A man has always lived in good health. He does not know what a fever is; he does not know what a headache is. He does not know any kind of illness. Can you imagine him feeling his health? It is not possible. In the very nature of things he will never know what health is. And he is healthy. So to know that one is healthy, health alone is not enough. One can be healthy, perfectly healthy, and may not be aware of it — because the awareness comes from the opposite. The awareness comes from a dialectical process. The thesis must be opposed by the antithesis. Health must fall into illness, then you become aware of what you have lost. And if you can regain it, there is great joy.
There is a Sufi story…
A very rich man was searching for bliss, for truth — or whatsoever name you want to give to his search. He had much money and he was ready to offer any amount of this money to anybody who could give him a key. He went from one teacher to another, but nobody could supply him with happiness. He was ready to pay any price; that was not a problem at all.
He was carrying a big load of diamonds in a bag and he would put the bag before a Master and he would say, ‘Now take this, but tell me the secret of bliss.’
Then he came to a Sufi teacher. The Sufi was sitting under a tree. The rich man came on his horse with his famous bag — it had become famous all over the country — and he put the bag before the Master and said, ‘I am in search of happiness and I am ready to pay anything. Here are many diamonds — worth crores of rupees. You can take them all, but give me happiness.’
And the Sufi Master did something. Sufis are people who do. Rather than answering, they create a situation. The Master simply snatched the bag and ran away!
For a second, the rich man could not believe what was happening. Such a famous Master! And then he suddenly realised what had happened. The Master had gone with his diamonds! So he started shouting and running after the Master. But in that village the Master knew every street every nook and corner. And the rich man was running after him and shouting, ‘I have been robbed! My whole life’s treasure has been robbed! This is a thief. Catch hold of him. This is no longer a Master. This is a fraud. This man is a cheat.’ And he was shouting and running.
But he could not get hold of the Master because the Master knew the streets of the town.
The whole town gathered. The whole town started collecting around the rich man and they said, ‘Don’t be worried.’ But he said, ‘Why should I not be worried? I have been completely destroyed. All that I had was in the bag and that man has escaped with it.’ And he was crying and he was as miserable as one can be.
Then the whole crowd and the rich man went searching and found the Master sitting under his tree with the bag in the place where the rich man had put it. And his horse was standing there. The rich man came and grabbed his bag. Holding the bag close to his heart he gave a great sigh of relief and he said, ‘Thank God!’
And the Sufi Master said, ‘Are you happy or not? This is the key to happiness. Are you happy or not? Tell me.’ And the man said, ‘Really, I have never been so happy!’
Osho, Sufis, the People of the Path — Talks on Sufism, Vol 2, Ch 2, Q 1 (excerpt)
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Coronavirus.
Thank you for shaking us and showing us we’re dependent on something much bigger than we think. Thank you for making us appreciate the luxury we lived in, abundance of products…freedom…health and realising that we were taking it for granted.
Thank you for stopping us to make us see how lost we were in the “busy-ness”, not having time for the most basic things…thank you for allowing us to put aside all our problems we thought were so important…and showing us what is actually important.
Thank you for stopping the transport. The earth was begging us to look at the pollution for a very long time…we didn’t listen. Thank you for all the FEAR. It has been a global disease for years but not many of us wanted to face it, and now we have to face it and learn how to embrace it with love and with support of our community. Thank you for this revaluation of our lives. Thank you as we finally understand what it means that WE ARE ALL CONNECTED. Thank you for the unity between all of us. We knew that the world has to change. Thank you for helping us to undermine everything and for giving us a chance to build the world from the very beginning.
Be grateful, stay aware. Things will never be the same again.
(from one such amazing video)
“This storm will pass. But the choices we make now could change our lives for years to come.” — Yuval Noah Harari
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(Never ever thought that a couplet of intense love written for one’s Beloved, would be so appropriate for a virus COVID 19…Aaah !!)
तेरा ज़िक्र, तेरी फिक्र, तेरा एहसास, तेरा ख़याल..!!
तू ख़ुदा नहीं फिर हर जगह मौजूद क्यूँ है..?
Tera zikr, teri fikr, tera ehsaas, tera khayaal….!!
tu khuda nahin phir har jagah maujood kyon hai..??
Your mention, your worry, your feeling, your thoughts…!!
you are not God then how come you are omnipresent..??