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  • #16
    Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

    Thanks Matt Sijat for sharing these beautiful stories. I particularly love the "Maybe" and the "The businessman and the fisherman" ones.

    For today's story I would like to share with you one that I heard long ago. I couldn't find it in Internet so I wrote it myself in English. Please forgive some language mistakes. :-)

    One day, a young man was troubled by a problem because he could not make a decision. Then, he went to a wise man for advice.

    The young man said to the wise man: "I have big trouble because I have to make a very important decision and I don't know what choice is best".

    The wise man replied: "Oh, that problem of yours is very easy to solve. Do you have a coin?"

    The young man answered with surprise: "Yes, I actually do have a coin. What is it for?"

    Then the wise man replied: "Put one choice in heads and the other choice in tails. Then toss the coin into the air and whatever it lands, let that be your choice".

    The young man was a some kind of outraged and said to the wise man: "How do you think that I am going to leave such an important decision to mere chance? I came to you for advise and then you tell me to leave it to chance?"

    The wise man calmly replied: "Yes, just toss the coin and let chance decide. But make sure that when the coin lands on your hand you cover it with the other hand so you don't see if it landed heads or tails".

    The young man finally agreed and flipped the coin into the air. As soon as the coin landed on his hand he covered it with the other hand so he couldn't see the outcome.

    Then the young man impatiently asked: "Ok, so what's next?"

    The wise man then calmly replied: "Young man, when the coin was in the air what side where you hoping for? That is your answer".
    Heads or Tails.jpg

    Picture Source

    With Love, Care and Shaolin Salute,

    Santi

    Comment


    • #17
      Tales From The Mystic East

      THE PALACE OF GOD


      When Guru Nanak was at Mecca, the famous
      Muslim Qazi Ruknuddin said to Him :

      Tell me, O Nanak, can you describe to me the
      Palace of God? How many towers does it have; how
      many doors; and how many turrets?

      Guru Sahib smiled and told the Qazi :

      Know thou, O Ruknuddin, that the Palace and
      Temple of God is the human body. Of towers, it has
      twelve ; three on the right arm, three on the left (the
      hands, forearms and upper arms) ; and similarly three
      each on the right and left legs (feet, legs and thighs).

      The palace has nine doors, and these, O
      Ruknuddin, are the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils,
      the mouth, and the two lower apertures. It has fifty-
      two turrets : thirty-two teeth in the mouth, and twenty
      nails on the hands and feet .

      Guru Nanak paused for a moment, and then
      continued :

      But God’s Palace of Light (the Spiritual Realm)
      is beyond the fifty- two turrets, the nine doors, and the
      twelve towers. For it is there that an everlasting
      Fountain of Nectar flows; and it is there that you will
      find Ismet, the everlasting lotus. From this palace of
      Light, God is constantly calling to us from above. But
      we are asleep and hear Him not.

      But the way to the Palace of Light is through the
      human body, the Palace or Temple of the Living God.
      The Satguru awakens the disciple, and teaches him how
      to go inside the human body, and through it find the Path to God’s Great Palace .




      “The human body is a city; the rarest of gems and rubies
      there await thee. Acquire them by devotion and service to the Satguru”

      -GURU RAM DAS-


      “ For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you."

      -CHRIST-
      Attached Files
      Damian Kissey
      Shaolin Wahnam Sabah , Malaysia .
      www.shaolinwahnamsabah.com

      Comment


      • #18
        Tales From The Mystic East

        An anthology of mystic and moral tales taken from the teachings of the Saints :

        A collection of stories or parables narrated by Maharaj Sawan Singh in his discourses that are drawn from the mystic literature of India, Iran, Arabia, and other Eastern countries. Each story illustrates a particular spiritual truth or example of conduct. Some of the stories are humorous, relating to our follies in life; others relate to the karmic implications of our actions, to the purity of the saints, and the benefit of their company.
        Attached Files
        Damian Kissey
        Shaolin Wahnam Sabah , Malaysia .
        www.shaolinwahnamsabah.com

        Comment


        • #19
          Tales From The Mystic East

          LORD BUDDHA AND THE SHEPHERD

          As Lord Buddha was walking one day along a
          country road, he met a shepherd who was driving his
          flock of sheep and goats to a nearby hill, where there
          was a good grazing ground. One of the goats was lame
          and limped along slowly, always falling behind the rest of
          the flock. But the shepherd showed no pity for the poor
          beast, and lashed it mercilessly to make it keep up with
          the herd.

          When Lord Buddha saw what was going on, his
          heart was moved by pity and compassion. Stepping up
          to the shepherd, he asked :

          “Where are you going with your herd ?’

          The shepherd pointed to the nearby hill.

          “Would you have any objection if I should carry
          this poor lame goat to the top of the hill on my
          shoulders?” asked Lord Buddha.

          The shepherd laughed.

          “Why, of course not,” he replied.

          So Lord Buddha happily carried the goat to the
          top of the hill and left it there with the rest of the flock.

          Indeed is a Saint ( Perfect Master ) , who has
          subdued his own self who harms no living thing, and
          overflows with compassion .
          Damian Kissey
          Shaolin Wahnam Sabah , Malaysia .
          www.shaolinwahnamsabah.com

          Comment


          • #20
            Tales From The Mystic East ( TFTME)

            THE SAINT IN STRANGE SURROUNDINGS

            Rabia Basri, who was a great and very renowned
            Saint, was very beautiful when she was a young girl.
            Because of her beauty, she was at one time abducted
            by thieves who sold her to the owner of a house of
            prostitution, where she was expected to do as the
            other women hving in the house.

            On the first night in her new surroundings a man
            was brought to her room, and she immediately entered
            into conversation with him.

            "Ah, it is good to see such a nice young man”,
            she said. “Please make yourself comfortable in that
            chair, and if you will, let us both say our prayers
            together.”

            The young man was surprised, but he knelt down
            on the floor beside Rabia, and both of them prayed for
            some time. Rabia then rose and said ;

            “You will not mind, I am sure, if I remind you that
            you must one day die. And to be fair to you, it is only
            right that I tell you that the sin you have in mind will
            lead you into fires of hell. Please, for your own sake,
            consider if you wish to commit the sin and thus jump
            into the flaming inferno, or if you would prefer to avoid
            this fate."

            Very much surprised and taken aback, the young
            man said :

            “O good and pious lady, you have opened my
            eyes, which always before were closed to the meaning
            of this sin. I accept you as my Murshid (Master), and
            promise never to visit a house such as this again."
            Attached Files
            Damian Kissey
            Shaolin Wahnam Sabah , Malaysia .
            www.shaolinwahnamsabah.com

            Comment


            • #21
              Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

              Thank you Damian Siheng for sharing these beautiful and inspiring stories. I loved reading them.

              For today I present you another Zen story that I particularly like:

              A martial arts student went to his teacher and said earnestly, “I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it.”

              The teacher’s reply was casual, “Ten years.” Impatiently, the student answered, “But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?”

              The teacher thought for a moment, “20 years.”

              Story Source
              Learning Martial Arts.jpg

              Picture Source

              With Love, Care and Shaolin Salute,

              Santi

              Comment


              • #22
                Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

                This is another story that I like very much and consider greatly inspiring. I am sure many of you already know it:

                5 Monkeys and a Ladder

                A group of scientists placed five monkeys in a cage, and in the middle, a ladder with bananas on top.

                Every time a monkey went up the ladder, the scientists soaked the rest of the monkeys with cold water.

                After a while, every time a monkey would start up the ladder, the others would pull it down and beat it up.

                After a time, no monkey would dare try climbing the ladder, no matter how great the temptation.

                The scientists then decided to replace one of the monkeys. The first thing this new monkey did was start to climb the ladder. Immediately, the others pulled him down and beat him up.

                After several beatings, the new monkey learned never to go up the ladder, even though there was no evident reason not to, aside from the beatings.

                The second monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The first monkey participated in the beating of the second monkey. A third monkey was changed and the same was repeated. The fourth monkey was changed, resulting in the same, before the fifth was finally replaced as well.

                What was left was a group of five monkeys that – without ever having received a cold shower – continued to beat up any monkey who attempted to climb the ladder.

                If it was possible to ask the monkeys why they beat up on all those who attempted to climb the ladder, their most likely answer would be “I don’t know. It’s just how things are done around here.”

                Story Source
                5 Monkeys and a Ladder.jpg

                Picture Source

                With Love, Care and Shaolin Salute,

                Santi

                Comment


                • #23
                  Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

                  Below I share with you another inspiring story that I love:

                  The Starfish Thrower

                  Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.

                  Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

                  The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

                  The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

                  The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

                  Story Source
                  The Starfish Thrower.jpg

                  Picture Source

                  With Love, Care and Shaolin Salute,

                  Santi

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

                    I would like to share with you another beautiful story. Please find it below:

                    The Elephant Rope

                    A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, and he spotted that the elephants weren’t being kept in cages or held by the use of chains. All that was holding them back from escaping the camp, was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs.

                    As the man gazed upon the elephants, he was completely confused as to why the elephants didn’t just use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try to at all.

                    Curious and wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to escape.

                    The trainer replied: “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

                    The only reason that the elephants weren’t breaking free and escaping from the camp was that over time they adopted the belief that it just wasn’t possible.

                    Story Source
                    The Elephant Rope.jpg

                    Picture Source

                    With Love, Care and Shaolin Salute,

                    Santi

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Great story about the Elephant and the Twig Santi, I first heard this as it was the title of a book by Geoff Thompson:


                      Geoff Thompson is known in the UK and probably further afield for his work in reality based martial arts and protection systems, and his renowned "animal days" designed to pressure test systems. But the book is about how he used to have a dull job in a factory, as a cleaner I think, but he dreamed of being a writer. However his beliefs held him back, as well as his peers laughing at his lofty ambitions. However eventually he achieved his goal of becoming a writer, he snapped the rope/twig holding him back. Great story, and great book

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

                        Originally posted by drunken boxer View Post
                        Great story about the Elephant and the Twig Santi, I first heard this as it was the title of a book by Geoff Thompson:


                        Geoff Thompson is known in the UK and probably further afield for his work in reality based martial arts and protection systems, and his renowned "animal days" designed to pressure test systems. But the book is about how he used to have a dull job in a factory, as a cleaner I think, but he dreamed of being a writer. However his beliefs held him back, as well as his peers laughing at his lofty ambitions. However eventually he achieved his goal of becoming a writer, he snapped the rope/twig holding him back. Great story, and great book
                        I didn't know that Siheng! Greatly inspiring. Thanks for sharing. :-)

                        For todays story I would like to share another one that I read long ago and I love. Please enjoy:

                        Obstacle in the Roadway

                        In ancient times, a king had his men place a boulder on a roadway. He then hid in the bushes, and watched to see if anyone would move the boulder out of the way. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers passed by and simply walked around it.

                        Many people blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them did anything about getting the stone removed.

                        One day, a peasant came along carrying vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to push the stone out of the way. After much pushing and straining, he finally managed.

                        After the peasant went back to pick up his vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and note from the King explain that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the road.

                        Moral of the story: Every obstacle that we come across gives us an opportunity to improve our circumstances, and while the lazy complain, others are creating opportunities through their kind hearts, generosity, and willingness to get things done.

                        Story Source
                        Obstacle in the Roadway.jpg

                        Picture Source

                        With Love, Care and Shaolin Salute,

                        Santi

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Tales Of The Mystic East

                          THE BLIND MAN IN THE MAZE : The 3rd Eye or Single Eye or 10 th Door or Holy Gate

                          There was once a blind man who, in addition to
                          not being able to see, also had a bald head. For a mis-
                          demeanour he had committed, the king put the poor
                          fellow in a specially built prison designed like a maze
                          or labyrinth.

                          The prison had a number of false doors and one
                          real door, which opened and led to the light of the
                          outside world. By the king’s order, anyone who could
                          find the real door could step through it and immediately
                          gain his freedom.

                          For a long time the blind man felt his way care-
                          fully around the prison’s walls, searching for the one
                          real door. But as it happened, every time that he actually
                          came to it, he was distracted by an itch on his bald head.
                          As a result, he scratched his head each time that he came
                          to the door to freedom and, as he meanwhile kept mov-
                          ing slowly along the prison walls, he missed the one real
                          door over and over again.

                          This is exactly what happens to us when we come
                          into this world. For then the soul is dominated by the
                          mind, and the mind is almost completely in the hands
                          of the senses. The senses, in turn, are controlled by the
                          objects of sense, or the things that the senses cry for,
                          for their gratifications.

                          The labyrinth is the body, in which the soul is
                          a prisoner. The false doors are the nine portals of the
                          body — two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the mouth and
                          the two lower apertures. The blind man’s itch is a symbol
                          of the worldly and sensual pleasures. These, even when
                          we may have begun to feel the longing for deliverance
                          from this world, continue to distract us and to drag us
                          back and down.

                          Attachment to the body, the mind’s desires, and the
                          sense pleasures or gratifications, is like a dark labyrinth
                          from which it is difficult to find the correct and only
                          way out.

                          But the body also contains a real door, which leads
                          to liberation from this world. This is the Third Eye,
                          or Tenth Door, situated between the two eyebrows.
                          It is here that the Perfect Masters teach their
                          disciples to meditate. This portal is often called
                          the “Gateway to Salvation,” or the “Doorway to
                          Deliverance.”
                          Attached Files
                          Damian Kissey
                          Shaolin Wahnam Sabah , Malaysia .
                          www.shaolinwahnamsabah.com

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Dear Family, dear Damian Siheng,

                            What a great story! I laughed so much!

                            Many thanks from the heart,

                            Emiko
                            Emiko Hsuen
                            www.shaolinwahnam.jp
                            www.shaolinwahnam.ca

                            INTENSIVE & SPECIAL COURSES -- PENANG 2018
                            Taught by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit
                            4th generation successor of the Southern Shaolin Monastery
                            Small and Big Universe Course: Nov 21 to 25
                            Becoming a Shaolin Wahnam Kungfu Practitioner: Nov 26 to Dec 2
                            Cultivating Spirit Nourishing Energy: Dec 2 to Dec 8
                            Intensive Chi Kung Course: Dec 9 to Dec 13
                            To apply, send email to: secretary@shaolin.org

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Tales Of The Mystic East

                              THE DANCING OF BULLEH SHAH

                              Bulleh Shah, a great Muslim Saint, who lived in the Punjab, was so devoted to the Lord that he spent many hours a day in meditation. But he was often criticised because he did not conform to the religious practices of his high caste, and did not join his family in their orthodox religious rites and rituals. Bulleh Shah’s reply to this criticism was to buy several donkeys and drive them for public hire, so that the world could criticise him all the more. As is well known throughout the East, the ways of the great Saints are unpredictable, and cannot be measured by ordinary standards.

                              It happened that just at that time a chieftain abducted the wife of a good man who lived nearby. In despair, the husband went to Bulleh Shah and asked for his help in regaining his beloved wife. After a few moments spent in thought, Bulleh Shah told the man: “Go to the next village, my friend, and see if there is any music or dancing going on there.” Away the man went, but he was soon back again to report to the Saint that a group of eunuchs was dancing in the village, accompanied by a band of musicians. “That is very good,” said Bulleh Shah. “Come now, and sit on one of my donkeys and we will both go to watch the dancing.”

                              As soon as the Saint arrived at the dance, he was carried away by the music. Going into ecstasy, he joined the eunuchs in their dancing and singing. But in a few moments he called out : “If there is any lady being held against her will, she is being called back by the owner of the donkeys and should come here at once.” The moment he uttered these words, the abducted woman ran out from a nearby garden house and went to Bulleh Shah. For, as it happened, the eunuchs were dancing close by the mansion of the cheiftain. Bulleh Shah at once stopped dancing and called to the husband : “Here is your beloved wife, brother. Take her home and guard her well.” Then, once more rapt in ecstasy, he continued to dance to the bewitching music.

                              Gossips lost no time in going to Bulleh Shah’s father, a very bigoted religionist , and telling him about all that had happened. Not only was his son hiring out donkeys, they repeated with relish, but now he had started to dance with the eunuchs. Greatly distressed, and also very angry, the Saint’s father took a rosary in one hand and a stout stick in the other, hurried to the place where his son was dancing, and called to him by name.

                              “Ah, it is you, father,” said Bulleh Shah, as he heard his name called and stopped dancing. Looking at his father intently the Saint said : “Ordinary people have small rosaries, but my father has a large one. Yet during the whole of his life he has toiled hard and gained nothing of spiritual worth .” As the son, filled with spiritual ardour, gazed at his father, the inner vision of the father was opened and he was raised to higher regions. With a serene and radiant smile on his features, he joined his son in the ecstatic dancing and singing, and as he danced he sang over and over again: “Blessed are the parents who have such spiritual children, for these children gain salvation for their ancestors as well as for themselves.”

                              Quoting Guru Nanak : “ It is not by counting beads or by performing rites and rituals that one can gain salvation and realize the Lord. A perfect Guru thou dost find, then wilt thou be raised to far more blissful realms, and midst laughing, dancing, eating and wearing fine clothes shalt thou obtain salvation .”
                              Attached Files
                              Damian Kissey
                              Shaolin Wahnam Sabah , Malaysia .
                              www.shaolinwahnamsabah.com

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Quoting Guru Nanak : “ It is not by counting beads or by performing rites and rituals that one can gain salvation and realize the Lord. A perfect Guru thou dost find, then wilt thou be raised to far more blissful realms, and midst laughing, dancing, eating and wearing fine clothes shalt thou obtain salvation .”
                                Ah, how wonderful!

                                Thank you again for sharing.

                                From the heart,

                                Emiko
                                Emiko Hsuen
                                www.shaolinwahnam.jp
                                www.shaolinwahnam.ca

                                INTENSIVE & SPECIAL COURSES -- PENANG 2018
                                Taught by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit
                                4th generation successor of the Southern Shaolin Monastery
                                Small and Big Universe Course: Nov 21 to 25
                                Becoming a Shaolin Wahnam Kungfu Practitioner: Nov 26 to Dec 2
                                Cultivating Spirit Nourishing Energy: Dec 2 to Dec 8
                                Intensive Chi Kung Course: Dec 9 to Dec 13
                                To apply, send email to: secretary@shaolin.org

                                Comment

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