Namaste, Welcome to SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation), as we begin today ‘let us remember this about ‘Attention’.
Our life experience would ultimately amount to whatever we had paid attention to. Attention: is important and most of the times we are so indifferent to it. It is as fundamental as food; and we go blundering about, seeking ways to assuage the craving, instead of learning how to provide ourselves with what we need, sensibly and calmly. Once the mechanism is brought to our attention and we begin to study it, it is as if a veil has been stripped off ordinary life, and we become freer in our action and choices.
This week I bring to your attention a fable which is used in the foreword from the book titled ‘Reflections’. It is a collection of fables, aphorisms and statements that challenge the conditioned mind.
It confronts the reader with unaccustomed perspectives and ideas, in an attempt to set the mind free so as to see how things really are.
The Story of the Mice
Once upon a time, not so very long ago, a certain building was infested by mice. The people in charge decided to kill them. One night they put down mouse-killing poison. But the next morning the poison had been eaten.
“We shall change the type of poison,” the people said, and they made another attempt. But this second lethal dose the mice also ate happily, and left signs that they were thriving on their new diet.
It was decided to use old-fashioned, spring-operated mousetraps. These were baited with succulent cheese to tempt the poison-proof mice.
But the mice refused to touch the cheese.
One of the mouse-catchers now had an inspiration. He thickly coated the cheese in the traps with poison. “Perhaps the mice have developed a liking for poison: it may even be doing them good,” he reasoned.
The new plan was put into operation late one evening. The following morning the spring-traps were full of strong and healthy mice.
Foreword of ‘Reflections’ by Idries Shah
I am sure that you will enjoy reading this book; you can buy your copy from the following link:
Enjoy reading it with your family, friends and near and dear one’s.
Before concluding today’s episode please pay attention to these words of a Storyteller.
My stories require, at this stage, no extra commentary, imaginings, or guesswork by you, me, or anyone else. The very worst would be that of moralizing. To explain away is to forget. Thus, let the stories which you can remember do their own work by their very diversity. Familiarize yourself with them.
Concluding today’s post and podcast episode, I thank all who take time out and read (the blog post) and listen to the episodes each week. For those who listen and have not subscribed to the podcast I suggest you do and click on the bell icon so that you can be notified for all the new episodes that get uploaded every week.
Namaste!
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