It Really is All Perspective

I was watching Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey today, and realized that I should probably get some of his books.  He has come a very long way from his first strange explorations 30 years ago.  Oh wait, could I have that wrong, is it me that has grown.  Well maybe a little of both is my theory.  All of my favorite teachers have come a long way with me.  I actually see some of my favorite Televangelists jumping on the spiritual band wangon so to speak in ways that mimic some of my favorite spiritual teachers.

At any rate, there were several things that struck me during this program, and I had to capture the teachings in a way that makes them available to me and anyone else.  Deepak became a monk, and during his training he and his fellow initiates would meditate on their own death, and then go out an beg for a good share of the day.  No one could have recognized Deepak without his hair, dressed in the orange and yellow robes or a monk, and barefoot.  Can you see where this is going?

One evening when he returned to the monestary, his teacher asked him how things were going.  He indicated that things were going pretty good.  However, his feet were very sore from walking barefoot, when he was used to wearing shoes.  His teacher said well then you need to change your perspective.  "You should concentrate on the super relief of the lifted food.  Lifting the foot takes the pressure off that sore foot, and it feels soooo good."  Those statements hit me like a freight train.  Isn't it just like us to focus on the negative aspects of walking barefoot, rather than the positive joy of lifting that sore foot from the road.  Imagine what that might be like?  Imagine what it would be like to use that parable for all sore things in our life.  Accentuate the positive, minimize the negative.  It really is all "Perspective."