THE DRAGONS SHOULD GUARD OUR TREASURES






















“Our deepest fears are like dragons guarding our deepest treasures.”

–        Rainer Maria Rilke





When my thoughts come, they just come. They neither seek my permission before they come, nor before they leave. Like clouds in the sky, they come… wearing  a hundred different hues… stay as long as they wish… and, then, they go… only to visit again… then go, come, go, come… over and over again!

Like clouds wearing a hundred different hues, I said…

They are my happy thoughts, sad thoughts, thoughts of love and insecurity, thoughts of courage and fear… Hope and despair, hatred and compassion…

All kinds of thoughts visit me, a thousand times a day… when I am awake and asleep… when I am working and resting… when I am alone and in company… when I am young and old… Yes, they visit me all the time, all my life…

So, what am I supposed to do with them – these ‘peculiar’ visitors?

Well, like most others, I tend to like only some of these visitors, the pleasant ones – love, joy, hope, courage, compassion… and detest others, the unpleasant ones – sorrow, despair, fear, hatred, insecurity, envy and worry. And, like others do, I too tend to block the entry of the undesired visitors, standing on my mind’s door… I try to welcome only my friendly visitors.

But, they all walk in, leaving me alone at the door… They come, they stay for a while …and then they go!

Now, who am I… the one who is standing at the door?

Am I my thoughts?

At this time of my day, the sky is blue and bright… the clouds are snow-white and cheerful. The same is the state of the sky inside: the mind is bright and clear… the thoughts are very, very friendly…

But, the way the hues outside may change, any moment from now, the hues inside, too…

And, just as each of the clouds outside passes away to make way for new ones… each of the thoughts within my mind too does…

My resistance and lamenting over the unwelcome visitors of my mind only adds more agony and unrest within my soul…

Therefore, let me not lament… Let me not try to stop the unpleasant guests from visiting… For, they do no harm to my soul, they cause no hurt or pain… unless I get into my futile fights with them…





Thoughts - any thoughts - 

when watched from wayside… just walk by…


When fought against, leave us bruised and battered!

 

Hence, let me befriend my thoughts – all thoughts… Let me not ask God why He sends storms which I fear… but let me seek strength to sail through them – and emerge as a stronger, wiser and finer human!

Long time ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson had written in his essay:

“The wise man in the storm prays God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear.”

I will not ask God, therefore, why He causes fear in my soul… I will only ask for wisdom to deal with it…

Yes, I will not ask Him as to why He has employed dragons - my deepest fears… to guard my deepest treasures – my peace and happiness.

Maybe, that’s how it is intended: The dragons should guard our treasures…

I should ‘know’ this… Maybe, that’s how it is intended, too!

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Abhishek Iyer


Comments

Baanuprasad said…
Oh God! I love the dragons, now!!!! Thanks a lot for this wonderful post.
.... Baanu
February 21, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Anonymous said…
liked the analogy of thoughts and clouds... The futile struggle to block the thoughts visiting our minds... Good one.
- Umesh
February 21, 2013 at 5:32 PM
Vikas Shinde said…
Thoughts do not wait for our permission... They don't need... They can not harm us if we learn to watch them, befriend them. Superb post, Gerry. Vikas
February 22, 2013 at 10:27 AM
Ajay said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
March 2, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Ajay said…
wonderful article on thoughts and how to deal with them in whatever form they come,by embracing them and not fighting them...especially the unpleasant ones
March 2, 2013 at 12:18 PM
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