AN ELEPHANT LESSON

Ever wonder how five-ton elephants are controlled by their trainers who simply secure one of the elephant’s legs to a fixed object?  How and why does this work when the huge animal could easily break the shackle and go free? A baby elephant’s training begins with a rope around its leg tied to a wooden post hammered into the ground.  The not-yet-strong baby is unable to break the rope or pull up the post.  Eventually it gives up.  After that, when the elephant’s leg is secured it believes it cannot get away.  It remembers the struggle as a baby and believes no escape is possible.  The now-grown animal is limited by old experiences.
 

Our thinking is often similarly limited.  Previous experiences may make us afraid to try again, afraid of failure, afraid of rejection, or afraid of being ridiculed.  Search your menu of New Year’s resolutions, your long-term dreams of achievement, your plans for change and improvement personally or in your practice.  Are you shackled to the way things have always been?  Learn from the elephant.  Don’t let yourself be limited by old ways, old habits, old ideas.  You are strong enough to break free, to overcome your fears and achieve things you never thought possible.

Remember, whether you think you CAN or think you CAN’T, you’ll be right.
 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!