Seeing the old man sitting under the tree, he thought: perhaps this man is old enough; he must know which road leads to truth. And he asked the man. He said, “Yes I know the road. Follow the right and go on until you come to a certain tree” — he described the tree in detail, its leaves, its fruit — “and you will find under it a very old man… just to give you an example, something like me but thirty years older. This is the man who is going to be your guide.”

The man was very happy. He thanked the old man and rushed towards the way he had shown him. For thirty years he was wandering and wandering, and the tree never came and the old man never came. He was getting tired, and he himself was getting old, and he said, “What nonsense!”

Finally he decided, “It is better to go back home… enough is enough! Thirty years I have wasted in searching truth, and I have not even met the old man who is going to be my guide. And God knows, when the guide meets me, what kind of guidance it will be and how long it will take. It seems to be too complicated; it is better to go home. I was running a good business. I destroyed the business and unnecessarily got into trouble hearing this word `truth’ again and again.”

He came back. Again he passed the tree — and he was shocked! This was the tree the old man had described. And he looked under the tree and the old man was there — the same old man, thirty years older and exactly the same as the description in every way. He said, “My God! Then why did you waste my thirty years?”

He said, “I wasted your thirty years — or you wasted my thirty years? At that time you were not ripe enough to be guided, because I gave all the guidance and you didn’t even look at the tree — and I was describing it in minute detail. I was describing your guide in minute detail, and you did not look at me, to see that I am describing myself. You were in such a hurry; you were too young. But nothing is wasted. I was, waiting, knowing that one day you will come back, one day you will recognize this tree, one day you will recognize this old man, that I am your guide!”

The young man said, “This seems to be a strange business.”

The story is immensely significant. You have a little trust. Don’t be worried, go to the right… This time not under a tree, this time on a beautiful chair, you will find an old man — someone looking similar to me.

Osho – “Beyond Psychology”

The post In Search Of A Guide – Spiritual Story by Osho appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

Nobody could believe him. Lazarus is dead! And the sisters of Lazarus said, “He is now stinking — he cannot come back. His body is deteriorating.”

But Jesus went to the grave where the body was preserved for him to come. The stone was pulled aside. In the dark cave Jesus called out, “Lazarus, come out! ” And it is said he came out.

It may not have happened that way; it may be just a parable — but it is a beautiful parable about man. When I look into your eyes, that’s all I can say: “Lazarus, come out!” You are dead and stinking. You are not yet alive. You are born, but you need to be reborn. Your first birth has not been of much help. It has brought you to a certain extent, but that is not enough. You have to go a little further. The birth that has already happened to you is only physical — you need a spiritual birth.

It is said: One professor of Jerusalem university went to see Jesus. Of course, he went in the night. His name was Nicodemus; he was a very rich, respectable man, a great scholar, well known in the Jewish world. He was afraid to go to Jesus in the daylight, because what will people think? He was known to be a great, learned man, wise — what will they think? that he has gone to this carpenter’s son to ask something? He was older than Jesus — could almost have been Jesus’ father. No, it was not possible for him to go in the daylight. Cunning and clever, he went in the night when there was nobody else. And Jesus asked him, “Why didn’t you come in the day?”

He said, “I was afraid.”

Jesus must have laughed. He said, “Nicodemus, for what have you come? What do you want of me?”

He said, “I would like to know how I can know God, how I can know the truth.”

Jesus said, “You will have to be reborn.”

Nicodemus could not understand. Jokingly he said, “What do you mean? Have I to enter again into a woman’s womb? Are you joking or something? Are you kidding or something?”

Jesus said, “No, I mean it — I mean what I say. You have to be reborn. You are such a coward. This is not life. You don’t have any courage. You will have to be reborn! You will have to become a new man, because only that new man can come to truth and realize it. Even to see me you have come in the night. How will you be able to go and see the truth? How will you encounter God? You will have to go naked. You will have to go in deep humility. You will have to drop all your respectability, all your scholarship. You will have to drop your ego — that’s what to be reborn means.”

The first birth is only a physical birth; don’t be satisfied with it. It is necessary but not enough. A second birth is needed. The first birth was through your mother and father; the second birth is going to be out of the mind. You have to slip out of the mind and that will be your rebirth — you will be reborn.

And, for the first time, trees will be greener than they are, and flowers will be more beautiful than they are, and life will be more alive than you have ever known it, because you can know it only to the extent that you are alive. You cannot know life if you are not alive. Whatsoever you are, you know life only up to that extent.

Osho – “A Sudden Clash of Thunder”

The post Lazarus, Come Out! A Christian Spiritual Story by Osho appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

I attended Annie's funeral and it was there that I received the first part of a profound enlightenment. When the eulogies were being given, I suddenly experienced what I call the God feeling very strongly. (This intense feeling of total love goes way beyond anything mortal and it has often accompanied major aha moments, especially in the early days of my relationship with God. I soon came to understand that God wanted me to know that the new insight or piece of wisdom came from Him. The knowledge that I have acquired during these moments I call absolute knowings because I have known beyond a shadow of doubt that these learnings were absolute truth.)

It became apparent to me that God wanted me to listen very carefully to what was being said. Annie's son was talking at the time about the way that Annie totally accepted everyone she encountered in her life, regardless of their situation, belief, habits or attitudes. She truly did know that we are all one and treated everyone equally. And I thought to myself, What is the lesson here? I do endeavour to accept everyone! This doesn't seem to be anything that I haven't already learnt.

It was a few days later before I realised that it was myself that I had to learn to accept unconditionally. I already accepted others as they are (along with their faults) but I have always been very hard on myself for the slightest little mistake or oversight on my part. It was okay for others to be less than perfect but I couldn't accept that in myself.

It never ceases to amaze me how different events in our lives (and past lives) fall together to create a complete story. Shortly after Annie's funeral, I had a thought that kept popping into my head that I had done a terrible wrong to a friend of mine in another lifetime. I didn't want to think about it because it was really a very big transgression but my thoughts kept returning there regardless. And then I had a dream (something I don't do very often as I am more likely to have waking dreams). In the dream I was the victim of the same transgression and the perpetrator in this instance was someone I also know very well in this lifetime.

As I was thinking about how these events were related (and also feeling rather bad because I knew my previous transgression was true), I felt what I call the voice feeling which is hard to describe. I don't audibly hear actual words but I feel the words instead (and I have to admit that I am just a little envious of Neale Donald Walsch and Barbara Rose who do actually hear God's voice audibly). And the voice said to me, Do you judge the one who wronged you?

And I thought no I don't, it doesn't make any difference to the way I feel about this person at all. And the voice said, Well why are you judging yourself so harshly for your wrongdoing when you can accept it in another? And that's when I realised that all of these events occurred so that I might learn to accept myself as readily as I accept others. It is not a lesson totally learnt even now and I do still tend to berate myself for not doing everything I set out to do but I have definitely made some progress and have somewhat relaxed my expectations of myself to a level which is more humanly achievable.

After being agnostic for most of my life, Pat became a believer just a few years ago and has been on an amazing spiritual journey ever since.

The post Unconditional Acceptance – A Spiritual Story by Pat Archer appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

The Pujari was speaking on the topic of truthfulness, and the thief thought that the talk was not so bad. He was completely lost in the true feeling of truthfulness. When the program was over everybody went home except for the thief who was not ready to leave.

The thief began to worry that the Pujari would think the thief would do something wrong in the temple. To help feel less fearful, the thief asked the Pujari, “I have nothing to do here but you gave a very deep speech on the importance of truthfulness which I really liked. However my mind is still not going to digest it.”

The thief had many questions and arguments in his mind regarding the imbuement of truthfulness. He wondered how a thief could become free from not speaking a lie. The priest gave deep advice to him that by speaking truth also he would do his business. By using the virtue of truthfulness also he would remain safe and secure no matter where he was or what he stole.

The Pujari gave the thief confidence that he could be successful, even while stealing. The thief firmly determined to follow the Pujari's advice in the practical life and promised to follow the norm of truthfulness and honesty from that day in all respect. He committed to speak fact and reality everywhere from that very moment.

As making the promise not to speak a lie in his life when the thief was going out from there, in the same time, the king disguised in an ordinary form was roaming there to look after the atmosphere of the capital city. Coincidentally the thief met a person on the way in a roaming condition. The roaming gentleman asked the thief who he was. The thief recalled his promise to always speak the truth, even though difficult, he still revealed that he was a thief.

The gentleman replied happily and excitedly that he is also a thief. These two men became friends by handshaking and hugging with each other. The new thief suggested that they steal some very valuable things, and that he knows exactly where to find them. He took him in such incognito way that both of them arrived in front of the Grand Royal Palace.

The first thief told his new friend that he was committed to speak truth at all times. The new friend replied, “It doesn't matter. Let us go just saying our true identity and purpose.” As the security personnel asked who they are and where they are going, both of them replied that they were going into the palace to steal diamonds.

The security guard thought, “What sorts of staff are they, and why are they being so angry with me? It is my duty to ask, but why did they reply so bitterly?” He did not know why they were so angry without any cause.

The new thief friend took them to a shelf in a beautiful big drawing room and said to break the lock of the safe. After breaking open the safe, they found five most valuable diamonds. The thief friend suggested that they take only four diamonds – two for each of them because breaking one diamond in half would be valueless. So they took four and left one diamond there in the opened safe.

Both of them went from their hiding two diamonds on their hand just packing on the cloth for each. They again returned in the same gate. While the security personnel asked who they are what they are taking in their hand? They replied they are thieving; they are taking diamonds of the palace. The security personnel again wondered why they were vulgarly behaving with him.

The next day as the royal palace offices were opened, they found the royal treasure of the palace was broken. When the royal treasurer checked it he noticed that 4 were missing. He saw this as a great opportunity, so he put the remaining diamond in his pocket and announced to the Kiing that the 5 valuable diamonds had been stolen from the royal treasure.

The King ordered the treasurer to ask the security guards about this event, and the guards responded that two people gave vulgarly replies last night that they were thieves and planned to steal the diamonds. The security guards also shared that they did not feel the people could really be thieves because no thief would announce so boldly that he was there to steal, and also have the courage to steal!

Then the evening security guards were questioned, and they replied “When we asked on their return what they carried, they said they were taking the valuable diamonds. This reply was unbelievable, so we did not do anything about it.”

The King then ordered the security guards to arrest the thief, and bring him to the King. After bringing him in the palace they presented the thief before his majesty the king. The king carefully observed him from his feet to head and said, “So you are the thief. What did you steal?”

The thief replied, “I cannot speak a lie, so you must know I have stolen the diamonds of the royal treasure along with my friend.”

“How many diamonds did you steal?” the King asked.

“We stole four. Two for each of us. Since we could not break the last one in half, we left one diamond in the safe.”

The King then asked to the treasurer, “How many diamonds are missing?”

“All five, your Majesty.”

Realizing what had happened, the King immediately fired the treasurer and appointed the thief as the new treasurer for his commitment to always being truthful.

BK Surat Singh Ayer has been on a path of spirituality for several decades, and in June 1985 he decided to devote his life to the Brahma Kumaries international Institution for the service of humanity. He has traveled to many countries to organize exhibitions, campaigns, rallies and fairs about different inner change topics. He has written spiritual stories, translated spiritual books, written spiritual songs, and recorded meditation audios.

He has received medals and other awards from His Majesty, then King Birendra Bir Birkam Shah Dev of Nepal, for his contributions in social services and moral uplifting of the people. He has had His majesty the Kings, Queens and other royal family members of Nepal present at his services.

BK Surat Singh Ayer has also met His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Sri-Sri 1008 Shankaracharya, Mahamandleshwars The Secretary General of United States, as well as Prime Ministers, Speakers of both the houses, Chief Justices and other Ministers of India and Nepal.

He continues to provide his services at Brahma Kumaries Shanti Sarovar, Academy for a Better World in Hyderabad, South India, and maintains his strong interest in meditation, studying spiritual knowledge, and sharing experiences of deep spirituality through correspondence and other means.

The post Truth Will Set You Free – A Spiritual Story by BK Surat Singh Ayer appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

The morning after an equally wonderful wedding night, the princess brought her new husband tea and biscuits in bed. He smiled, ate, drank, told her how deeply he loved her and then slapped her flush across the cheek. They had not lied, he was strong and the princess was knocked to the floor by the force of the blow. She was dazed, in pain but mostly just in shock. What was more surprising was the shock on the husband's face. He was even more bewildered.

The husband convinced the princess that he was just as taken aback by what happened and was genuinely sorry. His kind eyes and sincere tone clearly indicated to her that he was telling the truth so she forgave him and they moved on. Some years passed and soon both forgot the ugly event, until one day just as suddenly it happened again … . Whack! Then, soon after it reared its ugly head again … . Whack! Now it was too much for both to take and so they decided to seek counsel. Being royalty, all the best medics were summoned and consulted. Various theories were postulated and several cures were tried. Calming oils, exotic herbs, exorcisms, but every so often … Whack! It would happen again.

Desperate, they finally went to see a mysterious sage who lived high up in the mountains and was reputed as the wisest medic in the land, but one who would rarely accept an audience. After a long, hard journey they finally arrived at the sage's cave. He was sitting on a rock outside in deep meditation so they waited patiently. Several hours later the sage opened his eyes and noticed the couple and much to their relief agreed to speak to them. He led them inside and then heard about the problem. At the end of the narration he asked to see the husband's hands and closely inspected his palms. Once done with the husband he surprisingly asked to see the princess's hand and carefully began to check her pulse. Finally he looked up smiling and said, “I will tell you what is happening here, but in exchange you must not refuse me what I ask.” Anxious to have this mystery finally solved they both agreed.

“Well, my dearies,” said the sage still smiling and looking at the husband said, “You sir are a great, healer. Your hands contain great power and you my dear princess have a terrible disease that keeps re-occurring every so often. By slapping you he has been curing you of this affliction time and again. If it had not been for those slaps, you would have long perished by now.” What relief they both felt. Overwhelmed by what they heard they fell to the feet of the sage and tearfully thanked him. As for the payment, well the husband wound up and laid one directly on the sage … . Whack!

Anmol Mehta is all about the Mastery of Meditation and Science of Enlightenment. Although looking from the outside, he would appear to be a happily married, father of two, enjoying his profession, meditation, yoga, sports, computer games (especially RPGs and Strategy), music, dance, nature, writing, friends and lucid dreaming – all of which is absolutely true – looking from the inside he is nothing but a servant to his endless passion for the wonders and mysteries of the Reality that transcends time and existence.

To contact Anmol or read more of his writing, please visit his website. At his website, he provides the tools, knowledge, inspiration and wisdom needed to help you live your life at your highest potential and discover your True Divine Nature and the One Absolute Reality. Feel free to share with him your comments or ask him questions, just be aware that once you get him yapping about the Art of Meditation, he may not stop.

The post The True Purpose of Relationships – A Spiritual Story About Enlightenment appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.

It was convinced, however, that its destiny was to cross this desert, and yet there was no way. Now a hidden voice, coming from the desert itself, whispered: “The Wind crosses the desert, and so can the stream.”

The stream objected that it was dashing itself against the sand, and only getting absorbed: that the wind could fly, and this was why it could cross a desert.

“By hurtling in your own accustomed way you cannot get across. You will either disappear or become a marsh. You must allow the wind to carry you over, to your destination.”

“But how could this happen?”

“By allowing yourself to be absorbed in the wind.”

This idea was not acceptable to the stream. After all, it had never been absorbed before. It did not want to lose its individuality. And, once having lost it, how was one to know that it could ever be regained?

“The wind,” said the sand, “performs this function. It takes up water, carries it over the desert, and then lets it fall again. Falling as rain, the water again becomes a river.”

“How can I know that this is true?”

“It is so, and if you do not believe it, you cannot become more than a quagmire, and even that could take many, many years; and it certainly is not the same as a stream.”

“But can I not remain the same stream that I am today?”

“You cannot in either case remain so,” the whisper said. “Your essential part is carried away and forms a stream again. You are called what you are even today because you do not know which part of you is the essential one.”

This Sufi spiritual story is from the book Tales of the Dervishes by Idries Shah. It is a delightful book full of Sufi spiritual stories.

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 & Message of “The Tales of the Sands” Story?

This tale, whispered through the corridors of time, reverberates with spiritual significance—a parable mirroring the journey of the soul and its inherent longing for transcendence. The story unfurls amidst a stream's fervent desire to traverse a seemingly insurmountable barrier—the sands of the desert. It mirrors the human quest for growth, evolution, and the yearning to overcome barriers that stand in the way of our destinies.

In this tale, the stream embodies the spirit of resilience and determination, akin to the human spirit seeking to overcome obstacles. It relentlessly attempts to breach the desert's expanse, only to find itself absorbed by the very sands it seeks to traverse. The stream, convinced of its destiny to cross this desert, encounters an unexpected whisper—a voice from within the desert itself—an esoteric guidance that reveals a path unseen.

This hidden voice, akin to the spiritual wisdom within, speaks of the Wind—an entity that defies the limitations of terrain, effortlessly traversing the desert's expanse. The Wind becomes an allegory for a higher force—an emblem of transcendence, offering a way beyond the stream's perceived impasse.

The stream, in its fervor to resist absorption, grapples with the notion of surrender—of allowing itself to be carried by the Wind. It resists this idea, fearing the loss of its individuality, unsure of its destiny once its essence is seemingly relinquished.

Herein lies the spiritual essence of this narrative—a metaphorical journey that mirrors our own quest for transformation. It echoes the profound truth of surrender—an act not of losing oneself but of transcending limitations, of letting go to find a higher purpose.

The sands, whispering to the stream, symbolize the wisdom of transformation. They speak of the stream's potential to become something more—something beyond its current form. The stream, caught in the struggle between retaining its identity and embracing a higher calling, grapples with the nature of change, of becoming more than it ever imagined.

The heart of this tale speaks to the spiritual paradox—the idea that in surrendering to the greater flow of existence, one doesn't lose individuality but discovers a greater truth. It echoes the journey of the soul—constantly evolving, transforming, and yet retaining the essence of its existence through each metamorphosis.

Ultimately, this story reflects the eternal dance of transformation—the endless cycle of becoming, shedding, and reclaiming one's essence. It mirrors the human journey of embracing change, allowing ourselves to be carried by the divine flow, and trusting that in surrendering to this greater force, we discover our truest selves.

May this parable be a guiding light—a reminder of the profound wisdom in surrendering to the higher currents of existence, embracing transformation, and finding our essence within the ceaseless flow of life's eternal dance. For in the surrender to the Wind lies the secret of our transcendence—a journey where the stream finds itself anew, reborn and reunited with its essential truth, like the rain returning to the river, becoming what it was destined to be.

The post The Tales of the Sands – A Sufi Spiritual Story by Idries Shah appeared first on Spiritual Growth Events.