A Bittersweet Space

"The more spacious and larger our fundamental nature, the more bearable the pains in living"--Wayne Muller

A Hindu Master grew tired of his complaining apprentice, so he sent him to get some salt. The apprentice went quickly to get the salt and brought it back to the master. The master then instructed him to place the salt in a glass of water and then drink some. The apprentice did so, and immediately responded that," the salt and water was bitter." The master then instructed the apprentice to take the same salt and place some in the a nearby lake and then taste it. As the water dribbled down the young mans chin he responded," that the salt now tasted fresh." The master then eloquently stated that, "the pain of life is pure salt, but it is up to us as to how we contain the salt. We can contain it in a glass or in a lake."(Nepo, 2010)

We can choose whether or not we want to continue to taste bitterness or become like a lake that is vast and free flowing, that turns the salt into mere molecules that are a tiny piece of our whole. Pain remains the same no matter what, but we have the power to change how we contain it. We can contain it in a glass or a lake. Becoming a lake allows us to enlarge our sense of self ; and change the shape of our pain, it allows us to breathe through the pain, and the pain no longer holds us captive.

Pain is a natural occurence that we all experience, but it is not a place that we have to remain. It is a place that we can choose center ourselves on and breathe in and through it. Our breath has the power to expand the space that we are in; it creates a ripple in the pain that breaks through the glass that we are containing it in. So that we can allow it to flow freely and dissolve, where it becomes no longer bitter but bitter sweet. Bitter sweet is a place where we can see the pain, as no longer hurtful; but as a process, that we had to experience in order to enlargen the space that we live in.

So this week ladies be mindful of how you contain the salt in your life; choose to become like the lake as to enlargen your sense of self.

Go Forth and Do Amazing Things This Week!

Kind Regards,

Pauline

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