The Handle of the Axe

Settle yourself down where you feel comfortable. Gently close your eyes or direct your gaze downward. Breathe in deeply once. And slowly exhale again. Once more: a long, conscious breath in. And release with a soft sigh. Today I'd like to tell you an old story – one that has occupied me for years. Once there was a forest, proud and ancient, whose trees had withstood storms and heat for centuries. Their roots ran deep, their crowns high into the sky. One day a man with an axe came to the forest's edge. The blade gleamed sharp in the sun, but the handle was broken. "I need wood for a new handle," the man called out. "Just a small branch from you, then I can work." The trees whispered in the wind. "He only needs a tiny twig," whispered the young birch. "What could happen?", murmured the old oak. "We are strong and many – he is only one." So they willingly gave him one of their branches. The man fastened the wood to his axe and began to work. Tree after tree fell under his blows. The entire forest disappeared until only stumps remained. As the last trees fell, they whispered to one another: "The handle of the axe was made from our own wood." "We gave him the power to destroy us." Let these words resonate within you. The handle of the axe was made from their own wood. Breathe in and feel where in your life you yourself may have opened the door. In and out. Sometimes we willingly give others the tool with which they can hurt us. A sharp comment about ourselves that they later use against us. Our trust in someone who misuses it. Our time to things that harm us. Breathe in and ask yourself gently: To whom or what do you grant access to your life? It is not an accusation, only a loving assessment. In and out. The handle of the axe is made from our own wood. The handle of the axe is made from our own wood. Sometimes we ourselves open the door to what harms us. Not from weakness, but from a good-hearted heart. Take this thought with you into your day: You have the power to choose to whom you grant access. Breathe in deeply once more and return gently. Open your eyes if they were closed. Thank you for these shared moments. Thank you for using Calm Sessions.