A Hassid Master was dying. He was a very extraordinary human being, of great innocence and joy. He loved to laugh and dance and sing; that’s the way of the Hassids. Jews don’t think well of them; they think they are untraditional, in fact anti-traditional, but that’s how real spiritual beings have always been treated by the so-called religious, by the formally religious. The real religious person is always condemned. This Master was also condemned by them. And his ways were always new; he was unconventional, unorthodox.
So when he was going to die. his disciples asked, “What are we going to do with your body? –because you have lived such an unconventional life we don’t know whether to bury or burn you. What we are supposed to do?”
And the dying Master opened his eyes, laughed his last laughter, and said, “Surprise me!” closed his eyes and died!
This is the way of the innocent: “Surprise me!” Even in death there is innocence, laughter. Even in death there is no complaint. He is waiting to be surprised. Whether you burn him or bury him, decide yourself, but make it a surprise. Don’t ask it, don’t follow any given instructions, because then it will not be a surprise at all. “If I say bury me or burn me, then I will already know about it.”
Live Unconventionally
What is possible to learn from the story Surprise Me!!
When you want to know yourself, not how others judge you or accept you, but as you are you want to know yourself. You will see that your perspective towards life has changed from conventional to unconventional. Life is mystery, unless you learn to live unconventionally you cannot experience mystery of Life.
Learning from the story is Live Unconventionally.
Experience Learning
What is unconventional?
Spirituality is now, for the first time in history, perfectly aligned with the cutting edge of science. Some people see spirituality as stupid, but being spiritual, that is being in touch with the source of consciousness within you, seems to me highly intelligent and the source of much happiness in humans.
This moment comes as surprise to us, that’s why we call it mystery. To live in the mystery is to live unconventionally. No past association.
How to experience this Unconditional Moment:
Some moments of life are awe inspiring, aren’t they? They stop us dead in our tracks and open us up to the wonder of life. Maybe we see a beautiful sight like a sunrise or a majestic mountain or could be a spine-tingling piece of music that does it.
In those moments you experience a cessation of thinking, the mind is rendered speechless, and that is a form of spontaneous meditation. You may notice a sense of aliveness, connectedness and peace within you in those moments and that is because the usual noise-making activity of the mind has subsided – you can now feel your own radiant true nature, your beingness, and it feels good!
Many of us experience these little mini-meditations – these moments of awe – during our days and weeks. What we may not have noticed at the time though, is that our mind had become still.
We may not have realized the connection between the cessation of thought and feeling content and peaceful. Thats a powerful insight to have because that realization may change the way you live your life. It may change your priorities. It may change your assumptions about what happiness is and where it comes from.
It could create a seismic shift in your life to have that simple realization. It sure did change mine.
So then – enjoy your delicious moments of awe all the more! As they happen notice the stillness and quiet within and know that it is always there for you, that oasis of calm – just one deep, slow, conscious breath away.
