammer," the master said. "When any action becomes habitual, it loses its meaning; and it may wind up causing damage. Every action is your action, and there is only one secret: never let the habit take command of your movements."
Near the city ofSoria , inSpain , there is an ancient hermitage carved into the rocks. Some years ago a man who abandoned everything to dedicate himself to contemplation lived there. The wanderer is trying to find the place one autumn afternoon, and, when he does, he is received with total cordiality. After sharing a piece of bread, the hermit asked that the wanderer go with him to a small stream nearby to collect some edible mushrooms. As they walk, a boy approaches them. "Holy man," he says, "I have been told that, in order to achieve, we should avoid eating meat. Is that true?" "Accept with joy everything that life offers you," the man answered. "Do not commit sins against the spirit, but do not blaspheme the earth's generosity."
The master says: "If your journey is difficult, listen to your heart. Try to be as honest as possible with yourself, and see whether you are really following your path and paying the price for your dreams. If you do this, and nevertheless your life is hard, the moment comes when it is right to complain. But do it with respect, as a child complains to a parent. But do not fail to ask for more attention and help. God is Father and Mother, and parents always want the best for their children. It may be that the learning process is being pushed too hard, and it costs nothing to request a pause, some affection. But never exaggerate. Job complained at the proper time, and his belongings were returned to him. Al Afid complained too much, and God stopped listening".
A pious man found himself suddenly deprived of all of his wealth. Knowing that God would help him no matter what, he began to pray: "Lord, please let me win the lottery," he asked. He prayed for years and years, but was still poor. One day he died, and -since he was a very pious man, he went straight to heaven. When he arrived there, he refused to enter. He said that he had lived his entire life according to his religious teachings, and that God had never allowed him to win the lottery. "Everything You promised me was a lie," the man said, disgusted. "I was always ready to help you win," the Lord responded. "But, no matter how much I wanted to do so, you never bought a lottery ticket."
An aged Chinese wise man was walking through a field of snow, when he came upon a woman weeping.
"Why are you crying?" he asked. "Because I'm thinking about my life, my youth, the beauty that I saw in the mirror and the men I loved. God is cruel to have given the ability to remember. He knew that I would remember the spring of my life, and cry." The wise man stood there in the field of snow, staring at a fixed point and contemplating. At a certain point, the woman stopped crying: "What do you see there?" she asked. "A field of roses," answered the wise man. "God was generous with me when he gave me the ability to remember. He knew that in winter, I could always remember spring -and smile."
The master says: "One's personal destiny is not as simple as it appears. Not at all. It may even call for some sort of dangerous action. When we want something, we put into motion some powerful energies, and we are no longer able to conceal from ourselves the true meaning of our life. When we want something, we make a choice and we pay a price. To follow one's dream carries a price. It may demand that we give up old habits, it may create problems for us, and it may bring disappointment. But, no matter how high the price, it is never so high as at we pay for not having lived out our personal destiny. Because one
day we will look back and see everything we have done, and hear our own heart say: 'I wasted my life. ' Believe me, that is the worst phrase you can ever hear."
A master had hundreds of disciples. All of them prayed at the appropriate time -except one, who was a drunkard. On the day that he was dying, the master called the drunken disciple to his side, and passed on to him all of his occult secrets. The other disciples were revolted: "What a shame! We sacrificed everything for a master who was unable to perceive our qualities," they said. The master said: "I had to pass on these secrets to a man I knew well. Those who appear to be virtuous generally conceal their vanity, their pride and their intolerance. So, I chose the only disciple whose defects I could see: the drinker."
The Cistercian father Marcos Garcia said: "Sometimes God takes back a certain blessing in order to help the person understand it better. God knows up to what point he can test a soul -and he never goes beyond that point. At such times, we never say: 'God has abandoned me. ' If the Lord imposes a demanding test upon us, he always provides us with a sufficient number of graces -probably more than sufficient -to meet the test. When we feel far from His presence, we should ask ourselves: 'Do we understand how to make use of what he has placed in our path?'"
Sometimes days or weeks pass without our having received a gesture of affection from anyone. Such periods are difficult; when human kindness seems to have disappeared, and life seems to be simply a matter of survival. The master says: "We must examine our own fireplace. We must place more kindling, and try to illuminate the dark room that our life has become. When we hear our fire crackling and the burning wood snapping, and when we read the stories the flames are telling, hope returns to us. If we are capable of loving, we will also be capable of being loved. It is only a matter of time."
