Once upon a time there was a Magical Kingdom filled with Kings and Queens, and each King and Queen had their own Kingdom filled with magic, and faeries, and wisdom, and friends.
However, not every king or queen wore crowns.
This is the story of how one young queen named Susan truly became Queen of her kingdom, and got her crown.
Susan was an orphan, her parents left their faeries to look after her and teach her to manage her kingdom. But they are unruly faeries. Mean to their lady. They where always hiding things from her. They where always sending wrong messages to others when she was trying to socialize and meet other kings and queens in the land.
Over time the people did not want to hear about the affairs of her kingdom, and kept lecturing her about how she was being a foolish queen that will never get a crown.
But Susan knew deep down that her kingdom was good. She knew she was going to be a fine Lady of the land. Her closest Faerie, her still quiet friend from her childhood, sometimes showed her what her kingdom could become. And played stories with her about how she was going to be a wise Queen giving wisdom, discernment, and grace to all in her land.
When Sue would tell the other faerie attendants about it, they would laugh at her. They would present her all kinds of problems to solve. They brought her all the different kings asking her for advice and testing her. Telling her that this is what it means to be queen in the land.
They never gave her a moment of peace and quiet. And she was a tired over run young lady. Yet everyday she had grace, she held her heart proud, she always looked toward wearing the crown.
Then one day a new Queen moved into the neighborhood. A crowned Queen named Carol. There weren't any crowned kings or queens for many many leagues, so everyone was talking about her moving in, but nobody had seen her around town.
Sue hoped one day she would meet with Queen Carol, maybe she could advise about her and the faeries work in her kingdom.
Then one day while at market, Carol smiled at Sue and Sue said "oh, your a friend." And they started chatting about enchanted kingdoms and what not while walking back toward Sue's castle.
It turns out that Carol's Castle was not very far away, in fact it was just on the same path as the way to Susan's castle. And it became apparent that they would be passing each other on the road often. And every time, they would chit chat about enchanted kingdoms and what not.
Carol was impressed with the heart of the young queen, but could tell there was something not going right in Sue's kingdom. Sue seemed overrun, and always had a ritual to preform or a ceremony to officiate, or a conference to attend. Carol mused "Awfully busy kingdom, I wonder who runs it"
One day Sue invited Carol to tour her castle. Just a customary introduction before giving a formal tea invite. They walked around looking at tapestries, and admiring the candle sticks. The place was once been very beautiful, in the days of Sue's parents but had fallen into disrepair. Carol wondered why Sue's attendant Faeries where so neglectful. But Carol was polite, and enjoyed the beauty of the meaningful heart within Susan.
Then they entered the throne room and Sue took her seat and Carol stood before her and curtsied elegantly. No sooner than when Sue was about to speak greetings did one of the faeries rush in, bumping Carol, and right up to Susan's ear to speak of the state of the growth of the rice in the field where she will be buying rice next harvest.
And he rushed out. And two more came in one to remind Sue about her appointment with the King of Unatria, he is concerned about his peasants being able to pay their taxes. And the other came to suspiciously inform Sue that Carol might want to harm her, that Carol does not believe that Sue is a good queen.
And Sue grew nervous and said " Never mind my faeries, I really am a good queen, and I believe that you are a wonderful queen, to have a crown and all. You must be a fine lady. Tell me how you got your crown."
Carol smiled softly, and blushed." Well before I had a crown, I had a royal robe. And when I would sit in my throne room, I would put on my robe and not see my faeries unless I had the robe on. And they had to ask...and I would say....' permission granted' or 'permission denied'
A queen needs to be queen in their court, and wear a robe of discernment, or mischievous faeries will bother them with silly details."
"But, " protested the young queen." I have so many responsibilities to attend. My kingdom is in disrepair. How can you tell me these things are silly details?"
" There is a kitchen faerie that takes care of rice, you build the kitchen, not monitor the rice. And if you train your faeries, you will not have to monitor their work."
" Lady Carol, you can train your faeries? They are always training me and teaching me....now you say...."
Carol interrupted her...."I say, aren't you the queen?"
And there ended the first visit.
Susan spent the next few months trying to work out how to control her faeries. She even kicked a few of them out. But faeries are very troublesome. Some of them have great powers to overcome Sue's mind and drown out even her own thoughts. Some of the faeries are very angry at her, and tell her terrible stories. Tell her she is an evil queen who only wants to keep her kingdom for herself. They tell her she will never be able to weave a robe of discernment.
And Sue holds her self very still upon her throne. She keeps one thing in mind. And slowly she can begin to find her still small friend....she sat repeating...permission denied. And her friend faerie hugs her and breaths with her, and dark clouds begin to clear from her kingdom.
On one day Susan is feeling very good, and very generous and she invited Carol to have tea. The attendants brought out a serving platter with the best kind of tea in the best glass, but they served their queen bitter cloudy water and weak chocolate sauce in two different very humble gobbets.
Carol was polite, but chose to make it her business to ask about it. Sue explained that " The faeries take the combination from my stomach, and it becomes their elixir so they can do the work of my kingdom."
" Is it always the same potion?" Carol asked.
"Yes, it is a secret recipe from their country and they say, my parents loved it. But I have to admit I do get tired of it. They tell me, this is how to make power."
" I would never drink that. Does it always taste the same?"
"Well sometimes it is alright ....when I sneak in something else or when I measure it in a different combination."
" So it becomes elixir after you drink it?"
" They make it, I do not know how it is done."
" A Queen should my dear. Queens mix their own potions to enjoy any of their power when ever they choose. One day it is chocolate the other it may be just milk. But you will grow wise in all different ways, not only in the elixir of faeries. And if you don't mind my saying so, your faeries are very rotten servants.
They need to learn to wait, they need to learn to obey their queen's choice to drink or not to drink. They also need a lesson in gratitude. If not for your house, they have no kingdom to attend.
How fortunate that your faeries do not belong to me, they would all have sore backsides."
There ended the second visit.
Over the next few months Young queen Susan and her faeries started to organize her castle. They remembered good times, they talked about bad times. They laughed and played together. They started to understand their places in her home.
And when they noticed their queen feeling relaxed, they began to admire her. But there where always a few naughty faeries to drag the queen off into a ceremony, more and more of her faeries where changing their mind and making friends with Sue and her still small friend.
And they started to teach queen Sue about her real powers. Her power of wisdom and grace. They showed her how to observe the work of the faeries without having to touch the work of the faeries. How now she can trust that the faeries who changed their minds will oversee and correct the bad faeries quietly while she learns to become a crowned queen.
One day there came an invitation from Queen Carol for Queen Sue to have a visit in her own Castle.
They walked the grand halls, and talked of the history and compared family lore. There was a weapons room, and a games room, and a great library where Carol made her potions, which she shamefacedly admitted she had not yet mastered them all. And a fine dinning gallery with fey standing attendance, and bustling about. One tall faerie named Regis stepped up to Queen Carol announcing that the rehearsal is going well for the up coming event.
"oh.." Said Sue " So you do , do ceremonies, and conferences and rituals also?"
"Naturally. But they do not do me. I am not those things, those things don't need me. I am simply queen, I attend when it is mine to attend. And conference where it is my room to conference. And I ritual within my private place where my best love lives. Not even faeries will dare enter there."
The tour continued, but they didn't go into the throne room, Carol just splayed an open palm in the general direction saying " That is the throne room, let us continue." as they passed the doors.
They went out to the back garden, a fine display of fruit trees and herb bushes, tea flowers, smelling flowers, a fine rock decorated path outlined the way to a central sitting place. They sat, and soon faerie attendants brought a snack platter and light wine, Rigis appeared, asking of there should be a minstrel for the visit....Carol waved her hand and said "Privacy"
And all the noise of fey stopped. No more bustling of rehearsal in the dinning gallery, no Regis, no minstrels tuning up. Just the garden and the birds and Sue with a relieved look. As if she had never heard the silence of birds before.
"It sure is quiet here. My castle is always busy. Other kings are always asking me for advice. They take up so much of my time. Even now, my Faerie is telling me the King of Unatria wants to visit, it is an emergency. " Sue is trying to be polite but she feels torn.
"Are you close friends with this king?" Asked Carol.
" Not really, I have never had him for tea. But he calls me on the phone."
" He isn't even your guest, and he imposes himself. What a rude character."
" He tells me he needs my advice, and my potions to do his work..." Sue hushes when she saw Carol's eyes harden against her.
"I visit guests in my garden, only in the garden. Friends come sit in my living room, and my Love sits with me in my throne room. If I have important visitors we meet there. But a king that needs the constant advice of a crown-less queen must have already worn out his welcome with the crown. A king like that should only be entertained in the garden. Because he is weak and can't do his own work. And a queen can watch over him from the garden while the faeries attend him."
"But, " Protested Susan " He is part of my great kingdom, if I fail him even my own kingdom will fall apart."
"It is impossible to fail him because your kingdom is great. Therefore a queen can sit still and trust herself, and witnesses the smooth run of her kingdom. And enjoy her everyday affairs without worry or much concern about the nagging faeries. She observes, learns, grows, plays, prays, and she works also."
There ended the third visit.
Over the next few months Susan was a diligent student. Her still close friend encouraged her saying...remember you ARE the queen. No one else. You operate the kingdom. You are your kingdom.
And this caused her some alarm, because all manor of fey jumped in saying this is the kingdom too; attend to this. That is you too; make it understand. And another telling her mysteries and how to use powers to create her own queenly will over all things.
Sue was frightened for it was all too much responsibility for a young queen to deal with. She went to her throne room with her still small friend and they discussed things.
The true queen's mind is still and calm... and her wisdom comes up because the kingdom is made of her wisdom. Was one conclusion they came to.
Another was that The still small friend pointed this out, saying "The flurry of ideas and thoughts arising and passing away without constancy is not the true mind of a queen. Things that shift and change, sometimes good, sometimes bad, this is not the true mind of a queen."
" How do I know my true queen mind?" Sue began to inquire. And she and her friend sat back to slowly study these things.
Over the course of time necessary for queens to earn their crowns Susan had many lessons from her still friend. And soon Susan began to even not take the still friend's word for things. And Susan investigated her kingdom for herself.
Susan learned what things she had business to attend. And what things where not the best use of her growing skills. She grew more peaceful and learned to play rituals when she needed entertainment or comfort. And she held ceremonies to give honer and gratitude when her kingdom did well. And she went to committees only when invited, and then only when she could be useful. And she discovered that many committees where filled by low born kings and queens, and nobody really wanted to improve their kingdoms, no matter how they argued about defining the meaning of them.
She only had one kingdom to tend. And one set of faeries to command. And she vowed whether low born herself or destined for a crown, she would work to rule her own kingdom.
She would set the places where her fey live, and they would serve her with grace, discernment and wisdom. And she made a decree that no faerie has the right to punish her when she cannot understand or when she questions or when she reforms the lessons. She alone was Queen in her Kingdom.
Any Fey that steals her power to use it against her by visions and fantasy or by lies and cunning persuasion or by prophecy or by any manor of infliction of mind-control and unreasonable dominance and insubordination will be executed.
By and by Queen Susan grew and soon it was effortless for her to join conversations with the other kings and queens in the market place. And she was enjoyed by the people. Who looked to the greater lord of all enchanted kingdoms and gave thanks.... because they knew...
It was upside down for royalty to think they commanded the domain of all the enchanted kingdoms; but that all the kingdoms commanded by them are within the domain of the greater lord....who IS the kingdom itself.
And one fine day Queen Susan put on her fine robe, and had her tea in a special glass, and was attended by her faerie, friends, guests, and visitors in her garden.
There was to be a ceremony in Susan's throne room, today was her coronation. Her own Faerie presented the crown to Susan and bowed in prostration making aspirations to her benefit and the benefit of all in her kingdom, and when she wore it, it was pure light to her soul.
No lies could deceive her for very long anymore. And it was much harder for her bad fearie to overwhelm her. She even grew to enjoy testing them,when she realised that they have no power anyway. Only the power she gave them.
She had power to question and understand that all appearances where false. Even her still small friend was an appearance. Lowborn royalty chase after appearances.
The Lowborn look to the fey for the meaning of false things. The meaning is found in the queen. And the queen is the viewer of appearances. The queen chooses or not chooses the meaning to follow.
All things became clear and still , and she went on to grow and work and learn as true royalty ever after.
The End.
Update Xmas 2021;
15 Short Zen master quotes. (Bodhidharma and Huiang Po mostly so check out their teachings)
1) If you want to know the realm of Enlightenment, you should make your mind as clear as space; detach from subjective imaginings and from all grasping. Making your mind unimpeded wherever it turns. (BoDhr)
2) How Miserable! If you do not know how to do the inner work, how can you expect to understand by sitting rigidly? This is not the way it is. How can you see? (Foyan)
3) Above, below and around you, all is spontaneously existing for there is no where which is outside of the Buddha mind. (i can't remember who)
4) When we are deluded, there is a world to escape. When we are awake, there is nothing to escape. (BoDhr)
5) When nothing is sought this imply mind unborn. Where no attachments exist, this implies mind not destroyed. That which is not born or destroyed is Buddha. (HuiPo)
6) Set aside views, set aside formations. Don't let anything outside in, don't let anything inside out. Cut off both and you will spontaneously be illuminated, not being a partner to anything at all. This is absorption in non-contention. (Yantou)
7) Do not permit the events of your daily life to bind you, but never withdraw yourself from them. Only by acting thus can you earn the title of "A Liberated One". (HuiPo)
8) Not till your thoughts cease all their branching here and there, not till your mind is motionless as wood or stone, not till you abandon all thoughts of seeking something, will you by on the right road to the gate of liberation. (HuiPo)
9) Just let your minds become void and environmental phenomena will void themselves; Let principles cease to stir and events will cease stirring of themselves. (HuiPo)
10) So you students of the way should immediately refrain from conceptual thought.(HuiPo)
11) People are scared to empty their minds, fearing that they will be engulfed by the void. What they don't realize is that their own mind is the void. (HuiPo)
12) The foolish reject what they see, not what they think; The wise reject what they think, not what they see. (HuiPo)
13) Here it is! Right now! Start thinking about it and you miss it. (HuiPo)
14) Nothing is born, nothing is destroyed. Away with your dualism, your likes and dislikes. Every single thing is just One Mind. When you have perceived this, you will have mounted the Chariot of the Buddhas. (HuiPo)
15) As soon as the mouth opens, evils spring forth. People either neglect the root and speak of the branches, or neglect the reality of the "illusory" world and speak only of Enlightenment. Or else they chatter of cosmic activities leading to transformations, while neglecting the substance from which they spring--- Indeed there is never any profit in discussion. (HuiPo)
