Introduction
“I have dropped her half an hour ago. It is you who still carries her.”
This simple line from an ancient fable holds a profound truth about the human mind and how we carry stress, guilt, and resentment far longer than we need to.
Let’s revisit the story that reveals this truth — and learn how it leads us to the concept of the beautiful state.
The Story of Yesmi and Nomi
Two monks, Yesmi and Nomi, were returning to their monastery after teaching in a nearby village. As they approached a river, they heard a woman crying. The woman explained that the river had risen, and she couldn’t cross to reach her child on the other side.
Without hesitation, Yesmi lifted the woman, carried her across the river, and continued walking.
Half an hour later, Nomi, visibly upset, scolded his companion. “Yesmi, do you know what you have done? Our master forbade us to speak to or touch women, and you carried her!”
Yesmi smiled calmly and said, “You are right. I carried her across the river — but I dropped her half an hour ago. It is you who still carries her.”
This short exchange reveals how we humans often cling to situations, worries, and judgments long after they have passed. We replay them in our minds, keeping ourselves trapped in unnecessary suffering.
The Two States of Human Existence
The story illustrates two states of being that exist within all of us: the stressful state and the beautiful state.
- The stressful state is filled with anger, fear, anxiety, loneliness, and frustration.
- The beautiful state is one of connection, joy, love, compassion, and inner peace.
In every situation, we live from one of these two states. Behind every action — whether in politics or family life, in war or peace, in success or failure — lies one of these two driving forces.
The question, then, is simple: From which state are we living our lives?
Education and the Loss of Inner Awareness
Modern society and education rarely teach us to care for our inner state. From a young age, we are taught to compete, compare, and strive for external success. We learn to measure our worth against others rather than listen to our own minds.
This constant striving breeds jealousy, shame, and fear — feeding the stressful state. In doing so, we compromise the very essence of what it means to be human.
The Calm of Yesmi and the Turmoil of Nomi
Yesmi, the peaceful monk, represents the beautiful state. He acts with compassion, remains calm during the event, and moves on once it’s over. His mind is uncluttered, and his heart is connected.
Nomi represents the stressful state. He is agitated before, during, and after the event. His mind spins with rules and guilt. His thoughts become rigid and confused.
In stress, we become disconnected — from others and from ourselves. We lose empathy, clarity, and intelligence. But in a beautiful state, we are fully present, powerful, and capable of right action.
The Source of Human Suffering
Eight years ago, during an accident at Big Bear Lake, spiritual teacher Krishnaji — co-founder of One World Academy — experienced a life-changing insight.
He realised that the root cause of human suffering is obsessive self-centric thinking.
Stressful emotions may begin with external events — conflict, rejection, loss — but what sustains suffering is our constant preoccupation with ourselves:
- “Why did this happen to me?”
- “Why wasn’t I treated fairly?”
- “What will happen to me next?”
This endless cycle of me, me, me isolates us from others and magnifies our pain.
When we are self-absorbed, we are not solving problems — we are feeding them. True freedom begins when we observe this self-preoccupation and realise that it is the real source of our suffering.
From Suffering to Liberation
When you see this truth clearly, something shifts within you. You stop justifying your pain and begin to let it go.
As soon as you recognise that lingering unhappiness is self-created, there’s a release of energy — a newfound clarity, connection, and sense of purpose. You stop “carrying” your emotional burdens, just as Yesmi dropped the woman at the riverbank.
The beautiful state arises naturally when the mind is no longer trapped in self-centred thinking. You act not out of guilt or duty, but from empathy and awareness.
The Path to a Beautiful State
So, how can we break free from habitual stress and move toward this beautiful state?
The answer is through inner truth and conscious observation.
During the talk, a simple three-step meditation is offered:
- Close your eyes and observe your breath.
Inhale deeply, exhale slowly, and bring a gentle smile to your face. - Ask yourself three questions:
- Am I in a stressful state or a beautiful state?
- Am I living in the past, worrying about the future, or fully in the present?
- Am I preoccupied with myself, or am I connected with others?
- Am I in a stressful state or a beautiful state?
- Observe without judgment.
The aim is not to control or force your emotions — just to notice.
When you observe yourself with awareness, your consciousness begins to shift naturally toward peace.
The Power of Connection
In a beautiful state, we become capable of genuine connection. We see others not as extensions of our fears but as fellow beings.
When the speaker concludes the meditation, she invites the audience to open their eyes, smile at the person next to them, and silently wish, “May you live in a beautiful state.”
It’s a simple act — yet deeply powerful. It reminds us that peace begins not with the world outside, but with the world within.
Living Beyond Stress
We have all been Yesmi and Nomi at different times in our lives.
Sometimes, we’ve lived in stress and created confusion and pain for ourselves and others. Other times, we’ve lived in peace and spread calmness and compassion around us.
The goal is not to escape stress entirely — life will always bring challenges — but to stop letting stress define who we are.
The shift happens when we see the truth: suffering is sustained by our obsession with ourselves. When we let go of that, we return to simplicity, presence, and connection — the beautiful state.
Final Reflection
War, conflict, and division can only end when more and more of us live in a beautiful state. The transformation of the world begins within each of us.
As the fable teaches:
Let go of what you no longer need to carry.
Breathe, smile, and live in a beautiful state.
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