ritten on the wall of a small church in thePyrenees : “Lord, may this candle I have just lit Make light, And illuminate me when I have problems and make decisions. May it make fire, So that You can burn away my egotism, pride and impurity. May it make a flame, So that You can warm my heart and teach me to love. I cannot remain for long in Your church. But in leaving this candle, a bit of myself remains here. Help me to extend my prayer to the activities of this day. Amen.”

A friend of the wanderer decided to spend a few weeks at a monastery inNepal . One afternoon, he entered one of the many temples of the monastery, and saw a smiling monk seated on the altar. “Why are you smiling,” he asked. “Because I understand the meaning of bananas,” said the monk, opening his bag and taking out a rotten banana. “This is a life that ran its course, and was not made use of -and now it is too late.” Then he removed from his bag a banana that was still green. He showed it to the man, and put it back in his bag. “This is a life that has not yet run its course, and awaits the right moment,” he said. Finally, he took from his bag a ripe banana, peeled it, and shared it with the man, saying: “This is the present moment. Know how to live it without fear.”

A woman friend had gone out with the exact amount of money she needed to take her son to the movies. The boy was excited, and every minute asked his mother how long it would take to get there.

When she was stopped at a traffic light, she saw a beggar seated on the sidewalk. “Give all the money you have with you to him,” she heard a voice say. The woman argued with the voice. She had promised to take her son to the movies. “Give it all,” the voice insisted. “I can give him half, and my son can go in alone while I wait outside,” she said. But the voice didn't want to discuss it. “Give it all!” She had no time to explain it all to the boy. She stopped the car and held out all the money she had to the beggar. “God exists, and you have proved it to me,” the beggar said. “Today is my birthday. I was sad, and ashamed to be begging. So, I decided not to beg: if God exists, he will give me a present.”

A man is walking through a small village in the middle of a downpour, and sees a house burning. As he approaches it, he sees a man surrounded by flames seated in the living room. “Hey, your house is on fire!”, the traveler shouts. “I know that,” the man answers. “Well then, why don't you get out?” “Because it's raining,” says the man. “My mother always told me you can catch pneumonia going out in the rain.” Zao Chi's comment about the fable: “Wise is the man who can leave a situation when he sees that he is forced to do so.”

In certain magic traditions, disciples devote one day a year -or a weekend if it is needed -to enter into contact with the objects in their home. They touch each object and ask aloud: “Do I really need this?”

They take the books from their shelves: “Will I ever reread this?” They examine each souvenir they have kept: “Do I still consider the moment that this object reminds me of to be important?” They open all of their closets: “How long is it since I wore this? Do I really need it?” The master says: “Objects have their own energy. When they are not used, they turn into standing water in the house -- a good place for rot and for mosquitos. You must be attentive, and allow that energy to flow freely. If you keep what is old, the new has no place in which to manifest itself.”

There is an old Peruvian legend that tells of a city where everyone was happy. Its inhabitants did as they pleased, and got along well with each other. Except for the mayor, who was sad because he had nothing to govern. The jail was empty, the court was never used, and the notary office produced nothing, because a man's word was worth more than the paper it was written on. One day, the mayor called in some workmen from a distant place to build an enclosure at the center of the village's main square. For a week, the sound of hammers and saws could be heard. At the end of the week, the mayor invited everyone in the village to the inauguration. With great solemnity, the fence boards were removed and there could be seen... a gallows. The people asked each other what the gallows was doing there. In fear, they began to use the court to resolve anything that before had been settled by mutual agreement. They went to the notary office to register documents that recorded what before had simply been a man's word. And they began to pay attention to what the mayor said, fearing the law. The legend says that the gallows never was used. But its presence changed everything.

The master says: “From now on -and for the next few hundred years -the universe is going to boycott all those have preconceived ideas. The energy of the Earth has to be renewed. New ideas need space. The body and the soul need new challenges. The future is knocking on our door, and all ideas -except those that are based upon preconceptions -will have a chance to appear. What is important will remain; what is useless will disappear. But let each person judge only his own concepts. We are not the judges of the dreams of others. In order to have faith in our own path, it is not necessary to prove that another's path is wrong. One who does that does not believe in his own steps.”

Life is like a great bike race, the goal of which is to live one's own Personal Destiny. At the starting line, we are all together, sharing camaraderie and enthusiasm. But, as the race develops, the initial joy gives way to challenges: exhaustion, monotony, doubts as to one's ability. We notice that some friends refuse to accept the challenges -they are still in the race, but only because they cannot stop in the middle of a road. There are many of them. They ride along with the support car, talk among themselves and complete the task. We find ourselves outdistancing them; and then we have to confront solitude, the surprises around unfamiliar curves, problems with the bicycle. We wind up asking ourselves if the effort is worth it. Yes, it is worth it. Don't give up.

A master and his disciple are riding across the Saudi Arabian desert. The master makes use of every moment of their ride to teach the disciple about faith. “Trust in God,” he says. “God never abandons his children.” At night, in their camp, the master asks the disciple to tie the horses to a nearby rock. The disciple goes to the rock, but remembers what the master has taught him: “He must be testing me,” he thinks. “I should leave the horses to God.” And he leaves the horses unfettered. In the morning, the disciple sees that the horses have disappeared. Revolted, he comes back to his master. “You know nothing about God,” he exclaims. “I left the horses in His care, and now the animals are gone.” “God wanted to care for the horses,” the master answered. “But to do that, he needed your hands to tie them.”

“Perhaps Jesus sent some of his apostles to Hell to save souls,” John says. “Even in Hell, all is not lost.” The idea surprises the wanderer. John is a fireman inLos Angeles, and today is his day off. “Why do you say that?” the wanderer asks. “Because I've gone through Hell here on earth. I go into buildings that are in flames and see people desperate to escape, and many times I risk my life to save them. I'm only a particle in this immense universe, forced to act like a hero in the many fires I've fought. If I -- a nothing -can do such things, imagine what Jesus could do! I have no doubt that some of His apostles have infiltrated Hell, and are there saving souls.”

The master says: “A great many of the primitive civilizations practiced the custom of burying their dead in a fetal position. 'He is being born again, in another life, and we must place him in the same position he was in when he came into this world,' they said. For those civilizations, death was only another step along the way of the universe. Little by little, the world has lost its calm acceptance of death. But it's not important what we think, or what we do or what we believe in: each of us will die one day. Better to do as the old Yaqui indians did: regard death as an advisor. Always ask: 'Since I'm going to die, what should I be doing now?'”

Life is not about giving or receiving advice. If we need assistance, it is better to see how others solve —

or fail to solve -their problems. Our angel is always present, and often uses someone else's lips to tell us something. But it usually reaches us in a casual way, generally at a moment in which -although we are attentive -our preoccupations prevent us from seeing the miracle of life. We must allow our angel to speak to us in the way he knows best -when he thinks it is needed. The master says: “Advice is a theory about life -and the practice of life is generally quite different.”

A padre in the Charismatic Renewal movement inRio de Janeiro was riding on a bus when he suddenly heard a voice saying that he should stand up and preach the word of Christ right there. The padre began to converse with the voice: “They'll think I'm ridiculous! This is no place for a sermon.” But the voice insisted that he had to speak out. “I'm a timid man, please don't ask this of me,” he implored. The internal impulse persisted. Then he remembered his promise -to accept all of Christ's designs. He stood up -consumed with embarrassment -and began to speak of the Evangelist. The riders listened to him in silence. He looked at each of the passengers, and all were staring directly at him. He said everything that he was feeling, completed his sermon and sat down. Even today, he has no idea what task he was performing there on the bus. But that he was performing a mission, he has no doubt whatsoever. An African witch doctor is leading his novice through the jungle. Although he is quite elderly, he makes his way with agility, while his young novice slips a falls many times. The novice picks himself up, swears, spits on the traitorous ground and continues to follow his master. After a long hike, they reach a sacred place. Without pausing, the witch doctor turns around and begins to walk back to where they had started. “You have taught me nothing today,” says the novice, after falling again. “I have been teaching you something, but you have failed to learn it,” says the witch doctor. “I'm trying to teach you how to deal with life's mistakes.” “And how should I deal with them?” “The same way as you should deal with the falls you have taken,” answers the witch doctor. “Instead of cursing the place where you fall, you should try to find out what made you slip in the first place.”

The father superior of the monastery at Sceta was visited one afternoon by a hermit. “My spiritual advisor does not know how to direct me,” the hermit said. “Should I leave him?” The father superior said not a word, and the hermit returned to the desert. A week later, he returned to visit the father superior.

“My spiritual advisor does not know how to direct me,” he said. “I have decided to leave him.” “That is wise,” said the father superior. “When a man perceives that his soul is discontented, he cannot ask for advice. Make the decisions needed to preserve your passage through this life.”

A young woman comes to see the wanderer. “I want to tell you something,” she says. “I have always believed that I had the gift of curing. But I never had the courage to try it with anyone. Until one day, my husband was having great pain in his left leg, and there was no one available to help him. I decided -with some embarrassment -to place my hands on his leg and ask that the pain disappear. “I did this without really believing I would be able to help him, and as I did so, I heard him praying. 'Please, Lord, make my wife capable of being the Messenger of Your light and your strength,' he said. My hand began to become hot, and the pain disappeared. “Afterwards, I ask him why he had prayed that way. He answered that it was in order to give me confidence. Today, I am able to cure, thanks to those words.”

The philosopher, Aristipus, was enjoying his power at the court of Dionysus, the tyrant ofSyracuse . One afternoon, he came upon Diogenes preparing a meal of lentils for himself. “If you were willing to be courteous to Dionysus, you would not have to eat lentils,” Aristipus said. “If you knew how to enjoy lentils, you would not have to be courteous to Dionysus,” Diogenes answered. The master says: “It is true that everything has its price, but the price is always relative. When we follow our dreams, we may give the impression to others that we are miserable and unhappy. But what others think is not important. What is important is the joy in our heart.”

A man who lived inTurkey was told of a great master who lived inPersia . Without hesitation, he sold all of his belongings, said good-bye to his family and went off in search of wisdom. After several years of wandering, he found the hut where the great master lived. With fear and respect, he knocked on his door. The great master appeared. “I am fromTurkey,” the man said. “I have come all this way to ask you just one question.” The old man was surprised, but said, “Fine. You may ask me one question.” “I want to be clear about what it is that I am asking. May I say it in Turkish?” “Yes,” said the wise man.

“And I have already answered your only question. If there is anything else you want to know, ask your heart. It will provide you with the answer.” And he closed the door.

The master says: “The word is power. Words transform the world, and man as well. “We have all heard it said: 'We should not talk about the good things that have happened to us, because the envy of others will ruin our happiness. ' Nothing of the sort. Those who are winners speak with pride of the miracles in their lives. If you release positive energy into the air, it attracts more positive energy, and makes those who really wish you well happy. As for the envious and defeated, they can only do damage to you if you give them this power. Have no fear. Speak out about the good things in your life to whoever will listen. The Soul of the World has a great need for your happiness.”

There was a Spanish king who was very proud of his lineage. He was also know to be cruel to those who were weak. He was walking one day with his senior people through a field inAragon, where, years before, his father had fallen in battle. They came upon a holy man there, picking through an enormous pile of bones. “What are you doing there?” asked the king. “All honor to Your Majesty,” said the holy man.

“When I learned that the king ofSpain was coming here, I decided to recover the bones of your father to give them to you. But no matter how hard I look, I cannot find them. They are the same as the bones of the farmers, the poor, the beggars and the slaves.”

“Who is the best swordsman?” asked a warrior of his master. “Go to the field near the monastery,” his master answered. “There is a rock there. I want you to insult the rock.” “But why would I do that?” the disciple asked. “The rock will not respond.” “Well, then attack it with your sword,” the master said. “I won't do that, either,” the disciple answered. “My sword would break. And if I attack the rock with my hands, I'll injure my fingers and have no impact on it. That wasn't what I asked. Who is the best swordsman?” “The best is the one who is like the rock,” said his master. “Without unsheathing a sword, it demonstrates that no one can conquer it.”

The wanderer arrives at the village of San Martin de Unx, in Navarra, and is able to find the woman who keeps the key to the Roman church in the ruined place. With great kindness, she climbs the narrow stairs and opens the door. The darkness and the silence of the medieval temple have an emotional impact on the wanderer. He falls into conversation with the woman, and as they talk, mentions that, although it is mid-day, little can be seen of the beautiful works of art there in the church. “The detail can be seen only at dawn,” the woman says. “The legend says that it was this that the builders of the church wanted to teach us: that God has a particular time for showing us His glory.”

The master says: “There are two gods. The god that our professors taught us about, and the God who teaches us. The god of whom people always speak, and the God that speaks to us. The god we have learned to fear, and the God who speaks to us of compassion. There are two gods. The god who is on high, and the God who takes part in our daily lives. The god who makes demands upon us, and the God who pardons our debts. The god who threatens us with the fires of Hell, and the God who shows us the best path. There are two gods. A god who crushes us under our sins, and a God who liberates us with His love.”

The sculptor, Michelangelo, was once asked how it was that he could create such beautiful works. “It's very simple,” he answered. “When I look at a block of marble, I see the sculpture inside it. All I have to do is remove what doesn't belong.” The master says: “There is a work of art each of us was destined to create. That is the central point of our life, and -no matter how we try to deceive ourselves -we know how important it is to our happiness. Usually, that work of art is covered by years of fears, guilt and indecision. But, if we decide to remove those things that do not belong, if we have no doubt as to our capability, we are capable of going forward with the mission that is our destiny. That is the only way to live with honor.”

An old man who is about to die calls a young man to his side and tells him a story of heroism: in wartime, he had helped a man to survive. He provided the man with shelter, food and protection. When the man who had been saved was once again in a safe place, he decided to betray his saviour and turn him over to the enemy. “How did you escape?” the young man asked. “I didn't escape. I was the betrayer,” said the old man. “But in telling the story as if I were the hero, I can understand everything he did for me.” The master says: “We all need love. Love is a part of human nature, as much as eating, drinking and sleeping. Sometimes we find ourselves, completely alone, looking at a beautiful sunset, and we think:

'This beauty isn't important, because I have no one to share it with. ' At such times, we should ask: how often have we been asked to give love, and turned away? How many times have we been fearful of approaching someone and saying, unmistakably, that we love them? Beware of solitude. It is as much of an addiction as the most dangerous narcotic. If the sunset no longer makes sense to you, be humble, and go in search of love. Know that -as with other spiritual blessings -the more you are willing to give, the more you will receive in return.”

A Spanish missionary was visiting an island when he came upon three Aztec holy men. “How do you pray?” the padre asked. “We have only one prayer,” one of the Aztecs answered. “We say, 'God, you are three and we are three. Have pity on us. '” “I'm going to teach you a prayer that God will hear,” said the missionary. And he taught them a Catholic prayer, and went on his way. Shortly before returning toSpain, he stopped again at the same island. When his ship approached the shore, the padre saw the three holy men walking across the water toward him. “Father, father,” one of them said. “Please teach us again that prayer that God listens to. We have forgotten the words.” “It's not important,” the padre answered, having witnessed the miracle. And he asked God's pardon for not having understood that He speaks all languages.

Saint Johnof the Cross teaches us that, along our spiritual path, we should not look for visions, or believe the statements we hear from others on the same path. Our only support should be our faith, because that faith is clear, transparent and born within us. It cannot confused. A writer was conversing with a priest, and asked what it was to experience God. “I don't know,” the priest answered. “The only experience I have had so far is the experience of my faith in God.” And that is the most important.

The master says: “Forgiveness is a two-way street. Each time we forgive someone, we are also pardoning ourselves. If we are tolerant of others, it is easier to accept our own mistakes. That way, without guilt or bitterness, we are able to improve our approach to life. When, out of weakness, we allow hatred, envy and intolerance to vibrate around us, we wind up being consumed by the vibrations. Peter asked Christ: 'Master, should I forgive the other person seven times?' And Christ answered: 'Not just seven, but seventy times. ' The act of forgiving cleanses the astral plane, and shows us the true light of the Divinity.”

The master says: “The ancient masters were accustomed to creating “personages” to help their disciples to deal with the darker side of their personality. Many of the stories about the creation of such personages have become well-known fairy tales. The process is simple: you have only to place your anxieties, fears and disappointments within an invisible being who stands at your left side. He functions as a “villain” in your life, suggesting attitudes that you would not like to adopt -but wind up doing so. Once that personage is created, it is easier to reject his advice. It's extremely simple. And that's why it works so well.”

“How can I know what is the best way to act in my life?” a disciple asked his master. The master asked that the disciple build a table. When the table was almost finished -needing only the nails driven into the top -the master approached the disciple. The disciple was driving the nails with three precise strokes.

One nail, though, was more difficult, and the disciple had to hit it one more time. The fourth blow drove it too deep, and the wood was scarred. “Your hand was used to three blows of the hammer,” the master said. “When any action becomes habitual, it loses its meaning; and it may wind up causing damage. Every action is your action, and there is only one secret: never let the habit take command of your movements.”

Near the city ofSoria, inSpain, there is an ancient hermitage carved into the rocks. Some years ago a man who abandoned everything to dedicate himself to contemplation lived there. The wanderer is trying to find the place one autumn afternoon, and, when he does, he is received with total cordiality. After sharing a piece of bread, the hermit asked that the wanderer go with him to a small stream nearby to collect some edible mushrooms. As they walk, a boy approaches them. “Holy man,” he says, “I have been told that, in order to achieve, we should avoid eating meat. Is that true?” “Accept with joy everything that life offers you,” the man answered. “Do not commit sins against the spirit, but do not blaspheme the earth's generosity.”

The master says: “If your journey is difficult, listen to your heart. Try to be as honest as possible with yourself, and see whether you are really following your path and paying the price for your dreams. If you do this, and nevertheless your life is hard, the moment comes when it is right to complain. But do it with respect, as a child complains to a parent. But do not fail to ask for more attention and help. God is Father and Mother, and parents always want the best for their children. It may be that the learning process is being pushed too hard, and it costs nothing to request a pause, some affection. But never exaggerate. Job complained at the proper time, and his belongings were returned to him. Al Afid complained too much, and God stopped listening”.

A pious man found himself suddenly deprived of all of his wealth. Knowing that God would help him no matter what, he began to pray: “Lord, please let me win the lottery,” he asked. He prayed for years and years, but was still poor. One day he died, and -since he was a very pious man, he went straight to heaven. When he arrived there, he refused to enter. He said that he had lived his entire life according to his religious teachings, and that God had never allowed him to win the lottery. “Everything You promised me was a lie,” the man said, disgusted. “I was always ready to help you win,” the Lord responded. “But, no matter how much I wanted to do so, you never bought a lottery ticket.”

An aged Chinese wise man was walking through a field of snow, when he came upon a woman weeping.

“Why are you crying?” he asked. “Because I'm thinking about my life, my youth, the beauty that I saw in the mirror and the men I loved. God is cruel to have given the ability to remember. He knew that I would remember the spring of my life, and cry.” The wise man stood there in the field of snow, staring at a fixed point and contemplating. At a certain point, the woman stopped crying: “What do you see there?” she asked. “A field of roses,” answered the wise man. “God was generous with me when he gave me the ability to remember. He knew that in winter, I could always remember spring -and smile.”

The master says: “One's personal destiny is not as simple as it appears. Not at all. It may even call for some sort of dangerous action. When we want something, we put into motion some powerful energies, and we are no longer able to conceal from ourselves the true meaning of our life. When we want something, we make a choice and we pay a price. To follow one's dream carries a price. It may demand that we give up old habits, it may create problems for us, and it may bring disappointment. But, no matter how high the price, it is never so high as at we pay for not having lived out our personal destiny. Because one day we will look back and see everything we have done, and hear our own heart say: 'I wasted my life. ' Believe me, that is the worst phrase you can ever hear.”

A master had hundreds of disciples. All of them prayed at the appropriate time -except one, who was a drunkard. On the day that he was dying, the master called the drunken disciple to his side, and passed on to him all of his occult secrets. The other disciples were revolted: “What a shame! We sacrificed everything for a master who was unable to perceive our qualities,” they said. The master said: “I had to pass on these secrets to a man I knew well. Those who appear to be virtuous generally conceal their vanity, their pride and their intolerance. So, I chose the only disciple whose defects I could see: the drinker.”

The Cistercian father Marcos Garcia said: “Sometimes God takes back a certain blessing in order to help the person understand it better. God knows up to what point he can test a soul -and he never goes beyond that point. At such times, we never say: 'God has abandoned me. ' If the Lord imposes a demanding test upon us, he always provides us with a sufficient number of graces -probably more than sufficient -to meet the test. When we feel far from His presence, we should ask ourselves: 'Do we understand how to make use of what he has placed in our path?'”

Sometimes days or weeks pass without our having received a gesture of affection from anyone. Such periods are difficult; when human kindness seems to have disappeared, and life seems to be simply a matter of survival. The master says: “We must examine our own fireplace. We must place more kindling, and try to illuminate the dark room that our life has become. When we hear our fire crackling and the burning wood snapping, and when we read the stories the flames are telling, hope returns to us. If we are capable of loving, we will also be capable of being loved. It is only a matter of time.”

At a luncheon, a person broke his glass. Another person said, “That's a sign of good luck.” Everyone at the table knew of the belief. But a rabbi who was there asked: “Why is that a sign of good luck?” “I don't know,” said the wanderer's wife. “Perhaps it's an ancient way of preventing the guest from feeling bad.”

“No, that's not the explanation,” the rabbi said. “Certain Jewish traditions have it that every man has a certain quota of luck, which he uses up over the course of his life. One can make that quota pay interest if he uses his luck only for things he really needs -or he can use his luck in a wasteful fashion. We Jews also say 'Good luck' when someone breaks a glass. But it means, 'It's good that you didn't use up any of your luck trying to keep the glass from breaking. Now, you can use it for more important things. '”

Padre Abraham knew that close to the monastery at Sceta lived a hermit reputed to be a wise man. He sought the man out and asked him: “If you were to find a beautiful woman in your bed today, would you be able to convince yourself that it was not a woman?” “No,” answered the wise man. “But I would be able to control myself.” The padre went on: “And if you found some gold coins in the desert, would you be able to regard the money as stones?” “No,” said the wise man. “But I would be able to control myself and leave them there.” The padre insisted: “And if you were consulted by two brothers, one of whom hates you and the other of whom loves you, would you be able to regard them as equals?” The hermit answered: “Even though I might suffer inside, I would treat the one who loved me in the same way as the one who hated me.” “I will explain to you what a wise man is,” the padre later told his disciples. “It is he who, rather than killing his passions, is able to control them.”

W. Frasier, throughout his life, wrote about the American west, and was proud of having written the screenplay for a film that starred Gary Cooper. He said that there were very few times in his life when he became angry. “I learned many things from the pioneers,” he said. “They fought the indians, crossed deserts, searched for food and water in remote places. And all that was written during that period shows that they demonstrated a curious trait: the pioneers wrote only about and talked about only good things. Instead of complaining, they composed songs and jokes about their difficulties. That way, they avoided discouragement and depression. And today, at age 88, I try to do the same thing.”

The text is adapted from a poem by John Muir: “I want to free my soul so that it can enjoy all of the gifts that the spirits own. When this is possible, I will not try to know the craters of the moon, nor track the rays of the sun to their source. I will not try to understand the beauty of a star, nor the artificial desolation of a human being. “When I learn how to free my soul, I will follow the dawn, and to return with it through time. When I learn how to free my soul, I will plunge into the magnetic currents that drain into an ocean where all waters meet to form the Soul of the World. “When I learn how to free my soul, I will try to read the splendid page of Creation from the beginning.”

One of the sacred symbols of Christianity is the figure of the pelican. The reason is simple: in the total absence of food to eat, the pelican plunges its beak into its own flesh to feed its young. The master says:

“We are often incapable of understanding the blessings we have received. Many times we do not perceive what He does to keep us spiritually nourished. There is a story about a pelican who -during a hard winter -sacrificed herself by providing her own flesh to her children. When she finally died of weakness, one of the nestlings said to another: 'Finally! I was getting tired of eating the same old thing every day. '”

If you are dissatisfied with something -even a good thing that you would like to do, but have not been able to -stop now. If things are not going well, there are only two explanations: either your perseverance is being tested, or you need to change direction. In order to discover which of those options is correct -since they are opposites -make use of silence and prayer. Little by little, things will become strangely clear, until you have sufficient strength to choose. Once you have made your decision, forget completely the other possibility. And go forward, because God is the God of the Valiant. Domingos Sabino said:

“Everything always turns out for the best. If things are not going well, it is because you have not yet reached the end.”

The Brazilian composer, Nelson Motta, was inBahia, when he decided to pay a visit to Mother Menininha de Gantois. He caught a taxi, and on their way, the driver lost his brakes. The car spun around in the middle of the road, but other than being frightened, nothing serious occurred. When he met with Mother Menininha, the first thing Nelson told her about was the near accident in the middle of the road.

“There are certain things that are already written, but God finds us a way to get past them without any serious problem. That is, it was a part of your destiny to be in an automobile accident at this point in your life,” she said. “But, as you see, everything happened -and nothing.”

“There was something missing from your talk about the Road toSantiago,” said a pilgrim to the wanderer as they were leaving the conference together. “I have noticed that the majority of pilgrims,” she said, “whether on the Road toSantiago or on their paths through life, always seek to follow the same pace as the others. At the beginning of my pilgrimage, I tried to walk at the same pace as my group. I got tired, I demanded more of my body than it could deliver, I was tense, and I wound up with problems in the tendons of my left foot. It was impossible for me to walk for two days, and I learned that I would be able to get toSantiago only if I went at my own pace. It took me longer than the others, and I walked alone for many stretches along the road. But it was only because I respected my own pace that I was able to walk the entire road. Since then, I have applied that lesson to everything I do in my life.”

Croesus, the king ofLydia, had made the decision to attack the Persians, but nevertheless wanted to consult with a Greek oracle. “You are fated to destroy a great empire,” the oracle said. Happily, Croesus declared war. After two days of battle,Lydia was invaded by the Persians, its capital was sacked, and Croesus was taken prisoner. Revolted, he asked his ambassador toGreece to go back to the oracle and tell him how wrong he had been. “No, it was you who were wrong,” said the oracle to the ambassador.

“You destroyed a great empire:Lydia .” The master says: “The language of signs is there is before us, to teach us the best way to act. But many times we try to distort those signs so that they “agree” with what we wanted to do in the first place.

Buscaglia tells the story about the fourth of the Magi, who also saw the star shining overBethlehem . But he was always late in arriving at the place where Jesus might be, because along the way, the poor and needy stopped him to ask him for help. After thirty years of following in Jesus's footsteps, throughEgypt, Galilee andBethany, the magus reachedJerusalem, but was again too late. The child Jesus was now a man, and the magus had arrived on the day of the crucifixion. The king had brought pearls to give to Jesus, but had sold everything in order to help those whom he had met along the way. Only one pearl remained, but the Saviour was already dead. “I have failed in the mission of my life,” the king thought.

And then he heard a voice: “Contrary to what you are thinking, you have been with me all your life. I was nude, and you dressed me. I was hungry, and you fed me. I was imprisoned, and you visited me. I was in every poor soul along the way. Thank you for so many presents of love.”

A science fiction story tells of a society where almost everyone is born ready to perform a function: technicians, engineers or mechanics. Only a few are born without any skills: these are sent to an insane asylum, since only crazy people are unable to make a contribution to society. One of the insane rebels. The asylum has a library, where he attempts to learn everything there is to know about the arts and sciences. When he feels that he knows enough, he decides to escape, but he is captured and taken to a research center outside the city. “Welcome,” says one of the people in charge of the center. “It is those who have been forced to make their own way that we admire most. From now on, you may do as you please, since it is thanks to people like you that the world is able to progress.”

Before leaving on a long trip, a businessman was saying good-bye to his wife. “You have never brought me a present that was worthy of me,” she said. “You ungrateful woman, everything I have given you cost me years of work,” the man answered. “What else can I give you?” “Something that is as beautiful as I am.” For two years, the woman awaited her present. Finally, her husband returned. “I was able to find something that is as beautiful as you,” he said. “I wept at your ingratitude, but I resolved that I would do as you asked. I thought all this time that there couldn't be a present as beautiful as you, but I found one.” And he handed her a mirror.

The German philosopher, F. Nietzsche, once said: “It's not worthwhile to spend time discussing everything; it is a part of the human condition to err from time to time.” The master says: “There are people who insist that they be right about even minor details. They often do not permit themselves to make a mistake. What they accomplish with that attitude is a fear of moving ahead. Fear of making a mistake is the door that locks us into the castle of mediocrity. If we are able to overcome that fear, we have taken an important step in the direction of our freedom.”

A novice asked the Father Superior Nisteros at the monastery at Sceta: “What are the things I should do in order to please God?” Father Nisteros answered: “Abraham accepted strangers, and God was happy. Elijah did not like strangers, and God was happy. David was proud of what he did, and God was happy. The Roman publican, before the altar, was ashamed of what he did, and God was happy. John the Baptist went into the desert, and God was happy. Jonah went to the great city ofNinevah, and God was happy. Ask your soul what it wants to do. When your soul is in agreement with your dreams, it makes God happy.”

A Buddhist master was traveling on foot with his disciples, when he noted that they were discussing among themselves who was the best. “I have practiced meditation for fifteen years,” said one. “I have been charitable ever since I left my parents' home,” said another. “I have always followed the precepts of Buddha,” said a third. At noon, they stopped under an apple tree to rest. The branches of the tree were loaded down with fruit, to the point that its branches reached to the ground. “When a tree is laden with fruit, its branches bend to touch the ground. The truly wise is he who is humble. When a tree bears no fruit, its branches are arrogant and haughty. The foolish man always believes that he is better than others.”

Antonio Machado says: “Blow by blow, step by step, Pathfinder, there is no path, The path is made to be walked. By walking, the path is made, And if you look back, All you will see are the marks Of footsteps that one day Your feet will once again take. Pathfinder, there is no path, The path is made to be walked.”

At the Last Supper, Jesus accused -with the same gravity and using the same phrase -two of his apostles. Both had committed the crimes foreseen by Jesus. Judas Iscariot recovered his senses and condemned himself. Peter also recovered his senses, after denying three times everything he had believed in. But at the decisive moment, Peter understood the true meaning of Jesus' message. He asked forgiveness and went on, humiliated. He could have chosen suicide, but instead he faced the other apostles and must have said: “Okay, speak of my error for as long as the human race exists. But let me correct it.” Peter understood that Love forgives. Judas understood nothing.

A famous writer was walking with a friend when a boy started to cross the street in front of an oncoming truck. The writer, in a fraction of a second, threw himself in front of the truck and was able to save the boy. But, before anyone could praise him for his act of heroism, he slapped the boy across the face.

“Don't be fooled by appearances, my boy,” he said. “I saved you only so that you couldn't evade the problems you will have as an adult.” The master says: “Sometimes we are afraid of doing good. Our sense of guilt always tries to tell us that -when we act with generosity -we are merely trying to impress others. It is difficult for us to accept that we are good by nature. We mask our good acts with irony and indifference, as if live were synonymous with weakness.”

Jesus looked at the table before him, wondering what would be the best symbol of his passage on Earth.

On the table were pomegranates from Galilee, spices from the deserts of the south, dried fruits fromSyria and Egyptian dates. He must have extended His hand to consecrate one of them, when suddenly he recalled the message that he brought was for all men everywhere. And perhaps pomegranates and dates did not exist is some parts of the world. He looked about him, and another thought occurred to him: in the pomegranates and the dates and the fruits, the miracle of Creation manifested itself without any interference by human beings. So he picked up the bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: “Take and eat, all of you, for this is my Body.” Because bread was everywhere. And bread, in contrast with the dates, the pomegranates and the fruits ofSyria, was the best symbol of the path toward God. Bread was the fruit of the earth and of man's labors.

The juggler stops in the middle of the plaza, pulls out three oranges and begins to toss them. People gather round and marvel at the grace and elegance of his movements. “That's what life's like, more or less,” someone standing there with the wanderer says. “We always have an orange in each hand, and one in the air. But that one in the air makes all the difference. It was thrown with ability and experience, but it follows its own course. Like the juggler, we throw a dream out into the world, but we don't always have control over it. At times like that, you have to know how to put yourself in God's hands -and ask that, in due time, the dream follows its course correctly and falls, completed, back into your hand.”

One of the most powerful exercises in interior growth consists in paying attention to things we do automatically -like breathing, blinking our eyes, or attending to things around us. When we do this, we allow our brain to work with greater freedom -without the interference of our desires. Certain problems that appeared to be insoluble wind up being resolved, and certain pains that we thought could never be overcome wind up dissipating effortlessly. The master says: “When you have to confront a difficult situation, try to use that technique. It requires a bit of discipline... but the results can be surprising”.

A man is at a fair, selling vases. A woman approaches and examines his merchandise. Some pieces are undecorated, while others have carefully wrought designs. The woman asks the price of the vases. To her surprise, she learns that they all cost the same. “How can the decorated vase cost the same as the simple ones?” she asks. “Why charge the same for a vase that it took more time and effort to make?” “I am an artist,” the seller says. “I can charge for the vase I made, but not for its beauty. The beauty is free.”

The wanderer was seated alone at a mass. Suddenly, he was approached by a friend. “I have to talk to you,” the friend said. The wanderer saw in the meeting a sign, and began to talk about what he considered to be important. He spoke of God's blessings, of love, and of the fact that he saw his friend's arrival as a signal from his angel, because moments before the wanderer had felt alone, whereas now he had company. The friend listened without saying a word, thanked the wanderer, and left. Rather than happiness, the wanderer fell more alone than ever. Later, he realized that, in his enthusiasm, he had paid no attention to his friends request: that he speak. The wanderer looked down and saw his words thrown to the floor. Because the Universe wanted something different to have happened at that moment.

Three fairies were invited to the baptism of a prince. The first granted the prince the gift of finding his love. The second granted him enough money to do as he pleased. The third granted him beauty. But, as in all fairy tales, a witch appeared. She was furious at not having been invited, and pronounced a curse:

“Because you already have everything, I'm going to give you even more. You will be talented at whatever you try to do.” The prince grew up handsome, rich and in love. But he was never able to complete his mission on Earth. He was an excellent painter, sculptor, musician, mathematician -but he was never able to complete a task because he quickly became distracted and wanted to move on to something else. The master says: “All roads lead to the same place. But choose your own, and follow it to the end. Do not try to walk every road.”

An anonymous text from the XVIII century speaks of a Russian monk who was looking for a spiritual adviser. One day, he was told that in a certain village lived a hermit who dedicated himself night and day to the salvation of his soul. Hearing this, the monk went in search of the holy man. “I want you to guide me along the paths of the soul,” the monk said when he found the hermit. “The soul has its own path, and your angel will guide you,” answered the hermit. “Pray without stopping.” “I don't know how to pray like that. Will you teach me?” “If you do not know how to pray incessantly, then pray to God to teach you how to do so.” “You are teaching me nothing,” said the monk. “There is nothing to be taught, because you cannot transmit faith in the same way that you transmit knowledge about mathematics. Accept the mystery of faith, and the Universe will reveal itself.”

The master says: “Write! Whether it's a letter, a diary or just some notes as you speak on the telephone -but write! In writing, we come closer to God and to others. If you want to understand your role in the world better, write. Try to put your soul in writing, even if no one reads your words -or worse, even if someone winds up reading what you did not want to be read. The simple fact of writing helps us to organize our thoughts and see more clearly what is in our surroundings. A paper and pen perform miracles -they alleviate pain, make dreams come true and summon lost hope. The word has power.”

The monks of the desert affirmed that it was necessary to allow the hand of the angels to act. In order to bring this about, they sometimes did absurd things -such as speaking to the flowers or laughing without cause. The alchemists follow the “signs from God;” clues that sometimes make very little sense but wind up leading somewhere. The master says: “Do not fear being regarded as crazy -do something today that fits not at all with the logic you have learned. Behave is a way that is opposite to the usual serious comportment you were taught. This little thing, no matter how little it is, can open the door to a great adventure -human and spiritual.”

A fellow is driving a luxurious Mercedes Benz when he blows a tire. As he tries to change it, he realizes that he has no jack. “Well, I'll go to the nearest house and ask if I can borrow one,” he thinks, as he goes in search of help. “Maybe the person I ask, seeing my car, will charge me for finding me his jack,” he says to himself. “With a car like this, and with me asking for help, he'll probably charge me ten dollars.

No, maybe even fifty, because he knows I really need the jack. He might take advantage of me and charge me as much as a hundred dollars.” And the further he walks, the higher goes the price. “When he reaches the nearest house, and the owner opens the door, the man shouts: “You're a thief! A jack isn't worth that much! Keep it!” Who of us can say that he has never acted that way?

Milton Ericsson is the author of a new therapy that has won over thousands of practitioners in theUnited States . When he was twelve, he contracted polio. Ten months later, he heard a physician tell his parents:

“Your son will not make it through the night.” Ericsson heard his mother crying. “Who knows, if I make it through the night, perhaps she won't suffer so,” he thought. And he decided not to sleep until the next day dawned. As the sun rose, he shouted to his mother: “Hey, I'm still alive!” The joy in the house was so great that he decided that he would always try to make it through one more night to put off his family's suffering. He died at 75 in 1990, leaving a number of important books about the enormous capacity man has to overcome his own limitations.

“Holy man,” said a novice to the FatherSuperior, “my heart is filled with love for the world, and my heart is cleansed of the temptations of the devil. What is the next step?” The padre asked the disciple to go with him to visit an ill person who was in need of extreme unction. After comforting the family, the father noticed a trunk in one of the corners. “What is in that trunk?” he asked. “The clothing that my uncle never wore,” said his niece. “He always thought that there would be some occasion for wearing them, but they wound up rotting in the trunk.” “Don't forget that trunk,” the father said to the disciple as they left. “If you have spiritual treasures in your heart, put them into practice now. Or they will still.”

Mystics say that when we begin our spiritual path, we want to speak often with God -and we wind up not listening to what He has to say to us. The master says: “Relax a bit. It is not easy. We have a natural need always to do the right thing, and we think we can do that if we work unceasingly. It is important to try, to fall, to get up and try again. But let us allow God to help. In the middle of a great effort, let us look at ourselves, allow Him to reveal himself and guide us. Let us sometimes allow Him to take us onto his lap.”