Odilia Carmen Chirica

"No Zen student would presume to teach others till he had lived with his Master for a minimum of ten years.  Tenno, having completed his ten years of apprenticeship, acquired the rank of teacher.  One day he went to visit the Master Nan-in. It was a rainy day, so Tenno wore wooden clogs and carried an umbrella.  When he walked in, Nan-in greeted him with, “You left your wooden clogs and umbrella on the porch didn’t you? Tell me, did you place your umbrella on the right side of the clogs or on the left?” Tenno was embarrassed, for he did not know the answer. He realized he lacked Awareness. So he became Nan-in’s student and laboured for ten more years to acquire Continual Awareness.  The person who is ceaselessly aware: the person who is totally there each moment: behold the Master!" from the book  "Song Of The Bird"  by  Anthony de Mello ...in truth,  OdiliaCarmen

"An elephant was enjoying a dip in a Jungle pool when a rat came up to insist that he get out.  “I won’t,” said the elephant.  “I insist you get out this minute,” said the rat.  “Why?”  “I shall tell you that only after you are out of the pool.”  “Then I won’t get out.”  But he finally lumbered out of the pool, stood in front of the rat and said, “Now then, why did you want me to get out of the pool?”  “To check if you were wearing my swimming trunks,” said the rat.  An elephant will sooner fit into the trunks of a rat than God into our notions of him." from the book  "Song Of The Bird"  by  Anthony de Mello ...in truth,  OdiliaCarmen

"I was a neurotic for years. Anxious, depressed, selfish. And everyone kept telling me to change. And I resented them, and agreed with them, and wanted to change, but simply couldn’t, no matter how I tried. What hurt the most was that, like the others, my closest friend kept urging me to change. So I felt powerless and trapped. One day he said “Don’t change. I love you as you are.” Those words were music to my ears: “Don’t change. Don’t change. Don’t change... I love you as you are.” I relaxed. I came alive. And, suddenly, I changed! Now I know that I couldn’t really change till I found someone to love me whether I changed or not. Is this how you love me, God?" from the book  "Song Of The Bird"  by  Anthony de Mello ...in truth,  OdiliaCarmen