Paulo Coelho
Cain and Abel came to the banks of an enormous lake. They had never seen anything like it.
“There’s something inside it,” said Abel, looking into the water, not know that it was his reflection.
Cain noticed the same thing, and raised his staff. The image did the same thing. Cain stood waiting for the blow; his image did the same.
Abel studied the surface of the water. He smiled, and the image smiled. He laughed out loud, and saw the other imitating him.
As they walked away, Cain thought:
“How aggressive those creatures are who live in there.”
And Abel told himself:
“I’d like to return, for I met someone both handsome and in good humor.”
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How could we utilize this to the personalized existence?
Abel has my vote.
se lever du pied droit ou du pied gauche.
x
What do you think about yourself?
It is the same thing that they had to think in front of your reflection.
As it each one had a different experience, because each one tape-worm an different energy and charisma.
There by can to suppose, that Cain saw amability in Abel, and Abel saw an aggressive brother in Cain.
Same waters down reflects what each one perceives of others and what others perceive of us themselves every day, as a mirror.
It is the same concept of the corporal language.
Every morning do you get up, sides to Cain or Abel?
As we were driving home this morning from the super-market, a white electrical-van was in front of us. Suddenly, the back door of the van flew open.
At the intersection, I winded the window down and told the driver about the door.
He gave a big grin and said “:Its the ‘apprentice’s fault”
The face of the “apprentice” said it all.
…I knew I should be wearing my bright orange socks more often…
I really love this story! Its great and its completely true. I used to think that its false but lately i have been noticing that its 100% true.This story has compeled me to think about my past and present actions. I think its time to forget the universal priority( to compete on an international level ) and concentrate on one person- the soul. It´s high time to look into the mirror and to keep in mind that a healthy and peacful soul = happiness, success and wisdom.
Thanks a lot to everyone who have posted their opinions, i truly agree with each one of you and am glad to see that there are people out there who share my points of view aswell.
God bless, love to everyone
was funny.I know has a moral.We might understand how we influence the others behaviour,all that we do would come back to us ,like a boumerang.If we are good,good things will come back to us.And we understand that we are seing otherst through our filter,if we are bad ,we think others are too.
Anlao- nice poem.
indeed another interesting piece… i’m enjoying every book you wrote… simple yet meaningful
The nature of “Maya” – a term from the ancient Sanskrit, used to denote the illusive character of the world in which we live. It shimmers, it tantalizes – sometimes it even frightens or enrages us – nonetheless, this that we experience as daily “reality,” this tangible world and all of its myriad situations and circumstances is like that lake, naught but a reflection of our own soul as it moves through the process of growth and evolution.
This is what I find fascinating about Jungian psychology, as well. It teaches us this vital lesson: that whatever arises before us in the realm of our experiences, it is, in essence, a reflection of the current state of our innermost self. Thus, there is no one to “blame” for the situation. We have only to look for the deeper meaning – the symbolic or “archetypal” meaning – hidden in the situation. This is not always easy, but when we find it, we unlock within ourselves the potential to turn the situation, whatever it may be, into an opportunity for personal growth and spiritual evolution.
There are so many systems out there that we can use to help us see the reflection for what it is – a reflection. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter which philosophy we choose to explore, so long as we find a way to stop slapping and grunting at our own reflections in the water.
Savita
TO heart/football:
What would you say if God would reply to your question: “But I did give you that chance, this morning, and the morning before, and each morning with your first conscious breath. Why do you forget it by the time you reach your bathroom mirror?”
This reminded me of a note I wrote this spring, when an old friend of mine from back home read me a piece of paper I wrote him 5 years ago, wishing he would become it. I saw his video and started crying, because he did became that beautiful personna, but at the same time because I felt I was not it. That’s when I wrote another message, this time for myself.
Note to self
Stop.
Now. Right now, what you are doing,
Breathe in and let the world sink in
Look closely at all musts and all the have to’s
To find those few wants hiding in between.
Seek.
Explanations, not excuses,
And don’t waste time by chasing blame
You’ll either build or find your answers,
Or fail, and if you do just ask again.
Choose.
Not the color of your kisses
For you’ll find more than you can name
Simply make those type of choices
That rush to hug you meeting them again.
Practice.
Forgiveness in the mirror
Disrupting every single judge
For all non actions of reaction
Until reflection holds no grudge.
Stay.
Fit, stay strong, stay crazy, bold and wreckless
Stay true and keep your heart sailing its course
And when you feel like running, run, but mindful
Running is healthy only if towards.
Feel.
Skin, beats, waves splashing, sun and raindrops
Wind as you’re falling from the airplane just because
Feel free to not look pretty when you’re crying
And to let love melt igloos from your face.
Remember.
Share your heart, and share your burden
Watching one grow and than the other gone.
Remember loneliness as just a lesson
On how to treasure moments not alone.
Love.
And with first conscious breath each morning
While the world opens up for you to see
Make use of your own power of creation
My soul, how do you want to be?
Para Abel o que é de Abel…
Para caim o que quis Caim…
Beijos,
Mari Raphael.
Como siempre he leído… la vida es un reflejo de todas tus acciones… y que mejor manera de describir dichas acciones, que usando a personajes tan antagónicos como los históricos hermanos! :D
What can I do to stop being a mirror? You know what I mean? The most beautiful and lovely beings are those elegant by nature; when I grow up I wanna be one of them. I wanna be a human being and leave behind the beast. Do you know a beautiful and lovely being?
it is so easy to smile when you are not overhelmed with heavy troubles…
it is so easy to smile when you are not overhelmed with heavy troubles…
god, give me the chance to be like abel… only small chance… and my smile and good humor will make happy everyone of you, amen!
One man had a dog, angry and full of rage. He left it asleep in room made of mirrors thinking it was angry because it was lonely.
As dog woke up and saw all arround him dogs staring back, he started to growl and attack finishing wounded, bleeding all alone.
Man brought another dog and put him in room of mirrors. Second dog woke up, saw another dog, happy not to be alone started vigorously move its tail, all dogs arround did the same. Dog fell asleep happy to be circled with friends.
Heard this story many years ago in local church and never forgot it.
Love
Luce
god! give me only the chance to be one day like abel… only small chance… and my smile and good humor will make happy millions of people! amen
Seems that when you are disconnected from something, not understanding it.. that is when one is most likely to be confused, even distort the situation.
La cuestión no es tomar una actitud positiva en la vida. La vida no tiene que llenarse de Abeles. Los Abeles son tan estúpidos como los
Caínes. Tanto el uno como el otro son estúpidos, o dicho de otro modo, están ciegos. Son dos Narcisistas dormidos.
La cuestión es lo que hay ahí; delante de sus ojos y que no logran ver:
- Que no hay nadie en el agua.
- Que el lago es un mundo paralelo repleto de peces y plantas, muy distinto al nuestro.
Todo es una ilusión.
Caín y a Abel… a cuál más tonto el pobre.
Paz y Amor
This reminds me of the story of Narcissus… except that this one has caused both a happy & unhappy reaction (Cain & Abel).
It is so true, depending how you shout into the forest it will reply… accordingly
On a similar note, never take anything for granted, for example if someone is disgruntled or shows an unhappy face, or worse, provokes an argument with you, try to understand that there must usually be a very good reason for his/her behaviour… perhaps they have lost a loved one the night before… you never know… so never assume…
Love, Paul
I guess that this is the beauty of human nature, we all read the same story, yet we all have different interpretations as to what the story really tells us.
Maybe the story reflects on how little we truly know our own persona, how we stare at our own image yet glare at what we believe is someone else. Maybe we are more capable to testify for our own being when safely guarded by distance. Maybe when disconnected from our own self we gain the strength to be objective enough to accept and acknowledge whom we have become.
We can sometimes see ourselves in things but we sometimes don’t even realize it.
Angeline
The story about Cain and Abel is a story about brotherhood… which didn’t turn out too well. Here, one appears an optimist and the other a pessimist. What a difference these two attitudes to life makes.
Talking about brotherhood. Thanks to Paul from Austria for the link to the article about secret societies. I read it, and can only shake my head. A story about evil incarnated.
My mother used to say to me, refering to my behaviour towards others, an old Cypriot proverb: “the mirror will show you exactly what you show to it. If you smile it smiles, if you show an angry face it is angry too”.
I think this is a similar story. The world and life, returns to us exactly the same image that we have inside us. We ’see’ what we are.
We must transmute everything into ..Light and Love.
LOVE,
THELMA
it is indeed as the life itself, when you smile and treat nicely other people this energy returns to you through a child smile on a street. when you are angree and passive the same returns to you through various people and circumstances. i liked this story of another reflection, as when you truly realise and become aware that all situations and people that are around you at this moment is the creation of your own mind then you can move on to be a happy person bringing happiness and love to others without expecting anything in return as you would know for sure that one day it will all catch up with you!
thank you paulo for all your wisdom! i would also advise you to read the science of happiness which was writen in russian langauge by Antarova Konkordia, the ideas of pure thinking are amazing.
Is like the saying:
Everything you see is a mirror ;-)
I just have one reflection….
So if someone is being mean to you … what can we do?
I try to think that if someone is mean to me, it´s because they hurt from something and they project it unconsciously to me.
So I have to see through the mask, why they behave this way.
It doesn´t do them any good, but they don´t realize it.
But if someone is trying to hurt me seriously ..that I can´t accept …first I try to be calm and make a peaceful outcome…
but if it doesn´t work, I have do defend myself indeed!!!
But sometimes it isn´t easy to be the tolerante man/women ….
it takes practice & patience, and a good sense of humour :-)
But sometimes my tolerance rans out and enough is enough, like I felt this week.
I realized I have to give something up, and walk away with my head high, even though I can´t do it right away.
I have come to that conclusion ..it´s a start :-)
But I don´t feel angry or remorse, it´s just a new chapter
in my life :-)
Love and light Jessica
well…the story is quite good….it tells us about the fact that life gives us back what we give it….give out hate and you get back hate…..give away love and you get love……
it tells us that life around us acts as a mirror …..reflecting what we have with us….
it is not possible that we keep hatred inside our hearts and move around and expect love from people around us…….