The Holy Shadow – Sufi Spiritual Story by Osho
Let me tell you one very famous Sufi story, “The Holy Shadow.”
There once lived a saint so good that the angels came from heaven to see how a man could be so godly. This saint went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. His day could be summed up by two words — he gave, he forgave — yet these words never passed his lips. They were expressed in his ready smile, his kindness, forbearance, and charity.
The angels said to God, “Lord, grant him the gift of miracles.”
God replied, “Ask what it is that he wishes.”
They said to the saint, “Would you like the touch of your hands to heal the sick?”
“No,” answered the saint. “I would rather God do that.”
“Would you like to convert guilty souls and bring back wandering hearts to the right path?”
“No, that is the angels’ mission. It is not for me to convert.”
“Would you like to become a model of patience, attracting men by the luster of your virtues, and thus glorifying God?”
“No,” replied the saint. “If men should be attracted to me, they would become estranged from God.” “What is it that you desire, then?” asked the angels.
“What can I wish for?” asked the saint smiling. “That God gives me his grace; with that would I not have everything?”
The angels said, “You must ask for a miracle, or one will be forced upon you.”
“Very well,” said the saint. “That I may do a great deal of good without ever knowing it.”
The angels were perplexed. They took counsel and resolved upon the following plan: every time the saint’s shadow fell behind him or to either side, so that he could not see it, it would have the power to cure disease, soothe pain, and comfort sorrow.
When the saint walked along, his shadow, thrown on the ground on either side or behind him, made arid paths green, caused withered plants to bloom, gave clear water to dried-up brooks, fresh color to pale children, and joy to unhappy men and women.
The saint simply went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. The people, respecting his humility, followed him silently, never speaking to him about his miracles. Soon they even forgot his name, and called him “The Holy Shadow.”
This is the ultimate: one has to become the holy shadow, just a shadow of God. This is the greatest revolution that can happen to a human being: the transfer of the center. You are no longer your own center; God becomes your center. You live like his shadow. You are not powerful, because you don’t have any center to be powerful. You are not virtuous; you don’t have any center to be virtuous. You are not even religious; you don’t have any center to be religious. You are simply not, a tremendous emptiness, with no barriers and blocks, so the divine can flow through you unhindered, uninterpreted, untouched — so the divine can flow through you as he is, not as you would like him to be. He does not pass through your center — there is none. The center is lost.
This is the meaning of this sutra: that finally you have to sacrifice your center so you cannot think in terms of the ego again, you cannot utter “I,” to annihilate yourself utterly, to erase yourself utterly. Nothing belongs to you; on the contrary, you belong to God. You become a holy shadow.
As told by Osho in Yoga the Alpha and Omega Vol-9
What Is the Spiritual Moral / Message of The Holy Shadow Story?
The parable of “The Holy Shadow” speaks not of grandeur or ostentatious displays of power, but of a saint whose humility and selflessness were so profound that the very angels sought to understand his godliness.
This Sufi story draws us into the life of a saint, a being of such innate goodness that his every action, word, and gesture echoed the divine without his conscious knowledge. His existence was a symphony of selfless giving and unreserved forgiveness. He didn't speak of these virtues; they were woven into the fabric of his being, radiating from his ready smile, his boundless kindness, forbearance, and charity.
This spiritual story illuminates the ultimate transformation – the relinquishment of self to become a mere shadow of the Divine. It encapsulates the essence of a revolutionary shift – the transference of the center from oneself to the divine source.
Becoming the “holy shadow” symbolizes the pinnacle of spiritual evolution. It entails surrendering one's egoic center entirely, allowing the divine to reign as the focal point. In this state, one is bereft of personal power, virtue, or religious identity. Instead, there exists an awe-inspiring emptiness, an absence of barriers or confines through which the divine can flow unencumbered.
The sutra encapsulated within this tale guides us to sacrifice the self-centered ego, eradicating the notion of ‘I' entirely. It implores us to surrender to the will of the Divine, realizing that nothing belongs to us; rather, we belong to the Divine. This transformation signifies not just a mere shift in perspective but an utter annihilation of the self, paving the way for a divine flow unrestricted by personal desires or interpretations.
The essence of this spiritual anecdote lies not in the ostensible miracles or deeds but in the profound message it encapsulates. It beckons us to contemplate the profound shift from self-centered existence to becoming a vessel for divine radiance. It calls upon us to dissolve our individual centers so that the divine essence can permeate our being without hindrance, allowing us to embody the sacred as the holy shadow.
In essence, this timeless tale inspires us to transcend the limitations of the ego, relinquish our sense of self-importance, and embrace the sublime beauty of becoming a vessel for the divine presence to manifest its grace through us, unadulterated and unfiltered.