The Stranger Among Us

The Man in Red and Blue Robe©
The Man from En-Gedi was among the elders and while they discussed the day’s events a strange figure in red and blue robe also entered the tent and sat among them. The Chaldean saw how he put himself at ease among those bearded wights. He again saw him in the palace of the king who wanted to honor those who were strangers in his realm. The Chaldean being curious asked in whisper to another, “ That man in red and blue, who he might be, a foreigner? ” The man couldn’t answer him. Later he saw him again at a banquet. Strangely he was set down next to him. The Chaldean asked before he downed the last cup of friendship,” The party is about to break up. Each of us shall soon wend his own ways. I am curious. Who you might be?”
The stranger in red and blue robe didn’t answer. The Chaldean asked,” I see you wherever I turn. It seems by fate decreed that you and I have certain business to settle.”
“ You said it,” the stranger replied,” I am Truth.”
My soul is like the stranger. So close and yet I do not care to know what it really is. Instead of relying on Truth that it represents I would rather settle for the opinions of others and pay lip-service to customs that have by repetition lost its meaning.
benny

Time Out

Be True To Yourself
There was an old Hermit from Hushan in China who called on Yen Cho at his home. But the scholar was not in. He was out walking around the countryside. Later in the day the old hermit caught up with him in the middle of a game. The hermit faulted the young man for wasting his time with people from a lower class. “You are a scholar, aren’t you?” asked the elder.
“Yes,” admitted Cho,” But what good is it if I were to treat these peasants as beneath my notice? What good is my scholarship where scholars must bow and scrape before piddling authority?” He had so many reasons to play backgammon with people he explained. He ended saying,
” Who knows I may find myself lucky.”
The hermit observed the game in progress. Yen Cho had lost. The hermit asked, “You call that luck?” Yen Cho got up from the game and said,” My luck may be that I found you instead!”
The man from Hushan said he had heard so much about him and stopped over with the purpose of meeting him. The hermit and the young scholar got on well. The elder over supper admitted that he was cross with him at first. “ Wandering so early,--does not that show a fickle nature to be contrary to the rest? When all remain in bed must you gad about the country?”
Later the hermit then explained that he had found a way to conserve his life- force and he could teach him how. Yen Cho politely refused his offer saying that his life- force ought to be expended by what he was and not by another.
benny
Beware of your gurus and god-men. Don't offer your precious self on a platter. Remember before whom you are casting pearls.

With this friendly caution let me sign off.

Truth Unchained

My Self or conscious self, must put every feature of my nature in terms of others in its place.
To be drawn into my self is a prison as well as a way of escape.
Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection; had he taken his eyes off for a moment to see the changing skies shown on the same pool he would have seen he was as changing as every cloud or as the light that fell on him. That would have sobered him if he cared to. Truth for him stopped with his own image.
benny

W13 D7- My Mentor

Because I have a soul a Me-factor is necessary for me to cut through every confusion that cause and effect may create or when us and them degenerate into haves and haves-not over dollars and cents. “I was one among them,” and as Lord Byron says,” but not one of them.”
Whether we live or die we have something ineffable within ourselves that still bears witness to us. Me- factor is the mentor with regards to my Soul. Because I trust in my own identity, I do not need another to show how I may attain excellence in my life here and beyond.
How good is a spiritual mentor?
It was said of Alcibiades that his faults were held in check as long as Socrates was at hand. Socrates who realized that he had a natural inclination for virtue checked his perverse and impetuous traits to some extent. But removed from his restraining influence Alcibiades took up a course of action that was doomed. It is impossible for any one to live another one’s life. Even the greatest teacher must allow his pupils only what is patently their own. If their naturalness still can come through despite of corrections of experience and wisdom of others it both reflects the teacher and the pupil. Me- factor allows me to keep my wits about and keep focus of my soul.(2 B Cont'd)
benny