Once a man came across a huge mango tree. It was abundantly filled with mangoes. The hungry man decided he would climb the tree to find a mango which was ready to eat. The higher the man climbed the more he could understand that the lower mangoes were not quite ready and it was the ones higher up which were riper. In fact, the man discerned, the mangoes at the very top of the tree were large and perfect for eating right away. So carefully the man edged his way up the tree to get the topmost mango, the largest and ripest one on the whole tree.
After securing the mango the man tried to make his way back down but alas it was impossible, he could find no way to get down. He was stuck up the tree. He called out loudly for help. Some people from a nearby village heard him and came to his assistance but they were afraid to climb to the top of the tree to assist lest they too got into the same predicament. So the man was up the top of the tree bewailing his predicament and the villagers were down the bottom, perplexed, not knowing how to help the man.
Onto this scene came a wandering holy man. ‘Ah,’ thought the villagers, ‘maybe this great wise person can help us. Maybe he has some mystic powers that will help the man down out of the tree or maybe he has some special mantras that can do wonderful things.’
The sage agreed to help them. He picked up some rocks and started throwing them at the man up the tree. Astonished the villagers asked, ‘Why are you doing this?’
‘You asked me to bring the man down out of the tree.’ replied the sage ‘Sometimes all we need in life to get going is a little push.’
Now the man was not only stuck up the top of the tree but also getting bombarded with rocks. Thunderstruck he angrily scrambled his way down the tree to deal good and strong with the so called holy man! But the sage was nowhere to be seen.
Namaste
From Margaret
Australian School of Meditation and Yoga
