Black & White Birds

People's relationships can be compared with two facing walls.  Each wall is full of small holes in which nest black and white birds.  Black birds are dark thoughts. White birds are pure thoughts.

 
Because of their size, white birds can only enter into the white bird holes.  The black birds likewise.  Now let's suppose there are two people, Usuf and Ali. Usuf, convinced that Ali thinks evil of him, emits thoughts full of hate.  In doing so he releases a black bird and, at the same time, a nest/hole from his wall is freed.  The black bird flies towards Ali and looks for a nest there.  If Ali has not sent his black bird towards Usuf (i.e., if he has not made any negative thoughts about him), then none of his black holes will be free.  Not finding a nest, the black bird will return to Usuf, caring with it the evil vibrations, thus destroying Usuf. 

Lets suppose that Ali has sent an evil thought.  In doing so he releases a hole in his wall in which Usuf's black bird can nest fulfilling its mission!  At the same time, Ali's black bird flies towards Usuf and, finding another empty nest, does the same.  So the two black birds fulfill their mission which is the destruction of their target.

But as soon as they fulfill their mission, they return to their base according to the ancient law: "Everything returns to its source." 

The evil returns to the sender, thus damaging him.  Same with white birds.  If we only send good thoughts to our enemy, while he is sending negative thoughts, then his black birds, not finding a nest, return to him.  While the white birds, not finding a nest, return to us full of positive energy.

In conclusion, if we only send good thoughts, they will return and strengthen us.  That's why we must always bless and wish the best for our friends as well as our enemies.  That way, the blessing not only goes towards others, but also some day returns to us with its blessings.   

This story is from the teachings of Tierno Bokar, a sufi from Mali

Perfecting One's Inheritance

Today (January 21, 2013), in the United States, there is a federal holiday recognizing the birth of Martin Luther King Jr. (who was born on January 15, 1929).  Martin Luther King Jr. spoke incisively about the need for humankind to stand up straight, and the psychological consequences of failing to escape to yoke of power-over authority.  He stated:

"We must straighten our backs and work for our freedom.  A man can't ride you unless your back is bent."

Allama Iqbal wrote in Baal-i-Jibreel something that speaks to an awakening that would surely birth a straight path.  

"I fear not the darkness of the night;
My nature is bred in purity and light;
Wayfarer of the night! Be a lamp to thyself;
With thy passion’s flame, make thy darkness bright."

And then there is Tierno Bokar, a Muslim sufi who was born in Segou, Mali, and lived during the French colonial rule.  He speaks to a subject which both Iqbal and King would have appreciated.

"Some believe that to develop is to break completely with all of one's traditions, often through 'snobbism,' in order to adopt those of a race whose ways one admire.  For us, to develop is to perfect our inheritance, which is not made up merely of our homes and our fields: it is also to improve our thinking, our entire way of being.

That which fits in a country of temperate climate cannot entirely suit a tropical country.  We see our Soudanese children copying Arabs or Europeans more or less awkwardly according to their upbringing.  They are like those waterfalls that expend themselves in rushing uselessly over slabs of stone without ever flowing into a lake to ease their mad and fruitless course."

~ Tierno Bokar (from the highly recommended, A Spirit of Tolerance: The Inspiring Life of Tierno Bokar, by Amadou Hampate Ba)

Although these great persons were seemingly speaking to a specific people, about specific conditions, they were really speaking to all of humanity.  May the message of these messengers find a home in hearts, and grow there.

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Notable Link: http://www.tiernobokar.columbia.edu/pdfs/estienne_bokar.pdf