{"id":540,"date":"2022-10-01T11:15:13","date_gmt":"2022-10-01T11:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qsconsultants.in\/blog\/?p=540"},"modified":"2022-10-01T11:15:14","modified_gmt":"2022-10-01T11:15:14","slug":"hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qsconsultants.in\/blog\/hope\/","title":{"rendered":"HOPE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Namaste, Welcome to SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation), as we begin today \u2018let us remember this about \u2018Attention\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. We feed the hunger blindly. 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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This week I bring to your attention a story titled \u2018Hope<\/em>\u2019 from the book titled \u2018Wisdom of the Idiots\u2019. It is a carefully chosen collection of illustrative anecdotes and stories used in Sufi teaching here the stories contain several levels of meaning and work like psychological mirrors in which the reader may see himself and reality reflected, and come to better understand both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hope<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was once a king, descended from a long and powerful line, whom adversity had driven from his position, and who was in flight before his enemies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The king was soaked to the skin by rain and, in the middle of a desolate moor, came across a small hut used by shepherds. He thought that he would rest there for a little, and when he went inside he found that there were two shepherds already there, wrapped in blankets against the cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They welcomed him kindly, and shared their only food, some cheese and onions, with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The king said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘One day, when I am restored to sovereignty, I shall repay you in the coin of a king!’ Now, although both shepherds had offered the king food and were therefore equally generous, they were not both possessed of equal qualities in every way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first shepherd, therefore, strutted about telling everyone that he was better even than a nobleman, for he had given food to a king when there was nobody else to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the second shepherd, on reflection, said to himself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘My being in the hut, and my having some food with me, were accidents. My offering food to the king was a normal action. But the king, with truly royal generosity, chose to interpret these facts as the result of merit. Now it is for me to be inspired by this example, and to make myself truly worthy of such high-mindedness:’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two or three years later the king returned to his rightful power, and he sent for the shepherds. Each of them was given rich gifts and both obtained powerful positions at court. But the first shepherd, not having exerted any efforts to improve and prepare himself, soon fell a victim to an intrigue, and he was put to death for plotting. The second shepherd, on the other hand, worked so well that when the king reached a great age, he was nominated and accepted as his successor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Story from \u2018Wisdom of the Idiots\u2019 by Idries Shah<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am sure that you will enjoy reading this book; you can buy your copy from the following link:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wisdom of the Idiots by Idries Shah<\/a><\/blockquote>