Light
As I open the door, a dazzling light floods my eyes. Once my eyes adjust to the light, I realize I’m in a beautiful garden unlike any I’ve ever seen before. Colorful flowers bloom in profusion, and a sweet fragrance tickles my nose. In the center of the garden is a crystal-clear spring, and my reflection is visible on its surface.
However, that reflection seems somehow different. Though it is my own familiar face, the expression is more serene and gentle than I have ever seen before. It’s as if I’m looking at a completely different person.
Beautiful spirits have gathered around the spring. They gaze at me with warm eyes and smile. One of the spirits approaches me and speaks gently. “Traveler, well done for making it this far. This is the Garden of the Heart—a place that reflects the depths of your soul.”
Though puzzled by the spirit’s words, I gaze at the spring where my reflection is shown. The figure reflected there is unmistakably myself, yet the state of my heart is vastly different from what I had ever recognized before.
The spirit continues, “The trial of the heart is about facing yourself and discovering the truth that lies deep within. As the Creator, you have created this world and nurtured many lives. However, in the process, you must have also experienced much anguish and conflict.”
The spirit evokes memories buried deep within my heart: the joy I felt when I created the world, the suffering I endured while battling the distortion, and the anxiety I still feel toward the remnants of that distortion that remain. These emotions are reflected on the surface of the spring, stirring my heart.
“The trial of the heart is to overcome those emotions and find true harmony. By understanding and accepting your own heart, you will become a stronger Creator.” With those words, the spirit urges me toward the spring.
I approach the spring and gaze at my reflection. What I see there is not just a calm, gentle face. It is a complex expression, a mixture of various emotions—anguish, conflict, and anxiety. Yet I realize that all of these emotions are part of who I am.
I took a deep breath and spoke to my own heart. “I accept it all. Both joy and suffering are my own experiences, and they are the nourishment for my growth.”
At that moment, the surface of the spring began to shine even brighter, and a warm light streamed into my heart. I felt the inner conflict that had lain deep within me vanish, and my heart fill with contentment. I had finally overcome the trial of my heart.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
