Several years ago, I opened my Bushido Training with an Osho story about a young man searching for God.
The young man said, "I've searched for God in thousands of lifetimes. Sometimes he was far away. I'd rush to catch up to him, but by the time I got there, he had always gone on ahead. So I went on and on, following, until I finally arrived at a simple house. Stairs lead up to a door, and by the door was a sign that said, GOD'S HOUSE."
The young man explained, "Upon discovering God's house, I became worried for the first time. But I overcame my fear and trembling, I walked up the stairs and was just about to knock on the door.
"Then suddenly, I understood. If I knocked and God opened the door ... then what? All would be finished. My journeys, my great adventures, my great loves, my philosophy, my poetry, all the longings of my heart ... all would be finished for I would stay with God forever.
Upon realizing this, the young man said, "I removed my shoes, so as not to make any noise. If I made noise, God might have opened the door. Silently, I tip-toed down the stairs and ran away without looking back. And I've been running for thousands of years. I still search for God, although now I know where he lives.
"But I have to avoid his house. That way, I can go on searching for him everywhere else. There is no fear, but I have to avoid that house. The house haunts me. If I were to enter the house and meet God, all is finished."
In the seminars, I enjoyed watching the audience when I told the story ... watching the words sink in. Man lives in problems. We don't know how to live any other way. It keeps us occupied, concerned, worried, anxious. It gives us something to do while attending earth school. The moment there are no problems, there is no ego. Ego can only exist in turmoil.
So if you don't have enough problems, you'll problem invent some new ones to keep your mind functioning.
A favorite Zen koan tells of a man putting a young goose in a bottle and then feeding the goose until it is fully grown. How does he get the goose out without breaking the bottle or killing the goose?
The goose is man. The bottle is his circumstances and problems. If you were the student, upon realizing this, the Zen Master would clap his hands and say, "You're enlightened, the goose is out."
For a moment, you might grasp the fact you're enlightened and the goose is out. But you would probably make every effort to put the goose right back in the bottle, because when the goose is out, you don't have any problems. Man doesn't know how to live without problems, so he keeps putting the goose back in the bottle.
But we are capable of living without problems. Aren't we? To do so would take real courage. Without problems (without viewing your situations as problems) you would begin to detach and disappear.
You would begin a journey leading to "being in the world but not of it."

Just about everyone I know is metaphysically oriented, so I regularly hear a lot of powerful ideas. As a result, I’m always making mental and written notes.
A professional hypnotist coming out of a painful divorce recently said to me, “WHERE THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS, THERE IS A KARMIC TIE.” She continued to elaborate, saying, “I certainly don’t want to have to reincarnate and go through this again, so forgiveness is at the top of my priority list. If I can truly let him go with forgiveness, the next time around he’ll have to find someone else with a karmic configuration matching his own need of learning.” I agreed.
My questions to you: Is there anyone in your life you have not forgiven? Do you accept that if you do not forgive, you will come back together to work it out in a future life?
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis once said to a friend of hers, “ONLY AMATEURS STAY MAD.”
My question to you: Who are you mad at?
I was talking to a friend in the entertainment business who had just created, filmed and edited a music video for $4000. People in the business guessed the budget at $80,000 when it was accepted for air play.
I felt he’d been ripped off and said, “EXPERIENCE IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU DON’T GET WHAT YOU WANT.” I wish I could remember who said that so I could credit them properly. But all too often I’ve rationalized similar situations with that kind of line.
My question to you: Is there an area of your life where you’re not being compensated appropriately? If so, what can you do to get what you want?
“WE MOVE TOWARD PLEASURE AND AWAY FROM PAIN, THAT’S JUST WHAT IS,” said a female therapist friend in a recent e-mail. We were exchanging ideas about handling an unpleasant situation.
My questions to you: Is there anything in your life you’re pulling away from? What are you moving towards? Is that where you really want to go?
“YOUR SOUL IS ALWAYS NUDGING YOU TOWARD GROWTH CHOICES,” said a male friend over lunch. I laughed in response and agreed. The words “growth choice” or “growth opportunity” are New Age buzz words for coming face to face with a situation that will be challenging, which means you’re going to be tested. Your decision generates an opportunity and the outcome provides the lessons.
My question to you: Is your soul calling you to make any growth choices at this time?
I’ll leave you with this thought: GROWTH RESULTS FROM RISK, WHICH IS A MATTER OF COMMITTING TO ACTIONS YOU CAN’T CONTROL.