A Lesson from the Spirit

I stand on the summit of a vast mountain.
The slope is covered in snow; here and there black rocks and lone trees protrude. Two people are coming down the slope.
“What is this about?”
“About striving.”
“Do you see those two people on the mountain?”
“Yes.”
“They begin their journey the same way—quietly, steadily, not hurried. Yet something distinguishes them. What?”
“I don’t know.”
“Their strivings. Look at the first one: he goes down, stumbles on the rocks, falls and rolls, becoming one huge snowball. He flies along, rushing at speed, noticing nothing around him; he simply rolls, allowing this motion to be, not resisting what’s happening.
Now look at the other. He too trips and falls—that’s normal, not terrible—and then he gets up.
The more you ignore that fall, doing nothing, not trying to stand up, leaving it all as it is, the more weight in the form of that snow will stick to you, accelerating your movement.
So later it becomes very difficult to stop under the crushing mass of snow that carries you along; it’s not simple.
“What should one do?”
“Do not allow it to be. Do not allow the burdens and troubles in your life to leave such a heavy imprint that under their weight it becomes hard for you to rise and go freely on your way.
You do nothing and you’re swept down the slope, not steering your road, not steering yourself—but this is your path, your road.
“What must be done?”
“To stumble and fall is natural; it’s part of the way. What matters is to remember to get up in time, not yielding to that oppressive motion. The longer you roll after a fall, the more weight will cling to you.
And one day you will realize you no longer control the road; you simply rush where you never decided to go, you fly past all the events of your life, seeing and noticing nothing around you. You become utterly defenseless, hear and see nothing in that snowball except the dull roar of the heavy problems that have stuck to you. Layer upon layer they build up, enveloping you whole and controlling your entire path, even if you think you’re rushing in the right direction.
“What if it has already happened?”
“If you feel you are racing inside an uncontrollable snowball, consider: who are you? You are the light of God; you are the one who walks your road. As soon as you understand this and accept that formulation fully, prompts will begin to reveal themselves to your sight.”

They show how beams of light directed at the snowball gently wrap it in their warmth, and the snow begins to melt, freeing the person.

“Having been cleansed of all those layers of snow, you will be able to continue your way in the step and in the direction you truly desire. In full trust in yourself and in the Spirit that leads you. So be it.”