The following day, the guru and a disciple went to the baker's house and were treated to a splendid banquet.

In the middle of the meal, the disciple asked, How does one tell a good man from a bad man?

Just look at this baker. He is capable of spending ten gold pieces on a banquet because I am famous, but is incapable of giving a piece of bread to feed a hungry beggar.

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author who has sold more than 100 million books, which include 14 short story collections and the novel “The Alchemist.”

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“I'd actually like to be a monk, but I haven't learned anything in life. All my father taught me was to play chess, which does not lead to enlightenment. Apart from that, I learned that all games are a sin.”

“They may be a sin but they can also be a diversion, and who knows, this monastery needs a little of both,” was the reply.

The abbot asked for a chess board, sent for a monk and told him to play the young man. But before the game began, he added:

“Although we need diversion, we cannot allow everyone to play chess the whole time. So, we only have the best players here; if our monk loses, he will leave the monastery and his place will be yours.”

The abbot was serious. The young man knew he was playing for his life, and broke into a cold sweat; the chess board became the center of the world.

The monk began badly. The young man attacked, but then saw the saintly look on the monk's face; at that moment, he began playing badly on purpose. After all, he would rather lose; a monk is far more useful to the world.

Suddenly, the abbot threw the chess board to the floor.

“You have learned far more than was taught you,” he said. “You concentrated yourself enough to win, were capable of fighting for that which you desire. Then, you had compassion, and were willing to make a sacrifice in the name of a noble cause.

Welcome to the monastery, because you know how to balance discipline with compassion.”

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author who has sold more than 100 million books, which include 14 short story collections and the novel “The Alchemist.” He has been a fan of the Internet since the early 1990s. Coelho's online activities also include promoting pirated copies of his own books. Since 2005 he's been directing his readers to an online site where they can download his books, in languages from German to Japanese, for free. “I always thought that when, at the beginning of your career, you strive to be read, you can't change your mind later and become greedy about it.”

The post The Chess Game – A Spiritual Story by Paulo Coelho appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

For the next twelve months, a boy gave a coin to each person who offended of upset him, as he was instructed. At the end of the year, he returned to the abbot to find out what the next steps were.

“Go into town and buy food for me,” the abbot responded.

Once the boy left, the abbot changed his clothes, and disguised himself as a beggar and went to the gate. When the boy approached, the beggar began to insult him.

“Good!” said the boy, “for a whole year I had to pay the people who upset or offended me, and now I can be attacked for free, without spending anything!”

Hearing this, the abbot removed his disguise. “He who does not take insults seriously, is on the path to wisdom.”

Thanks for this short story goes to Paulo Coelho, NY Times best-selling author of The Alchemist, and whose books have sold over 350 million copies worldwide.

The post Changing Attitude – A Spiritual Story by Paulo Coelho appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

We have to take risks. We can only truly understand the miracle of life when we let the unexpected manifest itself.

Every day – together with the sun – God gives us a moment in which it is possible to change everything that makes us unhappy. Every day we try to pretend that we don't realize that moment, that it doesn't exist, that today is just the same as yesterday and will be the same as tomorrow.

But if you pay attention, you can discover the magic instant. It may be hiding at the moment when we put the key in the door in the morning, in the silence right after dinner, in the thousand and one things that all seem the same to us. This moment exists – a moment when all the strength of the stars passes through us and lets us work miracles.

Happiness is at times a blessing – but usually it's a conquest. The magic instant helps us to change, drives us forward to seek our dreams. We shall suffer and go through quite a few difficult moments and face many a disappointment – but this is all transitory and inevitable, and eventually we shall feel proud of the marks left behind by the obstacles.

In the future we will be able to look back with pride and faith. Poor are those who are afraid of running risks. Because maybe they are never disappointed, never disillusioned, never suffer like those who have a dream to pursue. But when they look back – for we always look back – they will hear their heart saying:

“What did you do with the miracles that God sowed for your days? What did you do with the talent that your Master entrusted to you? You buried it deep in a grave because you were afraid to lose it. So this is your inheritance: the certainty that you have wasted your life.”

Poor are those who hear these words. For then they will believe in miracles, but the magic instants of life will have already passed.

We must listen to the child that we once were, and who still lives within us. This child understands about magic instants. We can muffle his sobbing, but we can't hush his voice.

If we aren't reborn, if we don't see life again with the innocence and enthusiasm of childhood, then there is no more sense to living.

There are many ways to commit suicide. Those who try to kill their body offend God's law. Those who try to kill their soul also offend God's law, although their crime is less visible to the eyes of man.

Let us be heedful of what the child within us has to say. Let's not feel ashamed of it. Let's not allow it to feel afraid, because it's lonely and is scarcely ever heard.

Let's allow the child within us to take the reins of our existence a little. This child says that one day is different from another.

Let's make the child feel loved again. Let's please this child – even if it means acting in a way that we're not used to, even if it seems foolish in the eyes of others.

Remember that the wisdom of men is madness before God. If we listen to the child we bear in our soul, our eyes will shine once more. If we don't lose contact with this child, we won't lose contact with life.

Let's live all the magic instants!

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A man was selling oranges in the middle of a road. He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers. He put some signs along the road and spent the whole day praising the flavor of his wares.

Everyone bought from him and the man thrived. With the money he placed more signs on the road and began to sell more fruit. Business was growing fast!

One day his son – who was educated and had studied in a big city – asked him:

“Father, don't you know that the world is going through very hard times? The economy of the country is in an awful state!”

Worried by this, the man reduced the number of signs and began to sell fruit of inferior quality because it was cheaper. Sales slumped immediately.

“My son is right,” he thought. “Times are very hard.”

— Thanks for this short story goes to Paulo Coelho, NY Times best-selling author of The Alchemist, and whose books have sold over 350 million copies worldwide

Remember as Les Brown often says…

“Do not let somebody else's opinion of you become your reality.”

Or as it's often phrased another way:

“Whether you think you can or you think you can't… either way, you're right.”

If life has been rough…

Then click here to view our full calendar of free online spiritual growth events so that you can start each day off with a happy heart.

If you liked this story, you'll love this! We've compiled a list of the top 10 spiritual stories that our readers love. You can read them here.

What Is the Spiritual Moral / Meaning of the “Hard Times” Story?

At its essence, “Hard Times” is a mirror reflecting the intricate dance between perception and manifestation, between the inner landscape of beliefs and the outer manifestations in our lives.

The man, illiterate and untouched by the narratives of newspapers, embarked on his entrepreneurial journey with unwavering confidence in the value of his oranges. His signs, adorned with praises for his produce, beckoned customers who, swayed by his unwavering conviction, thronged to purchase his fruit. In this, we witness the power of belief—a belief so resolute that it shaped his reality and ushered prosperity into his life.

However, the tides of perception shifted when his educated son, influenced by the prevailing narratives of a struggling economy, voiced concerns about the harsh times. The man, swayed by his son's words, altered his perception of the world. He reduced the signs, compromised the quality of his fruit, and lo, his sales plummeted.

In this moment, we witness the pivotal interplay between belief and reality. The man's shift in perception, influenced by external narratives, directly impacted the manifestation of his reality. His newfound belief in the narrative of scarcity and struggle reflected in the dwindling sales of his fruit.

The “Hard Times” parable is a reflection—an invitation to recognize the profound truth that our perceptions, beliefs, and thoughts hold an immense power to shape the reality we experience. The man's initial success was rooted in his unwavering conviction—a testament to the potency of belief in manifesting abundance and success. Conversely, his altered perception, influenced by external narratives of hardship, led to a tangible decline in his fortunes.

It speaks to the power we hold within—the power to shape our reality through the lenses of our beliefs and perceptions. It beckons us to be vigilant guardians of our thoughts and beliefs, recognizing their profound influence in co-creating the world we inhabit.

Ultimately, “Hard Times” is a spiritual compass—a guiding light urging us to discern the narratives we embrace, the beliefs we hold, and the perceptions we adopt. It's an invitation to reclaim the power of belief, to trust in the abundance of the Universe, and to shape our reality from a space of unwavering conviction in the inherent goodness and abundance that surrounds us.

The post Hard Times – A Short Spiritual Story by Paulo Coelho appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

Enjoy!

Download Paulo Coelho Short Stories eBook

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However, instead of finding a holy man, our hero entered a room and saw a great deal of activity; merchants coming and going, people chatting in the corners, a small orchestra playing sweet melodies, and there was a table laden with the most delectable dishes of that part of the world.

The wise man talked to everybody, and the young man had to wait for two hours until it was time for his audience.

With considerable patience, he listened attentively to the reason for the boy's visit, but told him that at that moment he did not have the time to explain to him the secret of happiness.

He suggested that the young man take a stroll around his palace and come back in two hours' time.

“However, I want to ask you a favor,” he added, handing the boy a teaspoon, in which he poured two drops of oil. “While you walk, carry this spoon and don't let the oil spill.”

The young man began to climb up and down the palace staircases, always keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. At the end of two hours he returned to the presence of the wise man.

“So,” asked the sage, “did you see the Persian tapestries hanging in my dining room? Did you see the garden that the Master of Gardeners took ten years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my library?”

Embarrassed, the young man confessed that he had seen nothing. His only concern was not to spill the drops of oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.

“So, go back and see the wonders of my world,” said the wise man. “You can't trust a man if you don't know his house.”

Now more at ease, the young man took the spoon and strolled again through the palace, this time paying attention to all the works of art that hung from the ceiling and walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around the palace, the delicacy of the flowers, the taste with which each work of art was placed in its niche. Returning to the sage, he reported in detail all that he had seen.

“But where are the two drops of oil that I entrusted to you?” asked the sage.

Looking down at the spoon, the young man realized that he had spilled the oil.

“Well, that is the only advice I have to give you,” said the sage of sages. “The secret of happiness lies in looking at all the wonders of the world and never forgetting the two drops of oil in the spoon.”

– Spiritual Story by Paulo Coelho, from “The Alchemist“

If you'd like to bring more happiness into your life, be sure to attend one of our free spiritual growth events.

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author who has sold more than 100 million books, which include 14 short story collections and the novel “The Alchemist.” He has been a fan of the Internet since the early 1990s. He spends at least three hours a day online, writing e-mails back and forth with his readers on various social media sites.

Coelho's online activities also include promoting pirated copies of his own books. Since 2005 he's been directing his readers to an online site where they can download his books, in languages from German to Japanese, for free. “I always thought that when, at the beginning of your career, you strive to be read, you can't change your mind later and become greedy about it.”

The post “Two Drops Of Oil” By Paulo Coelho – A Spiritual Growth Story appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

Some time later, the village received a visit from another dealer, with excellent camels, but they were much more expensive. This time, Hoosep bought some animals.

“You did not buy the camels when they were almost for free, and now you pay almost double,” criticized his friends.

“Those cheap ones were very expensive for me, because at that time I had very little money,” answered Hoosep, “these animals might seem more expensive, but for me they are cheap, because I have more than enough to buy them.”

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author who has sold more than 100 million books, which include 14 short story collections and the novel “The Alchemist.” He has been a fan of the Internet since the early 1990s. He spends at least three hours a day online, writing e-mails back and forth with his readers and posting photos on Flickr, MySpace and a blog.

Coelho's online activities also include promoting pirated copies of his own books. Since 2005 he's been directing his readers to an online site where they can download his books, in languages from German to Japanese, for free. “I always thought that when, at the beginning of your career, you strive to be read, you can't change your mind later and become greedy about it.”

The post Paying Double For Camels – Spiritual Story by Paulo Coelho appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

Every day the Ninja warriors return to the field. The seeds turn into buds, and the warriors jump over them. The buds turn into small plants, and the warriors jump over them.

They do not become bored. They do not feel it is a waste of time.

The wheat grows, and the jumps become higher and higher. In this way, when the plant is ripe, the Ninja warriors still manage to jump over it.

Why? As a result of their jumping over what many may have seen as insignificant, has allowed them to be keenly aware of their obstacles.

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author who has sold more than 100 million books, which include 14 short story collections and the novel “The Alchemist.” He has been a fan of the Internet since the early 1990s. He spends at least three hours a day online, writing e-mails back and forth with his readers and posting photos on Flickr, MySpace and a blog.

Coelho's online activities also include promoting pirated copies of his own books. Since 2005 he's been directing his readers to an online site where they can download his books, in languages from German to Japanese, for free. “I always thought that when, at the beginning of your career, you strive to be read, you can't change your mind later and become greedy about it.”

The post Ninja Training – Spiritual Story by Paulo Coelho appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

But Sa-chi showed no signs of jealousy. And since she was always extremely affectionate towards her little brother, her parents decided to carry out an experiment.

They left Sa-chi alone with their new-born baby, but kept the bedroom door ajar so that they could watch what she did.

Delighted to have her wish granted, little Sa-chi tiptoed over to the cradle, leaned over the baby and said:

“Little brother, tell me what God is like. I'm beginning to forget.”

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author who has sold more than 100 million books, which include 14 short story collections and the novel “The Alchemist.”

What Is the Spiritual Moral / Meaning of the “Older Sister's Question” Story?

The spiritual essence within this story illuminates the purity of innocence and the quest for divine understanding. Sa-chi's innocent curiosity embodies a deep spiritual longing to grasp the essence of the divine. This moral underscores the innate spiritual curiosity that resides within us, suggesting that the quest for understanding the divine isn't limited by age or knowledge but rather thrives in the sincerity of an open heart and a yearning for deeper truths.

Furthermore, the narrative embodies the significance of the bond between siblings and the purity of love. Sa-chi's affectionate nature towards her newborn brother reflects the unconditional love that exists beyond conventional understandings of relationships. It conveys a spiritual message about the power of love to transcend barriers, fostering a sacred connection that goes beyond blood ties and encompasses a deeper, soulful affection rooted in love's pure essence.

Moreover, the story signifies the innocence and openness required to seek spiritual understanding. Sa-chi's innocent inquiry to the newborn encapsulates the idea that true spiritual wisdom often arises from a childlike state of openness and curiosity. It suggests that an uncluttered mind, devoid of preconceived notions or biases, is more receptive to grasping the profound and complex aspects of spirituality, inviting us to approach our quest for divine understanding with a fresh and open perspective.

Additionally, the narrative embodies the spiritual principle of forgetting the divine. Sa-chi's earnest request for her brother to remind her about God suggests the human tendency to forget or lose touch with our innate spiritual essence over time. It highlights the importance of seeking spiritual reconnection, reminding us that in the midst of life's distractions and complexities, we may forget the essence of the divine within us and around us.

Furthermore, the story symbolizes the simplicity and depth of spiritual seeking. Sa-chi's innocent query to her newborn brother reflects the profound simplicity in seeking spiritual truths. It emphasizes that spiritual wisdom doesn't always come through complex philosophies or elaborate rituals but can be found in the simplicity of sincere, heartfelt inquiry and a yearning to comprehend the mysteries of existence.

This story serves as a spiritual mirror, inviting us to embrace the purity of innocence, the depth of love, and the open curiosity that defines our quest for spiritual understanding. It celebrates the unbounded potential for spiritual seeking that exists within us all, urging us to approach our exploration of the divine with the sincerity, simplicity, and openness reminiscent of a child's heart. Through Sa-chi's innocent inquiry, we are reminded of the beauty and profundity in seeking to rediscover the divine amidst the innocence of our spiritual journey

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