A Buddhist master and his student were walking toward the river bank when they suddenly saw a young woman who was very distressed. This was somewhat of a problem as their religion forbade them from looking at or speaking with women. She, however, was deeply upset because she had to cross the river in order to continue her journey to reach her sick father. She begged the master and his student to help her cross the river. Very gently, the monk picked her up and carried her through the shallow water, then put her down on the other side. He said goodbye and went on his way with the student.

The student was silent for the rest of the journey, but the master could tell that he was quite upset. Finally, that night as they were preparing for bed, the master said to his student, “Is everything all right?” “No,” the student exploded. “Everything is not all right! You spoke with a woman today and then carried her across the river. How could you do that? Our religion tells us this is wrong.” The monk replied, “Really, when did I do this?” “This morning, this morning!” the student shouted, becoming more and more agitated. “Oh, this morning,” the master said. “Now I remember. I already put her down, but you’ve been carrying her all day long.”

Modern Message

Letting go is the message of the Lung. In Fall, we take Nature’s cues and learn to let go of things we no longer need, just as trees let go of their leaves. This story is a powerful reminder of the importance of letting go of worry and stress. These emotions play a huge role in unbalancing your Liver energy, the organ associated with stress. Left unchecked, emotional imbalances can turn into physical ones. So learn from the master. Instead of holding on to stress, worry, anger, or frustration, learn to let go. Give it to the Universe so you can be free.

Learn More!

Fall is one of the most powerful times to align with Nature and give your body a deep tune-up. Visit grandmasternanlu.com to listen to podcasts and learn more about this unique time of year.