A while back I posted a video and wrote a bit about The Story of the Fisher King – a story about a boy who is wounded by his grand desires and how that boy, as a man, is healed of his pain not by doctors or great healers, but by a simple-minded fool…
(The story) begins with the Fisher King as a boy – who had to spend a night alone in the forest so that he could become king. While he was alone in the forest, he’s visited by a sacred vision. Out of the fire appeared the Holy Grail; the symbol of God’s divine grace. And a voice spoke to the boy, saying, “You shall be the keeper of the Grail, that it may heal the hearts of men.”But the boy was blinded by greater visions; by a life filled with power and glory and beauty”… And in this state of radical amazement, he felt for a brief moment not like a boy, but invincible, like God.
And so he reached into the fire to take the Grail. And the Grail vanished, leaving him with his hand in the fire to be terribly wounded.
Now, as this boy grew older, his wound grew deeper, until one day life for him lost its reason. He had no faith in any man, not even himself. He couldn’t love or feel loved. He was sick with experience. He began to die. As he did, so too did his kingdom, which terrified his people. So they mobilized to find the one thing they knew could save him – the Holy Grail.
One day a fool wandered into the castle and found the king alone. Being a fool he was simple-minded, he did not see a king, he only saw a man alone and in pain. And he asked the king, “What ails you friend?”
The king replied, “I’m thirsty. I need some water to cool my throat.”
So the fool took a cup from beside his bed, filled it with water, and handed it to the king. As the king began to drink he realized that his wound was healed. He looked in his hands, and there was the Holy Grail; that which he has sought all his life. And he turned to the fool and said with amazement, “How could you find that which my brightest and bravest could not?”
And the fool replied, “I don’t know. I only knew that you were thirsty.”
Valeria Maltoni wrote a great comment: “the King was ready to listen…the fool was ready to talk and not worry about the consequences.”
Valeria’s comment got me thinking more about the story. The King, as a boy, was given this chance to serve people through this very special gift (the Grail). Yet his own desires for greatness and power got in the way – leaving him wounded. Try as he might, his power, fortune and great army, he could not recover this simple cup. Hence, he could not heal his own suffering; his own wound.
His suffering leaves him weak and without hope. When he asks the fool for a drink, he does so not as a King commanding the fool, but as a man. The fool, acting without any thought of power, glory or fame, races to help his fellow man. This kind act heals the King’s wound. Does the fool care that he handed the King the Grail? Not at all. His concern was in caring for someone in need.
So, who would you rather be? The King who can help people through his power, wealth and authority or the fool with no power, little wealth and no authority over men – accept in healing their hearts? I’d love to know your thoughts.
I wonder if you can be one or the other, really?
If my desire is to help people, then with the Kings’ power and wealth I can, but only if I also learn the qualities of the Fool..and the Fool with the honest desire to help, does just by Being and acting from the heart in innocence.
I don’t know, but they seem sort of the same to me. Maybe it’s just that in order to really help people, we have to learn from or be the Fool. And if you can be, then you are a King…
I’m not sure if I’ve actually “healed” anyone, but I’m pretty sure I’ve supported and helped a few. Power, fame, wealth, etc. have never appealed to me. They’re just not my idea of a successful life.
I’m also pretty sure some people have thought I was either foolish or stupid or both. Thanks for asking!
Jean,
I understand.
I also noticed in the story that it wasn’t the fool who was ‘the healer’ it was the Grail that ‘heals the hearts of men.’
One of my best friends is a consultant who for the last couple of weeks has been working with a pile of world-known people on a major initiative. The results and recognition have been incredible.
I told him it sounds like he is channeling God, with what is going on there. He said, “Well, I must be channeling something…” He is actually deeply turned toward the Divine, and he is frankly in wonder at what is taking place.
I am sure that his humility, along with his confidence and his best efforts, is key in opening the door to the surge of inspiration and deep feeling which seem to be flooding this event.
He is wearing it all well and bowing to where the Light really comes from. To me this is a great example of kind of being in the King’s position while also having the simplicity of the fool.
Thanks for the discussion, Dawud.
Stuart Baker
http://www.consciouscooperation.com
Yes, Stuart and Dawud…that’s exactly what I was trying to say…and yes, the resources and connection to world-known people are nice, and the helping may be on a different scale sometimes, or maybe not. But I don’t think that is what helps people ultimatly.
Ultimatly, I think it is the Divine moving thru a connected and pure heart that is what helps. Regardless of your status in the world.
Thanks for the question Dawud!
Dylan,
Very interesting point. I can see what you’re saying. The resources would be nice. Yet, if we look around the world, how many people with wealth and power have successfully navigated the waters of power and wealth to actually be able to help people. We have far more examples of those whose ships wreck on islands of selfishness and greed. That’s not to say that would be you, and you never know.
I’ve watched my spiritual guide for the last 10 years – a man of little physical wealth – be able to help tens of thousands of people in healing their hearts. So maybe there’s more to it. I don’t know.
Dawud and Dylan,
If you check http://www.urbanzen.org you can see what the initiative is.
My friend Daniel Stone and I are impressed not that many of the people involved are famous but rather that they seem to really be participating and stretching in a place of deep heart. AND, they are in powerful positions to spread a lot of good if they are so inclined.
Dylan, I totally agree that we are talking of the inspiration and feeding from the Divine, changing the world through purity of heart. I have known dirt-poor people who have changed my life through their light and their examples.
Thanks.
Stuart Baker
http://www.consciouscooperation.com
Wow Stuart!
What a great, inspired project! I tried to contact them, but the contact form failed. I’ll try again later.
NEATO.
Stuart,
That’s such an inspiring story. Thanks for sharing it. Can we find more out about what your friend is doing?
Dylan,
My own perspective on healing…we ultimately heal ourselves. A broken bone grows back together. Our hearts mend when we’re ready and our souls become whole in their right time. Everything wants to move back into balance. And who decides the rules of that balance? Our Creator, of course. So we heal ourselves AND we are healed in the timing of our Creator.
Hi guys,
Daniel called me early yesterday morning as he was headed toward the day’s event, which was a planned day of silent meditation for the participants. He said that the day before had blown everything else out of the water.
This from a guy who has been a sincere spiritual “walker” for well over thirty years and a highly placed consultant for years.
Daniel’s experience here has been the high point of his career and probably one of the high points of his life.
He knows he is doing good work, and he knows gratefully knows that any inspiration comes from turning toward the Divine all the time as he works. Like I said yesterday, he is both confident and a humble servant at the same time, delighting in the heart-ful power of what is taking place.
I am getting such a boot out of it all- I get goose bumps when he gives me reports. And I am really tickled for him.
One of the funny notes: Donna Karan the clothing designer is behind the whole initiative, and when her people saw Daniel’s suits, they said they just had to make him new suits, which they did.
You know what? I think you have inspired me to write a blog about this, about working as a confident yet humble servant. Thanks!
Stuart Baker
http://www.consciouscooperation.com
P.S.
In line one of paragraph 4 of what I just posted, it should say “…he gratefully knows…”.
Stuart
Stuart,
I’m with Dylan…inspiring. Keep us updated on how things are going with it.
Good discussion, Dawud. I think if we broaden the question, it’s about being able to affect things directly, as a leader (the King) or indirectly, as a counselor (the Fool). Not everyone wants to be up front. It’s not a matter of difficulty or risk, both roles have both built in… it’s a matter of choices and aptitudes.
I see the Grail more as the medium/tool than the outcome.
Stuart,
This sounds amazing. Write away. There should be many blog posts out of what you’re getting from this. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Valeria,
I agree. I think the greatest impact we can make happens when we’re living closest to who we are. Some of us are meant to be ‘stars.’ Others not. Yet what matters is finding out what you are and being that.
The majority of people will choose to be the king because they don’t want to be poor and dirty. However, when it comes to responsibilities, most will run away.
Sometimes (in certain situations) people prefer to look down and be a fool then taking reliable decisions and become the king.
I personally like being the daughter of the king 🙂
Regards