Spiritual Stories

You're Not Who You Think You Are - A Spiritual Short Story

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:17:23 -0400

Get inspired by reading original parables and spiritual storyes by Lydia Cade such as the one below. A small chinchilla was walking through a forest of wood scraps when a little bird started singing nearby. He craned his little neck to see who was making this beautiful music, but the bird was nowhere to be seen. He ran up onto a boulder, his little heart pounding so hard that he almost couldn’t hear the beautiful music anymore.

Where was that darn bird?! Just then he felt the delicate touch of a feather brush his cheek, so he whirled around in that direction only to find… nothing. The music was getting louder now and the air was obviously being swished around by what must have been wings.

The aggravated chinchilla gave an emphatic sigh as he plopped down onto his rock. As he gave one last glance around, he sat up with a start as his eyes finally made contact with the bird! Ah ha! There she is! He moved slowly over to the bird so as not to scare her away, and peered into her beady little eyes.

“Why have you been hiding from me, Miss Canary?” His mouth opened in rage. “Hey, stop copying me! Would you please stop mimicking every word and move I make?!”

Now he was right up in her face; forget about being polite. “What’s the big idea?!”

His nose was right up to hers. “I have half a mind to pluck every fea… TAP!!” went the mirror against his beak as he passed out in fright.
- Spiritual Story by Laura Cade

Champion - A Spiritual Story

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:02:00 -0500

Read this original spiritual story written by me, Chris Cade

As a child, Shiloh was often teased and ridiculed by her peers, not unlike many people in this world. After years of this, she became fed up and decided that she had experienced enough of this torment and would learn karate to defend herself.

After all, she knew that if she stood up for herself then all the bullies would leave her alone. Upon learning this, Shiloh’s mom brought her to the local community center for lessons, but those were no match for her spirit, and Shiloh excelled so quickly she needed more formal training.

A few years went by, and at the young age of eleven and after some serious physical training that would level most adults, Shiloh earned her first degree black belt at a local martial arts school. Her parents were proud; after all, their daughter had accomplished more in her first eleven years than many accomplish in entire lifetimes… or even multiple lifetimes for that matter.

Still, there are some people who believe that an eleven year old is too young to understand the depths of martial arts. Not only are eleven year olds typically immature emotionally, but they also have not had ample opportunity for spiritual development. That’s what society says, at least.

Shiloh was different.

Through her training, Shiloh learned to become at peace with her life. She no longer took insults personally, and her physical and mental bodies were so finely tuned that Shiloh managed to avoid physical confrontation even in the most unlikely of times. If anybody exemplified the best of humanity, it was found in this quiet and soft-spoken eleven year old girl.

Continuing her vigorous training, Shiloh earned her second degree black belt a few years later. Somewhere along the way, she had taken a liking to forms competition. These competitions were a lot like the figure skating people watch on television: personally choreographed routines carefully and consciously synchronized to music.

It was in these competitive arenas where Shiloh truly felt alive. There was nothing like being in the ‘Zone’ as many athletes call it. The Zone is a unique place where nothing exists except the present moment. There is no future… there is no possibility of ‘messing up’… and there is no past…. no remembrance of how one got there.

Although winning was the defined goal, Shiloh didn’t compete for the fame of first place; she competed for the passion. In the local arena, she was a big fish. A big fish in a little pond, mind you, but still a big fish. Even then, Shiloh knew something wasn’t quite right and her fourteen year old spirit was unsettled. It was only a matter of time before she came to understand why.

Shiloh’s instructor had taught her well; he had taught her to succeed under all conditions no matter how adverse. He taught her that limits only exist in her mind and that her spirit would guide her to heights unimaginable. In learning these lessons and impressing them upon the greatest depths of her soul, Shiloh knew that her instructor had taken her as far as he could.

Realizing her future was elsewhere, Shiloh made the very difficult decision to seek out another instructor. She now sought the best of the best. In fact, in her heart she knew the best wasn’t good enough. She needed a champion who could train her to be a champion.

After some investigation, she found a mid-twenties Irishman, Carroll, who had the skills to take her to the top. He was a five time world champion. No longer was being a big fish in a little pond satisfying Shiloh’s spirit, and thus, Carroll agreed to train her, despite her limiting beliefs.

You see, when they first met, Carroll asked Shiloh, “What is your goal?” She responded quickly and passionately, “To be National Champion!” Quite a lofty goal, indeed, particularly for somebody her age.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Carroll solemnly responded, which infused Shiloh with immense confusion. “How could National Champion be a bad thing?” she thought. She didn’t just think it, she asked it and Carroll responded with an even more solemn, yet incomprehensibly inspiring statement:

“Because you could be World Champion.”

With that, Shiloh knew she had found the perfect trainer, and her training was intense. Four hours per day, six days per week, practicing her techniques and routines with her trainer providing constant feedback, motivation, and insight. Still, that was only when they worked together. In addition to the technical part of her training, she also ran several miles per week.

Then came her first competition. Well, first real competition because all the ones prior were, if you remember, in the little pond. Now she was a little fish in a big pond, and it felt surprisingly good. It was also a rude awakening when she didn’t even place for a trophy.

Still, she was not discouraged. She felt the greatness in her that was forcing itself out, and she knew there was no holding back her spirit. Shiloh videotaped all of her fellow competitors in order to emulate their best attributes as a complement to her own unique talents.

Then came the first National tournament of the season, and Carroll was nervous on her behalf. You see, Shiloh had been having difficulty with her routine. Even with all of her training, the reality was that these routines were like doing a constant sprint at your highest speed, and to date, Shiloh had not yet fully completed her routine in practice. Carroll didn’t care if Shiloh won a trophy, in fact, all he honestly asked for was that she finish her routine completely for the first time.

His wish was granted, and when all was said and done she walked away with a second place trophy. Needless to say, she and Carroll were ecstatic! In just a few short months of intense training, Shiloh went from being a big fish in a little pond, to being a big fish in a big pond.

Throughout the season, Shiloh continued to compete in more local and National tournaments, all the while continuing to videotape her competitors. Day after day, she improved herself and kept reaching that next level.

At the young age of just fifteen, Shiloh had accomplished her goal of becoming the United States National Champion. In fact, she accomplished it during her rookie year, which is something that until then, nobody had ever done before. It was not over, though.

Next up was the final tournament of the season, the World Championships. Shiloh continued to train hard and fast, and when it was her turn to compete she stood in the ring with perfect poise and confidence. She knew her routine like the back of her hand, so well in fact, she could perform it with her eyes closed. And for a moment there, she even contemplated doing so…

Instead, she started moving with the grace of a swan combined with the speed of lightning and the precision of a finely tuned machine. Her competitors were awestruck, the judges amazed, her peers a little frightful, and Carroll a little bit confused.

You see, when Shiloh started moving she stopped thinking. She was immersed in the presence so deeply, that at one point her body performed techniques that she hadn’t choreographed, and for that matter, she’d never even done before!

If the judges knew of her ‘mistake,’ she knew she wouldn’t even place in the competition. Of course, only her and Carroll knew what had happened afterwards because she continued her routine as though it were intended that way to begin with. When she finished, there was a stunned silence.

Those watching knew that they had witnessed something beautiful, and they knew that no amount of clapping or praise could say what was said by the silence of the entire auditorium immersed in presence together. It was obvious Shiloh would win, and when the judges showed their final scores, the truth was revealed.

She had tied for first.

In the case of a tie, both competitors must perform their routine again in a sudden death showdown. After the showdown, instead of rating the competitors by score, the judges would make one single motion: an arm extended towards the victor. There were five judges, so it would require a majority vote of at least three to emerge as World Champion.

Moments later, Shiloh stepped up to the judges and did something unprecedented. She calmly bowed her head and conceded the win to the young man standing to her side. For everyone in the room, this very humbling gesture brought forth some element of a vast array of emotions such as joy, confusion, and pride.

When Shiloh was asked why she would give up the one thing she always wanted, that ultimate goal of becoming World Champion, she responded with her characteristic serenity and grace: “I came here to give my best, and I did.”

Shiloh never competed again.

Spiritual Story by Chris Cade

Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee - A Short Spiritual Story

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 08:44:00 -0500

A very inspiring spiritual story….

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one would pop up.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire, and soon the pots came to boil. In the first pot she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied. Her grandmother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The grandmother then asked the granddaughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the grandmother asked the granddaughter to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma then asked,

“What does it mean, grandmother?”

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her granddaughter.

Two Rabbis - A Very Very Short Spiritual Story

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:34:59 -0500

Another simple yet wise spiritual story…

In the course of their long wanderings, the two brothers, Rabbi Zusya and Rabbi Elimelekh, often came to the city of Ludmir. There they always slept in the house of a poor, devout man. Years later, when their reputation had spread all over the country they came to Ludmir agai, not on foot as before, but in a carriage.

The wealthiest man in that little town, who had never wanted to have anything to do with them, came to meet them, the moment he heard they had arrived, and begged them to lodge in his house. But they said:

“Nothing has changed in us to make you respect us more than before. What is new is just the horses and the carriage. Take them for your guests, but let us stop with our old host, as usual.

Life is Like a Cup of Coffee - Spiritual Story

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:03:24 -0500

This spiritual story was originally posted at Spiritual Short Stories.

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. Savor the coffee, not the cups! The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.