Gabriella’s Tree

There once was a mythical tree called “The Maestro” that stood tall in the rainforests above Orotina in Costa Rica.  The legend goes that on only the rarest of occasions this special tree would speak to someone making their way through the rainforest.  One day, a girl named Gabriella decided she would enter the rainforest to visit the Rio Machacu when she came upon the Maestro.  She was quite troubled by something going on in her life and she didn’t know how to handle her current predicament.  She pleaded for an answer when all of a sudden, she was stopped in her tracks by a voice that seemed to drop down from thin air.  She heard quite clearly, through the breeze, “Gabriella, it is I, the Maestro.”

Gabriella stopped and looked around the rainforest and saw no one.  At first, she believed that she was hearing things and continued her trek to the river in the hopes of clearing her mind of her troubles.  She walked no more than one or two steps when she heard again, “Gabriella, it is I, the Maestro.  Stop and have a chat with me.”

Slightly confused, Gabriella did as was requested, and stopped.  She looked up at the tall, magnificent creature and stood silently before the Maestro.  Finally, she asked, “What is it that you want?”

“I know you are troubled, but I want you to know that there is nutrition in every experience.  Even those we don’t ‘like’ have lessons that our soul has called upon to learn in an effort to remember that we are One with the Universe.  No matter the situation, your soul called on Creation to deliver the very experience you need in order to evolve to your Highest Self.  What you perceive as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is neither; instead, these are lessons being delivered by your Highest Self with the sole intention of expanding your consciousness.”

“If nothing is good or bad, how would you suggest that I view these experiences?” Gabriella asked.

As the wind cascaded through the Maestro’s limbs Gabriella heard, “You must experience everything in your life with complete and utter neutrality understanding that your soul desired to learn these lessons in order for you to remember the most important truth—you are One with the Source.  Every experience brought before you is for your Greatest good.  Consider everything is a gift and a reminder that you are connected to everything.  Come to the space of gratitude for each of these experiences by thanking them for reminding you that we are forever One.”

“How do we reach neutrality?” Gabriella asked.

“There is only one pathway,” the Maestro replied.  “It is that of Silence.  It is only in utter silence that you will experience the Cosmic Oneness.  You must sit in complete silence.  If you happen to forget this lesson, come to me and I will remind you of how to exist in perfect silent being-ness.”

Gabriella sat beneath the Maestro and stilled her mind; no answers came.  She made several more trips to the Maestro in the future never hearing this beautiful tree speak again.  Each time Gabriella needed to be reminded of this lesson she went and sat beneath the Maestro to help her remember.

When you see a tree, remember this story.  The trees are the masters among us, reminding us of the power of silence.

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