~~~Parable of the Multi-faceted Stone~~~

There was once a time when there truly was One People. They shared food, love, laughter, and welcomed any of the others to come and sit at their hearth. Children of several colors laughed and played together. They were all as one family, one heart, and all lived the simplicity of doing what was for the highest good of ALL. It was such a beautiful time of great peace and harmony. Through joint effort, many great feats were accomplished.

One day, several of some of the most honored, went for a walk and came upon a large stone. They sat in a circle around this stone and began to discuss what each of them saw from the angle of their individual perspective. Soon, an argument began, as they each fought to get the others to see things from their angle of view of the stone. They each felt their angle of perspective was the one and only truth.

One man said, "It has red markings."

"You're blind!" said some of the others. "It has no red markings on it."

Another said, "No, it has moss growing on it."

"What?!" said most of the others, "It has no moss growing on it at all!"

One said, "Well, it does have a little moss on it, but not much."

The man that first mentioned the moss said, "What do you mean there's a little moss on it? It's covered with moss! Can't you SEE it?"

They continued to argue through eons of time, as each refused to budge. As time passed, they taught the peoples what they each saw on the stone, each one teaching from their individual angle of perspective. Their arguments had become so heated that they began to call each other 'blind' and 'evil'.

Everytime one invited the others to come and look from his angle, he heard things like: "You try and mislead us by trying to get us to leave truth!" , "Why do you try to distort the truth?" , "Why are you not willing to SEE what I see?" , "I can stay right here and see the truth. You just try to get us to follow your blind faith." , "Anyone who would try to persuade others to leave truth MUST be evil!"

Before long, any communication between them was stiff and guarded. Any closeness they had once shared became only a memory that was pushed into the farthest, deepest realms of their minds and hearts.....soon to be completely forgotten.

The peoples had divided and made leaders out of those that sat around the stone. Each followed the one they felt was seeing the one and only truth. Shortly after, wars started...people that didn't agree with another's beliefs were ridiculed, tortured, and some were killed...all in the name of God.

The leaders continued to argue relentlessly over their angle of perspective of the stone.

One day, a dove descended and sat upon the very top of the stone. The dove looked at each of the people sitting there, fluffed his feathers, and then started shaking his head back and forth. He could easily see into each of their hearts.

Suddenly the dove said, "You're ALL blind to the whole Truth. It's been right in front of you all along, but you've all been too stubborn to see it. Not one of you was willing to budge to look at another's truth. You have separated the people and have even had wars over your own stubbornness."

"If you had been willing to have just a little faith in another here in this circle, you would have walked around the circle of this stone and looked upon the many faces that it holds. You're all right......only not to the extent of it being the one and only truth. Yes, the side of the stone you each look upon is truth...yet ALL of the sides/faces make up more of the wholeness of the Truth it contains."

"There is also more Truth that lies INSIDE the stone, where you can't yet see. Or what of all that is above it, and all that is below it? There is more Truth yet to be known. When one sits and stubbornly refuses to see a different face, or angle of the wholeness of Truth, disharmony and unrest is born. Now, where does that birth actually take place? Outside yourselves? No, it is all inside you. The disharmony became a cause.....the wars and division of the peoples, was the effect."

"This one stone with its many faces, can easily represent each one of you individually. The many perspectives lie within each individual, as well. Until one is willing to be open to see from another angle, there will be separation within thine own self. This separation brings dissention to one's own heart, mind and soul. Warring within oneself has then begun. In order to bring wholeness and a picture of the greater Truth, it is imperative that one looks at the whole stone and the many faces it contains. You will find that some faces lie in the shadows, and some reflect the light. Yet, they're all a part of the one stone that is Thyself. When you look upon the shadows of yourself, you might at first, deny that face is a part of who you are. Be truthful with yourself and look at it from the purity of your own heart. Acceptance will come."

"If you want to see what lies within the stone that stands here before you all, you must look within yourself. There, you will find more faces, more aspects of Truth. As you open to be willing to truly SEE, you will find yourselves seeing more of the larger overall perspective....a grander vision of Truth. Within yourself, lies the ability to blend the darkness of the shadows and the light. When this process of blending takes place, much healing is accomplished, as you begin to process and release all that no longer serves your highest good and the highest good of ALL."

"When you see the many faces that make up the wholeness that you ARE, then you will begin to understand more about what lies above and below the stone. You will begin to see how each of you sitting here today, are ONE."

~You are visitor number~~Since July 14, 1997--- Thanks!!! Come again!!!~

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