Odyssey Magazine Issue 1, 2016 | Page 97

column

THEHUMANCONDITION
Covering the Sun with
One’s Hand

A disciple sought Rabbi Nahman of Braslaw:
'I will no longer study the sacred texts,' he said. 'I live in
a small house with my brothers and parents, and I never
have the ideal conditions to be able to concentrate on
what is important.'
Nahman pointed to the sun and asked his disciple to place
his hand in front of his face, so as to hide it. The disciple
did that.
'Your hand is small; however, it was able to block entirely
the strength, the light and the majesty of the huge sun.
The same way, small problems are able to give you the
necessary excuse not to go on on your spiritual search.
'Just as the hand has the power of hiding the sun,
mediocrity has the power of hiding your inner light. Do not

'No, it is his fault, he never pays attention to what he
does,' answered the wife.

'One moment,' said the priest, 'We are always blaming one
another for things we never did and we end up carrying a
burden that does not belong to us. Did it occur to you that
the r obbers are the ones guilty of the robbery?'

God and the Love of Man
A man went up to the philosopher Ramanuja and asked
him: 'Show me the way up to God.'
'Have you ever fallen in love with someone?'
'Fallen in love? What does the great master mean by that?
I promised myself never to get close to a woman, I run
from them like someone tries to escape from a disease,'
he said. 'I don’t even look at them; when they pass, I
close my eyes, so I am always concentrated in my spiritual

blame others for your own incompetence.'

search.'

Who is to Blame?

your entire life, had a moment of passion that left your

A couple went on vacation and as they returned, they
found their home broken in; the robbers had taken
everything.
The husband blamed his wife, saying the doors had not
been secured. She affirmed he had forgotten to lock the
door. A long discussion took place, until the neighbours
called a priest to calm them down.
'It is her fault – she has always been negligent,' said the
husband.

'Think back to your past and try to recall if you never, in
body and your spirit filled with fire.'
'I came here to learn how to pray and not to learn how to
fall in love with a woman,' said the man.
Ramanuja stayed in silence for a moment and finally he
said:
'I can’t help you. If you have never experienced love, you
will never be able to experience the peace of a prayer.
Therefore, go back to your city, fall in love, and seek me
again when your soul is filled with happy moments.' O

©Translated by James Mulholland • Travel with Paulo through his blogs, visit www.paulocoelhoblog.com

ODYSSEY 97
• 

DIGIMAG