"It's
not that you have to see me every day. No, you don't. You should
not. You have to live your life independently. You have to develop
your own way of living and your own way of discovering the wisdom
of the universe. You have to live. It's risky, make mistakes sometimes;
but it's fun. It's growing. If I have to decide everything for you
and teach you every little thing every day, you're finished. You'll
never grow. It might look peaceful, it might look very easy, simple-like,
but it's not the way to grow. So, do not be afraid of mistakes,
do not be afraid of responsibility, do not be afraid of experimenting
with life. It will help you. It'll help you to have fun, to know
yourself.
Do
not always ask for a peaceful life, a worry-free life, because that
also means no responsibility. No responsibility means no mistakes
and no mistakes means no growth. Don't ask always to be with the
Master and the Master takes care of everything. That's no fun either.
That's boredom. We have to be adventurous also. We have to take
initiatives, we have to make decisions ourselves in order to test
our wisdom - where we've gone, how we've grown. We can't just rely
on the Master for everything. You have to learn to be a master too
-- at least a master of yourself, your destiny. Of course, it's
more risky that way but then it's more exciting. Don't live a boring
and dull life. Live your own style, it's fine with me. As long as
you keep the precepts, meditate, and grow in compassion and love,
nothing can go wrong. You don't harm anyone, but you do experience
your life, live your life. Don't be too over-disciplined. Too over-disciplined
can kill you. Be flexible."
From "Don't Miss The Fun Of Growing!"
News 86, Master's Words
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
4-Day Retreat in London, UK • August 26, 1997
(originally in English)
"So
the important thing is to improve ourselves, practice for ourselves.
If we can't change anyone, then we should change ourselves. When
we change ourselves, it will influence others. It will spontaneously
influence them and then they themselves will influence others. It
naturally has to change. No need to pray, criticize any government
or any regime that it is bad, that it must be put down. For example,
this tree is short. We don't need to cut it down, just put a taller
tree next to it and we will see that it is short. When we make our
life better, then automatically the bad aspects of it will leave;
because they cannot be together."
From News 97, Pearls Of Wisdom
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Bangkok, Thailand • October 23, 1997
(originally in English)
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