What you seek is within you

The Story of the Musk Deer

There once was a Musk Deer who very early in her life began to notice this heavenly scent in the air. Intoxicated by its smell, she set out to search for the source of this divine aroma. She searched high and low and every where she went she could smell it lightly in the air, but its source always eluded her. She searched the depths of every forest, smelled around every tree, tasting every blade of grass and still couldn't discover where this scent was coming from. She remained determined because the scent was so glorious she knew deep down that she would be profoundly happy once she finally found it.

She ended up devoting her entire life to her search and one day fell exhausted onto the forest floor. As she fell one of her horns pierced her own belly. Suddenly the air was overwhelmingly flooded with this divine heavenly scent. After a lifetime of searching, in the presence of the final moments of her precious life she realized the scent was coming from her, the whole time.

This story comes from ancient India and it always touches my soul so deeply, for it is reminiscent of our own spiritual journey. We seek to be happy, to find the source of our happiness somewhere out there in the world. We will search tirelessly to discover it. May this story remind us all that what we seek is right here. We are the source of our peace, happiness and well being.