WORLD ACCORDING TO BOB

The man of God is drunken without wine, .... Rumi

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Give Little Money

Mullah Nasruddin:

"One day Nasruddin repaired tiles on the roof of his house. While Nasruddin was working on the roof, a stranger knocked the door.
- What do you want? Nasruddin shouted out.
- Come down, replied stranger So I can tell it.
Nasruddin unwilling and slowly climbed down the ladder.
- Well! replied Nasruddin, what was the important thing?
- Could you give little money to this poor old man? begged stranger.
Tired Nasruddin started to climb up the ladder and said,
- Follow me up to the roof.
When both Nasruddin and beggar were upside, on the roof, Nasruddin said,
- The answer is no! "

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

STORY ABOUT FIVE APES

Start with a cage containing five apes. In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it. Before long, an ape will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the Banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with cold water. After a while, another ape attempts with the same result-all the apes are sprayed with cold water. Turn off the cold water. If, later, another ape tries to climb the stairs, the other apes will try to prevent it although no water sprays them.
Now, remove one ape from the cage and replace it with a new one. The New ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the other apes attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted. Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm. Again, replace a third original ape with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well. Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.
After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the apes that have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced. Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs.
Why not? "Because that's the way it's always been around here." Sound familiar?

Edited by Robert Abrahams

WATERING A WITHERING LEAF

Many years ago a Sufi teacher said: If a withering leaf says by its appearance that it needs water and because you have the power to provide it, you also have the duty to do so. The "words" of the leaf crying for help, the manifestation of the command of the Creator of the leaf, are being addressed to you. So, should you wait for a personal command from the Creator (God) before taking action to help? Ask yourself, why the path to divine knowledge (or spiritual transformation) has been given to you. Is it just there to ignore and neglect? Once you have an understanding of the potential for your own spiritual transformation it can become a spiritual, obligation (duty) for you to water that withering leaf.

To me, this story is about desire to serve humanity.

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Christian Mysticism

Inner Explorations Here

Christian Mysticism:
Where the mysticism of John of the Cross enters into dialogue with modern attempts to renew the contemplative life like centering prayer, Christian meditation and the Catholic charismatic movement"

Monday, June 06, 2005

Sufism and Science - Free E Books

Ahmed Baki's Sufism and Science Page

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SUFI WORDS OF WISDOM
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