Four hundred years ago a gardener planted a small pine in one inch of soil in a shallow dish. He trimmed each root and branch as the tree grew.
When he died, his son took up the task, and so on down through nineteen generations. Today that tree stands, never having outgrown the original dish, in the Kovala Gardens of Tokyo.
After four hundred years it is only twenty inches high, and a twisted top some thirty-six inches across.
That little tree shouts a warning to everybody. The mind and soul can be cut back just like the tree, always with the same result — a dwarf.
If you are not growing your roots into life, if you are not growing your roots and spreading your roots in love, in trust, you will remain a dwarf.
Grow, grow towards depth — because when your roots grow towards depth, your branches grow towards height. Depth and height grow together.
The deeper you go into the earth, the higher you go into the sky. The deeper you go into this shore, the closer you reach to the other shore.
LOVE, love life, love all that surrounds you, and let your roots spread as far and as wide as possible. You will start touching the feet of God.
Your flowers will start being offered to the divine feet. Otherwise, remember — you will remain a dwarf.
Love is a must. It is the only nourishment for the soul. The body can exist with food; the soul can exist only with love. Let it not remain just a word; allow it to become a penetrating experience.
OSHO
