Dear John,

I’d like to share an illustrative little story someone sent us:
A young man who was receiving training from his guru was going about his duties, and the guru noticed he seemed a little depressed. The guru asked, “My boy, why are you so sad?” And the young man replied, “Sir, I love hearing you speak about the Bhagavad Gita. But the problem is I don’t remember much afterwards. It just goes in one ear and out the other. The other boys easily talk about the holy teachings, and yet I know nothing. I really wonder if I’m worthy of being here.”

The guru was thoughtful for a moment. Then he asked the boy to bring the coal basket, and the boy ran quickly to the stove and brought it back. The inside of the basket was completely covered with black coal dust. The master said to him, “Fill that basket with water from the river and bring it back to me.” When the boy looked befuddled, the master said, “Don’t be worried. Just do as I say.”

So the boy dipped the basket into the river, but before he could get back to the guru all the water had leaked out. The guru said, “Do it again.”

Five times the boy went to the river and filled the basket with water. Each time he ran faster and faster in an effort to get back while there was still some water in the basket, but it was always empty by the time he returned.

Finally the boy said, “Teacher, you have given me an impossible task! It’s useless to try to bring you water in this leaky thing.” And the guru said, “You think it is useless? Look inside the basket.” The young man looked and saw that the basket was now completely clean. The water had washed away every trace of coal.

And the master explained to him: “You may not remember or understand everything when we study the Bhagavad Gita and talk about these holy teachings. But just letting the teachings flow through you will gradually change your consciousness until your heart is cleansed of delusion and darkness.”

Then the master put his arm lovingly around the young disciple and said, “Just remember: God is not a scholar, God is a lover. And if you seek Him sincerely, one day you will see how He has changed you utterly.”

In many ways this story illustrates the spiritual transformation that happens through the flow of divine energy. If we get behind the outer-shell appearances to the underlying energy we can move mountains.

Here are a few examples: