The story of a poor farmer in ancient China
There was once a poor farmer in ancient China who spent his meagre savings to buy a mare.
“Ah, you are lucky,” his neighbours told him, “to have a horse to pull the cart for you.”
“Maybe,” the farmer replied.
One day he didn’t latch the gate properly and the horse ran away.
“Oh no, this is terrible!” the neighbours pitied him. “Such horrible misfortune!”
“Maybe,” the farmer replied.
A few days later the mare returned, bringing with her six wild horses.
“That's amazing! You are so lucky,” the neighbours exclaimed, “now you will become rich.”
“Maybe,” the farmer replied.
The following week, the farmer’s son was breaking-in one of the wild horses — suddenly the horse bucked and threw him, and the son broke his leg in the fall.
“Oh no!” the neighbours cried out. “Such bad luck, all over again!”
“Maybe,” the farmer replied.
A few days later, soldiers came and took away all the young men to fight in the war.
The farmer’s son alone was left behind, because of his broken leg.
“You are so lucky...” grumbled the neighbours.
“Maybe,” the farmer replied.
Luck is an interpretation on how we view our surroundings
Many of us are deeply conditioned to focus on the negatives, and thus our experience
of life will be mostly unpleasant. Retraining our perception can profoundly change this experience into joy, lightheartedness, contentment and peace.
To bring more luck into your life, shift your attention from what you don't have to what
you do have. Cultivate gratitude.
Take a moment to remember someone that helped you find your way in a time of need. Send them silent thanks in your heart, whether they are still a part of your life or whether they have been called elsewhere.
Every day, think about a simple, small thing that you feel grateful for : a pleasurable smell or taste, the sight of something pretty, the touch of the breeze on your face...
Allow yourself to feel these simple pleasures deep within your heart, let the warmth seep into your chest. Close your eyes and smile. Smiles attract smiles in return — it is simple
but efficient magic.
One of the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, says :
Om Purnamadah Purnamidam
Purnat Purnam Udacyate
Purnasya Purnam Adaya
Purnamevavashishyate
Om, That is perfect, This is perfect
From the perfect springs the perfect
If the perfect is removed from the perfect
The perfect remains
What if it were on to something?
