What matters.

Once upon a time there was a world famous teacher in north-western India. It just so happened that one of the high class students had been named ‘Bad’ by his parents. One day he thought, “When I am told, ‘Come Bad’, ‘Go Bad’, ‘Do this Bad’, it is not nice for me or others. It even sounds disgraceful and unlucky.” So he went to the teacher and asked him to give him a more pleasant name, one that would bring good fortune rather than bad.

The teacher said, “Go my son, go wherever you like and find a more fortunate name. When you return, I will officially give you your new name.” The young man named Bad left the city, and traveled from village to village until he came to a big town. A man had just died and Bad asked what his name was. People said, “His name was Alive.” “Alive also died?” asked Bad. The people answered, “Whether his name be Alive or whether it be Dead, in either case he must die. A name is merely a word used to recognize a person. Only a fool would not know this!” After hearing this, Bad no longer felt badly about his own name, but he didn’t feel good about it either.

After leaving the town, along the roadside he met a man who had lost his way. He asked him, “What is your name? ” He replied, ‘My name is Tourguide.” “You mean to say that even a Tourguide has gotten lost?” asked Bad. Then the man said, “Whether my name be Tourguide or whether it be Tourist, in either case I have lost my way. A name is merely a word used to recognize a person. Only a fool would not know this!” Later, Bad came to a realization…

Now completely satisfied with his own name, Bad returned to his teacher and decided to keep his name and work on what mattered.

And working on what matters can be daunting, intimidating, right…?? People tends to be fearful and seek out there their purpose and meaning, because that is what they have been taught, by their families, by their religions, by their culture and societies overall. So they compare and work towards becoming this and that, they refuse to look within so they escape it–seek refuge and distraction from themselves in the world. But their identities are not a name, a mental program, a lifestyle they have been taught; and this is their weakness, they do not know themselves… And do you know yourself…??

Now, to know yourself is to accept yourself completely; and to accept yourself completely is to erase fears of being lonely, or of having losses, or of being left by others, or of making mistakes and being shamed by others. To see this and to cross that bridge. To embrace yourself fully by seeking all inside yourself, it is how your life and your situations become clear. And now there is no fear, because you know that fear inside you and you became one with it