PostHeaderIcon Direct experience versus well-meaning advice

Health and Fitness

063012_danya_paintingBy Danya Keeley

When people ask me to explain ‘transformational’ coaching, I always say ‘yes.’ I believe the following story, adapted from a parable told by an East Indian Spiritual Teacher, illustrates the process beautifully.

(Original artwork by Danya Keeley)

Every Sunday a young East Indian man would travel several miles to reach the nearest village.  He took a rather circuitous route, because he saw a large snake which lay coiled on the only short cut to the market.

One day the young man encountered a Holy Man.  The Holy man noticed that the younger man walked briskly past the head of the more direct route out of the forest.

“Why are you not taking this path?” The elder man inquired.

“Oh, you must not take that trail either,” the younger fellow warned. “There is a large snake which likes to sun himself about this time of day. He lies right in the middle of the path.  Look you can see him from here! It is very dangerous!”

The Holy Man nodded and smiled.  He knew something which the younger man had not yet discovered.

“I am acquainted with this snake!” the old man announced mischievously. “In 30 years I have passed this way and never been attacked.  I believe if you are with me you will be safe.”

The young man, believing the Holy Man had special powers, agreed to accompany him. However as he began to follow the older man---his vision was obstructed and he could not see the trail ahead.

The younger man’s palms began to sweat the closer they came to approaching the snake. Suddenly the Holy Man made a great gesture of stepping over something. “Mind the snake,” he impishly warned.

Hair on the young man’s arms stood on end. His heart pounded in his chest and his feet wanted to dash through the long reeds in the opposite direction.  But he stood frozen to the spot, panic racing through his body. Wide-eyed, the young man slowly looked down at the dark ominous coils.  Surprised, he looked up into the calm smiling face of the Holy Man. Then his eyes darted back to the large coils and again upward to the serene twinkling eyes of the older fellow.

The young East Indian man’s body slowly calmed and he felt a smile forming on his own face. At that moment he burst out laughing.  The young man laughed so hard he fell to the ground.

There was NO snake!  The dark coils were nothing more than an old oily rope, piled in a heap.

For the past five years he had acted on a false BELIEF and taken the long way to his destination. He laughed and laughed until his sides ached. The revelations unwound all the years of fear he had associated with danger he’d assumed lurked on that trail.  Now he knew the Truth.

I love how this story demonstrates so eloquently the Transformational Coaching process and emphasizes the importance of direct experience verses well-meaning advice.

Creating an atmosphere and an opportunity for you to directly experience your truth is the primary intention of Transformational Coaching. The Coach collaborates with you to create the most conducive conditions for you to discover the Truth for yourself.  When Truth is revealed to you by direct experience, a deep and permanent sift takes place within. Each time you SEE the Truth, a stronger foundation is created which naturally leads to new possibility thinking. It is in this ‘new possibility thinking, where lives are changed and dreams are realized.

I invite you to inquire within,”What false, fear based beliefs or patterns, may be preventing you from following the shortest route to you desired destination?”

Remember—it is in you to succeed.

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