Parable of the white horse

There is a parable about a farmer who owned a beautiful white horse. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the man replied.

The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it a dozen wild horses. "You are so lucky," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man.

When his son tried to ride one of the wild horses, he was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the man.

A few weeks later military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer.

Many unexpected things happen in life. Initially we may feel each one is either good or bad. But we need to accept what has happened and move on with our lives without letting that event define us. Be willing to be open to new possibilities and release any feelings that may hold us back from experiencing the fullness that life offers. We cannot know everything, but we can appreciate how vast and amazing life is.

Important lessons are often learned in hard times. Life is full of change. We will always experience times of joy and times of sorrow. This is the fabric of life.

Sometimes we are forced into change we do not want. For example someone may lose their job and feel depressed and worried about the future. But out of necessity they may find or discover a new job or career that uses more of their natural talents and skills than their previous job. It is best not to get too upset or attached to what happens in life.

Yoga teaches acceptance. It teaches acceptance of each moment, respect for our bodies and equanimity of our minds. Yoga can help us be more aware of our gifts and limitations without becoming egotistical or depressed. We can learn that each moment changes and some days are better than others but nothing is static for long. Just turn to the breath, the essence of life, and use that to guide your practice.

Every day brings new challenges and rewards. We can experience our sorrows deeply and then let go. We can fully delight in our joyous times which will inevitably be interrupted. And we can appreciate the moments of stillness and peace that refresh and replenish us.