The monks who knew how to walk on water
Today on the Cannactiva blog we bring you a story to tell around a fire on these cold days, in the hope that you have a good time with it. We hope you like it!
The monks who knew how to walk on water
Once upon a time there was a young man who had decided to enter a monastery in search of peace and knowledge. He thought that, by spending some time in silence and meditation, his worries and problems would fade away.
On his first day, the boy sat by the lake with all his hopes and dreams. As he meditated and watched the calm water rippling before him, he saw something extraordinary in the distance: two monks were walking on it!
The young man could not believe what he was seeing; it had to be an illusion. The two monks were moving across the water in an impressive display of mental power.
From then on, every morning, as soon as dawn broke through the darkness of the night, the boy went out to watch the monks cross the lake, walking silently and gracefully over its waters to fill their jugs at the spring on the far shore.
He wanted to ask them how they did it, but he knew he should not interrupt their meditation or disturb them on their spiritual journey. So every morning, when they walked past him on their way back after collecting water for the monastery, he simply bowed in deep admiration.
The young apprentice was eagerly waiting for his moment to put himself to the test: perhaps one day, very soon, he too would be able to walk on water.
And so it was that, one morning, the boy made up his mind to take his first steps on the water. However, he failed at that first attempt, and at every one that followed.
Every morning, the apprentice pursued his goal with renewed determination, but he always ended up with his clothes soaked through. It was a sight that all his fellow monks had grown used to over the past few weeks.
The monks watched the young man as he tried to reach them, day after day. They never said a word, but their eyes were full of compassion and understanding.
One day, the younger monk turned to his older companion and asked: “Shall we tell him where the stones are for crossing the lake?” The older monk smiled, but shook his head.
The moral
Although we human beings have intuition, instinct and a capacity for intelligence that goes beyond logical reasoning, very often anxiety and the urge to reach our goals at all costs, without considering the natural learning process, stop us from seeing the logical path.
The story encourages us to walk without judging, from a place of relaxation and well-being.
At the end of the story, the monk’s refusal to tell the apprentice the truth is perhaps meant to make us reflect on correcting (or advising) others along their path. Perhaps it is telling us that mistakes are a necessary part of learning.
Of course, there are other interpretations: that you should follow your own path; that paying too much attention to others makes you waste your time; that what seems incredible may actually be something very simple; or perhaps the story is just a reminder of the power of the mind to fool us, with reality being different from what we perceive.
I don’t know where the story really comes from; I think someone told it to me many years ago, and I like to pass it on myself from time to time. I hope it made you smile!
Stories to tell around a campfire
It’s winter, it’s cold, and it’s time to seek the warmth of the fire and share stories by the light of a campfire, or a candle, with your loved ones.
Telling and listening to stories has been part of humanity since its very beginnings. These tales not only pass on experiences and memories, they also have the power to inspire, entertain, spark dreams and leave their mark. And behind every story there can be many interpretations, lessons or morals.
At other times, stories have turned ordinary things into extraordinary tales. We told you about it in our 2023 winter greeting, when we revealed the secret of the Phoenix, but there is another example in the Three Wise Men, who, according to a popular reading, would be a reference to the three bright stars of Orion’s Belt.
Have you noticed that there are dozens of carols and Christmas songs, in every language, but very few songs about summer or spring? In our view, this is because, in winter, the long nights invite us to make things up, imagine, sing and, above all, tell stories.
The magic of storytelling is still as captivating today as it was in the very beginning, when people sat around a campfire to keep warm, swapping short anecdotes almost by chance, sheltered by the strength and warmth of the fire.
We hope you enjoy plenty of pleasant, inspiring stories this winter. Warm wishes and see you next time, Cannactivist!
