â€‹Perspective

Aaron Zehah
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Perspektive
von Aaron Zehah

Ein armer Mann lebte mit seiner Frau und seinen sechs Kindern in einer kleinen Hütte. Sie kamen sich immer in die Quere, und es gab so wenig Platz, dass sie kaum atmen konnten! Schließlich konnte der Mann es nicht mehr ertragen. Er sprach mit seiner Frau und fragte sie, was sie tun sollten. "Geh zum Rabbi", sagte sie, und nachdem er eine Weile dagegen argumentiert hatte, ging er denn doch.

Der Rabbi begrüßte ihn und sagte: "Ich sehe, dass dich etwas bedrückt. Was auch immer es ist, du kannst es mir sagen."

Und so erzählte der arme Mann dem Rabbi, wie erbärmlich die Dinge zu Hause bei ihm, seiner Frau und den sechs Kindern waren, die alle in einem Raum aßen und lebten und schliefen. Der arme Mann sagte dem Rabbiner: "Wir fangen sogar an, einander anzuschreien und miteinander zu kämpfen. Das Leben könnte schlimmer nicht sein."

Der Rabbi dachte sehr intensiv über das Problem des armen Mannes nach. Dann sagte er: "Tut genau das, was ich euch sage, und die Dinge werden besser werden. Versprichst du es mir?"

"Ich verspreche es", sagte der arme Mann.

Der Rabbi stellte dem armen Mann dann eine seltsame Frage. "Besitzt du irgendwelche Tiere?"

"Ja", sagte er. "Ich habe eine Kuh, eine Ziege und ein paar Hühner."

"Gut", sagte der Rabbi. "Wenn du nach Hause kommst, nimm alle Tiere mit in dein Haus, damit sie bei euch wohnen."

Der arme Mann war erstaunt, diesen Rat vom Rabbiner zu hören, aber er hatte versprochen, genau das zu tun, was der Rabbi sagte. Also ging er nach Hause und brachte alle Nutztiere in die winzige Hütte.

Am nächsten Tag rannte der arme Mann zurück, um den Rabbiner zu sehen. "Was hast du mit mir gemacht, Rabbi?", rief er. "Es ist schrecklich. Ich habe getan, was du mir gesagt hast, und die Tiere sind überall im Haus! Rabbi, hilf mir!" Der Rabbiner hörte zu und sagte ruhig: "Jetzt geh nach Hause und bring die Hühner wieder nach draußen."

Der arme Mann tat, was der Rabbi gesagt hatte, eilte aber am nächsten Tag wieder zurück. "Die Hühner sind weg, aber Rabbi, die Ziege!" stöhnte er. "Die Ziege zerschlägt alle Möbel und frisst alles in Sichtweite!" Der gute Rabbi antwortete: "Geh nach Hause und bring die Ziege hinaus, und möge Gott dich segnen."

Also ging der arme Mann nach Hause und brachte die Ziege nach draußen. Aber am nächsten Morgen lief er weinend und jammernd wieder zurück, um den Rabbi zu sehen. "Was für ein Albtraum hast du in mein Haus gebracht, Rabbi! Mit der Kuh ist es wie in einem Stall! Können Menschen mit so einem Tier leben?"

Der Rabbiner sagte freundlich: "Mein Freund, du hast Recht. Möge Gott dich segnen. Geh jetzt nach Hause und bring die Kuh aus dem Haus." Der arme Mann ging schnell nach Hause und brachte die Kuh aus dem Haus.

Am nächsten Tag kam der Mann wieder zum Rabbiner zurück. "O Rabbi", sagte er mit einem strahlenden Lächeln im Gesicht, "Wir haben jetzt ein so gutes Leben. Die Tiere sind alle aus dem Haus. Das Haus ist so ruhig und wir haben sogar noch Platz übrig! Was für eine Freude!"

Kernfragen zum Nachdenken:: Was hältst du von dem Gedanken, dass es unsere Wahrnehmung ist, die unsere Erfahrungen prägt? Kannst du eine persönliche Geschichte aus einer Zeit erzählen, in der das Bewusstsein für deine Perspektive, die deine Erfahrung prägt, es dir erlaubt hat, deine Wahrnehmung und damit deine Erfahrung zu verändern? Was hilft dir, zu erkennen, dass du die Freiheit hast, deine Perspektive zu beeinflussen?

Ari's Awakin Mar 6th Awakin Marin Reading (sent via email)

SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to our perspective shaping our experiences? Can you share a personal story of a time when awareness of your perspective shaping your experience allowed you to shift your perspective and thereby, your experience? What helps you recognize your freedom to shape your perspective?

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7 Past Reflections

On May 15, 2020 Andy wrote :

These short story's are entertaining and comforting .
Brings a smile for the day ahead.

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On Oct 2, 2018 Harman wrote :

I read this story of some one somewhere..

There was a guy who was a player, a sportsman. One day when he was playing a crucial match of his life, he was injured and he lost the match.. He was very disappointed with that and asked god why me... but he got no answer. He went to hospital and his leg was perhaps fractured.. Then in the next few days he started retrospecting his life about where things went wrong and he realized all through his life he had won so many matches where he did not even deserve to win and he never asked god why me.. but soon as he lost this match he started complaining god.. He felt sorry about complaining and accepted the fate.

I hope you get the idea..

Forgive me If I am mistaken with exact story.. as I dont remember who that player was..

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On Oct 2, 2018 Jyotima wrote :

Myself Jyotima, When i was very young i was diagnosed with disease names Takayashu. I was always sick and moving around doctors. I used to complain a lot, crib, cry and use to ask “ Why Me”. Why i have to suffer so much, why I am going thru all this. Why can’t i live a normal life. My life became a life of a victim. While this was all going there was so much good also happening in my life. My supportive parents, my well paying job,good life style, beautiful home, my loving husband ,adorable kids and caring friends all around, which i never noticed and appreciated. In year 2010 when my health deterioted and life got me the situation where i could see death very closely , i got the awakening and realisation of life , how blessed i was. Every breathe was so precious , every moment is a blessing which i spent in complaining . That was a turning time in my life which shaped my perspective of life and started practicing “ Gratitude” for my every bre... [View Full Comment]

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On Oct 2, 2018 Paul Hunter wrote :

A couple of years ago my mother passed away and a separation also led to me being apart from my son for what seemed like unbearable periods of time. I have practiced Vipassana and Anapana for quite a while but even so I could not work with the pain I experienced and had no equanimity.

As a surfer I began to remember the pain associated with being held down by a large wave, the feeling of needing to breath but not being able to. I felt relief in my body that I could breath freely, without restiriction. From there I began to see that, though I was living in my van, I had shelter from the harsh weather. I began to recall that I had food that day and was not starving.

This practice of gratitude eventually brought me back to my breath, which brought me back to observing bodily sensations. It may be this practice of gratitude that saved my life.

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On Sep 30, 2018 david doane wrote :

I see the effects of our experience and perspective being circular, shaping one another, the circular process starting with experience which to me is basic and primary. Oscar Wilde said, "Nothing worth knowing can be taught." That is, it's learned by experience which shapes our perspective which shapes our experience. That's what happened in Aaron Zehah's story. Once the man experienced the increased crowding in his little home, his perspective changed. And with a different perspective his experience in his home changed. In all matters, my experiences have ongoingly shaped my perspective whch has shaped my experience.

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On Sep 29, 2018 Jagdish P Dave wrote :

The world is how we see it. What lense we are using shapes the experience of the world we live in. The poor man in this story saw his world, the small house he lives in with his wife and his six children sleeping in the small room as a source of his misery. When his house was filled with chickens,a goat and a cow he realized how much misrable he became. Now he gained another perspective to look at the same house he lived in. This new and different perspective changed his old perspective. How we look at our life and how we relate to it makes a big diifference.Our awareness of our perspective shapes our expereince. Mindful awareness helps us to create a clear perspective of living with deep contentment with the world we live in.Our house becomes a home. When I was growing up in a family composed of four brothers, three sisters and parents living in a small house, We did not feel miserable. We learnt the art of living by living in a small houe wi... [View Full Comment]

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On Sep 29, 2018 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :

We become the stories we tell and focus upon. I love this folktale and used to tell it when I performed for families at libraries and schools. :) In my own life I am currently wrestling with the idea of relocating out of Washington DC where I moved 4 years ago. I keep asking myself, "am I seeing the full picture" or am I focusing on a negative perspective: is it really too "noisy" here with the current political atomsphere and activism that's now nearly 24/7? I ask myself to remember all the good here too: the amazing Burning Man and couchsurfing communities, the deeply heartfelt All Souls Unitarian church I attend. The fact that it's a walkable city. My housemates whom I lovingly refer to as the Golden Girls as they are in their 70s and 80! So many blessings. And yes, DC is tough to live in at the moment too. So I meditate and pray and ask, "what is best for my heart and soul" and may I see the full picture with gratitude too. I hope this helps... :) To shape perspective in a b... [View Full Comment]