Lisa Hopkins 0:24

Hey there , I hope that wherever you are , you are enjoying some downtime and some peace . I just wanted to come on tonight and share just a little something with you that might just shine some perspective on where you're at in this moment , or maybe with somebody that could use it . So I'm just going to share this little parable . It's from a collection called the Zen Monkey and the Lotus Flower by Tenpa Yeshe . And these are just parables , yeah . So I'm just going to share this with you . If you're somewhere where you can just close your eyes for a moment , go ahead and do that . It'll just take three or four minutes , and if not , that's okay too . What I've chosen to read is the Sunset and the Twilight In a remote monastery on top of a mountain . To read is the Sunset and the Twilight .

Lisa Hopkins 1:35

In a remote monastery on top of a mountain lived a young monk named Shen . Shen was an eager student , but he struggled with a problem Every time he made a mistake or failed in his practice . He could not let it go . He dwelled on his disappointment and let it dominate his thoughts and emotions . One day , after a particularly difficult training session , shen was feeling especially down . His master , master Wang , noticed this and led Shen to a cliff overlooking the western sky . They sat together watching the sun slowly set , bathing the sky in colors of red and gold . The sky in colors of red and gold . What do you see ? Shen asked Master Wong , I see a sunset . Master Shen replied and how does that make you feel ? Continued Master Wong , I feel sadness , master . The day is ending and darkness will come , shen said . Master Wong nodded and said yes , sunset marks the end of the day and darkness will follow . But what comes after darkness , shen ? Shen thought for a moment and then replied Dawn , master . That's right , shen . Master Wong said with a smile After darkness always comes dawn , the beginning of a new day . That is the natural cycle of the world , and so it is with our mistakes and failures , shen . Master Wong continued when we make a mistake , when we fail , it's like the sunset . A mistake . When we fail , it's like the sunset . It's an ending , yes , but it is also the beginning of something new . With every mistake , with every failure , we have the opportunity to learn and grow . We have the opportunity to make a new beginning . The darkness is only temporary . The dawn will always come .

Lisa Hopkins 4:29

Shen sat looking at the now starry sky and let his master's words sink in . He now understood that failures and mistakes were just part of the learning process , part of the natural cycle of life . He could see them as opportunities for improvement and growth rather than end points . So , from that day on , every time Shen made a mistake or failed in his practice , he remembered the sunset and the dawn . He let go of the darkness , joyfully anticipating the new day that would come with the next sunrise .

Lisa Hopkins 5:34

And so , my friends , I encourage you to take this little lesson and recognize how important it is to remember that there is always dawn after darkness , dawn after darkness , and that , even though it feels sometimes like an ending until it comes , another beginning will not dawn . It's the cycle of life . Let it go , give these things that you hold so deeply a little less weight and remember the simplicity of the sun rising and the sun setting , and take comfort in the regularity , in the fact that you can count on that , just as you can count on you breathing . I hope this helped you shift . I hope that this helps you recognize everything will be okay . I wish you love , light and all the joy that comes with the dawn . I'm Lisa Hopkins . Thanks so much for listening . Stay safe and healthy everyone and remember to live in the moment .