Tag Archives: The did you know guy
How to Use Essential Oils: Citronella
Chinese Farmer Zen Story
Chinese Farmer Zen Story
Here is a lovely Zen story, popularly known as the Chinese farmer Zen story or the “Good luck bad luck” Zen story.
An elderly, hard-working Chinese farmer and his son, had a single horse. They used the horse to plow the field, to sow the seeds, grow the crop, and transport it to the market. The horse was essential for the farmer to earn his livelihood.
One morning, the horse broke the fence and ran away into the woods. When the neighbors found out that the only horse the farmer had, had run away, they came to solace him. They said – “Your only horse has run away just before the planting season. How will you till the land? How will you sow the seeds? This is unfortunate. This is bad luck.”
The farmer replied – “Good luck, bad luck. Who knows?”
A few days later the farmer’s horse returned from the woods along with two other wild horses. When the neighbors found out the news, they said – ” Now you have three horses! You can till the land much faster with three horses. Maybe you can buy more land and sow more crop and make more money. Or you can sell the other two horses. Either way, you will be a rich man! This is good luck! “
The wise farmer replied – “Good luck, bad luck. Who knows?”
Next morning, the farmer’s son started training the wild horses so that they would help till the land. While attempting to mount one of the wild horses, he fell down and broke his leg. Just before the sowing season, the son would not be able to help the farmer with his broken leg. The neighbors came once again and commented – ” This is really unfortunate. This is bad luck.“
The wise farmer repeated – “Good luck, bad luck. Who knows?”
A few days later, the king’s men started to visit each village in the kingdom. A war had started between their kingdom and a neighboring enemy state. The king’s men were enlisting the eldest son from each family to join the army so that they could defeat the enemy state. When they came to the farmer’s house they saw the son with the broken leg. He would not be of much use in the army and hence they didn’t take him. He was the only eldest son in the entire village who was not forcibly taken by the king’s men to fight the war. The neighbors, some of them with teary eyes, came once again to the farmer and commented – “Your son breaking his leg was really fortunate. He is the only one who was not taken. What a stroke of good luck.“
The farmer calmly replied – “Good luck, bad luck. Who knows?”
Every single time the neighbors thought that what had happened to the farmer was bad luck, it turned out to be good luck! And just when the neighbor’s thought that the incidents had brought the farmer good luck, it turned out to be bad luck! Have you had similar experiences in your own life? What you thought was a setback turned out to be a blessing? And what you thought was unfortunate turned out to be beneficial? However, in the interim, we go through an emotional roller-coaster of happiness and sadness!
The moral of the story?
As human beings, we have a tendency to interpret any and all events as either good or bad. Often we do it unconsciously. When we interpret events as good luck, we are usually happy and vice-versa. However, most events, like in the story, that are beyond our control are just events! There is nothing we can do about these events that are beyond our control, except accepting them and moving on. Adding our interpretation and the emotional drama into the mix is usually counterproductive and stops us from moving forward.
In fact, the moral of the story is nicely summarized in the “serenity prayer”
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
As told by Tushar Vakil
How to Use Essential Oils: Cinnamon Bark
Greek Proverb
Life Can Be Short
His request approved, the CNN News photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight. He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport. arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger. He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, “lets go”. the pilot taxied out swung the plane into the wind and took off. Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, ‘fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.” Why?” asked the pilot. “Because I’m a photographer for CNN”, he responded, “and I need to get some close up shots for the News” The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, then finally he stammered. So what your telling me is… You’re NOT my flight instructor?”
Essential Oils in the Bible
For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
Hebrews 9:19
How to Use Essential Oils: Cilantro
How to Use Essential Oils: Celery Seed
Cautions
Possible skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctors care, consult your physician.
Be the Best of Whatever You Are
If you can’t be a pine on the top of a hill,
Be a scrub in the valley– but be
The best little scrub by the side of the hill;
Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.
If you can’t be a bush be a bit of grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can’t be a trout then just be a bass–
But be the liveliest bass in the lake!
We can’t all be captains, we’ve got to be crew.
There’s something for all of us here.
There’s big work to do,
and there’s lesser to do.
And the task you must do is near.
If you can’t be a highway then just be the trail.
If you can’t be the sun be a star:
It isn’t by size that you win or fail.
Be the best of whatever you are.
Douglas Malloch
One way I am my best is when I am using, and sharing, essential oils one drop, and one bottle at a time. Be the best of whatever you are, and go share it.
Len's Oils 