97. Three fisherwomen in a flower shop
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Sri Ramakrishna tells a beautiful story:
Three fisherwomen went to the fish market. They sold their fish and were returning to their village. It was already dark, so on the way they asked for shelter in a flower shop.
The flower seller said, 'Why not, you can spend the night here in my flower shop.'
The fisherwomen lay down to rest in the shop, but they were not able to sleep - because of the unfamiliar fragrance of flowers! They kept tossing this way and that way.
Suddenly they realized that they were not able to tolerate the sweet fragrance of the flowers. So they brought in their old fish baskets, sprinkled a little water on them to make the fish smell really strong, kept the baskets near their heads and slept peacefully!
This is the exact thing that is happening in your life!
Even when the beautiful flowers of higher states of consciousness, turiya vana sampanna pushpa, are being offered to you, you don't feel relaxed with them, you don't feel comfortable in that space.
Only when you are sitting with the dirty familiar smell of your patterns and incompletions, your worries, your lust, your suffering, you are at peace!