is this heaven

Published 5 months ago • 1 min read

There once was a powerful samurai, known for his temper, who visited a Zen monk and asked him:

“Teach me the difference between heaven and hell.”

The monk looked at him and laughed:

“You? A samurai? You are nothing but a brute! Your sword is dull, your skills are weak and your presence is an insult to true warriors.”

The samurai’s face turned red with rage.

He grabbed his sword and raised it, ready to strike the monk.

The monk said calmly: “That is hell.”

The samurai froze. He realized the monk had provoked his anger to teach him.

Lowering his sword, he bowed in deep respect.

The monk smiled: “And that,” he said, “is heaven.”

…
This is exactly what happens when you believe your inner critic:

You feed it and you step into hell.

But when you realize it’s just a thought, you take back control.

You get to observe, create distance and step into heaven.

Your inner critic only has power when you choose to believe it.

And the truth is that thoughts are just thoughts… until you decide otherwise.

So next time you catch yourself stepping into “inner critic” hell:

Think of the Samurai.
Pause.
And choose Heaven.

Much love,
Alex

PS: What I’m reading: Change your Thoughts - Change your life by Wayne Dyer
What I’m watching: The Gentleman
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