Inspirational Stories: Wisdom for the Journey

All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality - the story of escape. It is the only thing which interests us all and at all times, how to escape. --Walter Bagehot

As the above quote says, all the best stories are about escape. They are about escaping from a place of lack, of something missing, to find that which ultimately fulfills. Very simple. But oh, so many variations!

Every story is a metaphor for finding the divine, whether the author knows it or not. Every love story is about finding the Beloved. Every story about freedom is finding the ultimate freedom from limitation of matter and time. Every adventure is a reminder that Consciousness is expressing itself in countless ways, through many dramas, and just like in a dream that affects not the witness of the dream, the Author is untouched by the events on the page.

The inspirational tales that you will find here are stories that will lead you out of the world, where death seems to stalk around every corner, to the timeless place of your true Self, God, All That Is, or whatever name you may call the Infinite. No other escape is worthwhile, for every world goal attained will only last a fleeting moment before another quest is demanded. Until finally, after so many journeys completed, the hero seeks the final destination.

And when that final goal is attained, the greatest joke is played out. The hero realized that no journey was ever needed to be made--the goal was always here and now.

Some of the inspirational stories you will find in my books Silent Ripples: Parables for the Soul, The Teachings of Yama: A Conversation with Death (some of which are traditional wisdom stories retold), and The Boy and the Python: And Other Wisdom Tales. Here is also a link to a site with some uplifting stories at Inspirational Short Stories.

What I hope that you will take away from the stories that you will read, besides the wisdom that is inherited in them, is that you will come to a place of remembering that you are living your own story. That Consciousness is uniquely expressing through you as It plays in matter wrapped in the shroud of the you who you think you are. The Sanskrit word, Leela, means roughly, "Divine Play." The world is seen as a Leela, a Divine Play.

As a parent or educator you can also use your own personal stories, one's you make up, or other's tales to plant seeds for character development. You can read an article here to find out more about this.

So have fun, be an inspirational story, and remember, when you are on your deathbed, you will have to watch the rerun of your life, so make it a good one.  

Inspirational Stories

"Death Rat"

"The Ancient One"

Inspirational Stories: Wisdom for the Journey

Inspirational Story: "The Ant and the Honey"

Inspirational Story: "The Desert Spring"

Inspirational Story: "War and Peace"

Inspirational Story: "The Tigress and the Mouse"

Inspirational Story: "The Sage"

The Power of Love