What prejudices, ‘evil practices’ or barriers to spiritual growth have you had to face, lately?
“Once upon a time there lived a crow. … Whenever the crow laid eggs, the snake would eat them up. The crow felt helpless. “That evil snake. …. Let me go and talk to him,” thought the crow. …” – Ancient Fables
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Despite All the Evil that Appears to Overwhelm, Today We Choose to See the World with an Open Heart, Like a Child on a Swing, Never Touching the Ground – Step 3
PREJUDICE BLINDS –
“Do not let any
prejudice you may
have against spiritual
terms deter you from hon-
estly asking yourself
what they mean to
you.” (The Big
Book, p.47)
AND CLOSES THE MIND –
“Perhaps we didn’t
believe that our compul-
sive eating was a spiritual
problem, or we felt that God
[or our H.P.] was concerned
with more important mat-
ters and expected us to
control such a simple
thing … .” (Overeaters
Anonymous,
p.. 15)
“The hearts of little
children are pure, and
therefore, the Great Spirit
may show to them many
things which older
people miss.”
– Black Elk – Hehaka Sapa – (1863 – 1950) Ogalala Lakota, Native American
Ancient Fables: The Clever Crow
Once upon a time there lived a crow. She had built her nest on a tree. At the root of the same tree, a snake had built its home.
Whenever the crow laid eggs, the snake would eat them up. The crow felt helpless. “That evil snake. I must do something. Let me go and talk to him,” thought the crow.
The next morning, the crow went to the snake and said politely, “Please spare my eggs, dear friend. Let us live like good neighbors and not disturb each other.”
“Huh! You cannot expect me to go hungry. Eggs are what I eat,” replied the snake, in a nasty tone.
The crow felt angry and she thought, “I must teach that snake a lesson.”
The very next day, the crow flew over the King’s palace.
She saw the Princess wearing an expensive necklace. Suddenly a thought flashed in her mind and she swooped down, picked up the necklace in her beak and flew off to her nest.
When the Princess saw the crow flying off with her necklace, she screamed, “Somebody help, the crow has taken my necklace.”
Soon the palace guards were running around in search of the necklace. Within a short time the guards found the crow. She still sat with the necklace hanging from her beak.
The clever crow thought, “Now is the time to act.” And she dropped the necklace, which fell right into the snake’s pit of house.
When the snake heard the noise, it came out of its pit of house. The palace guards saw the snake. “A snake! Kill it!” they shouted. With big sticks, they beat the snake and killed it.
Then the guards took the necklace and went back to the princess. The crow was happy, “Now my eggs will be safe,” she thought and led a happy and peaceful life.
Comments
7 responses to “Despite All the Evil that Appears to Overwhelm, Today We Fight to Keep an Open Heart toward those with whom We Disagree- Step 3”
Smoking and wanting at times to quit. That is an insidious one.
I battle with this myself. One thing that I have heard is to change your identy. Do you identify as a smoker. Try saying “I dont smoke”. “I am not a smoker”. Its weierd. Proably wont work the first time. but you with defently recieve a reaction from people.
Believing that God wants the best for me has been an obstacle in the
past
I have found dialogue btwn cultures to be challenging lately.
It occurs to me that I have lived in fear for so long that I do not know how to live without it. What does it mean that I can say the words I honestly mean? What does it mean to see the world with wonder, awe, honest wishes that everyone find the love we so desperately crave…and more? I can only go forward with my Higher Power firmly in charge of my life – doing my legwork as I understand it – letting go of the outcomes – letting go and letting God. I can learn to be naive.