According to an ancient Greek myth, there was once a handsome musician, Orpheus, who fell in love with a beautiful woman, Eurydice. On their wedding day, Eurydice falls dead as Orpheus looks on in horror. She is taken to the underworld by Hades' workers.
Determined to have his love back, Orpheus wanders to the underworld. He charms everyone with the sweet music of his lyre- the ghosts, the rotting corpses, the strange creatures of the dark. He cries out to Hades and Persephone- "Love is so great that it even conquered your hearts and caused you both to unite. Please loan my love back to me. You lay your claim on everyone in the end anyhow." Moved by his pleas, the gods concede. He is allowed to take his love, Eurydice, back to earth with him. However, Eurydice is not to walk alongside him; instead, she is to walk behind him, carried by Hermes, the messenger god. Orpheus is not to look back at her until they reach the earth; else she will be taken from him again- this time, forever.
Overjoyed, Orpheus sets back on his journey to the earth. For a long time, he is able to keep his word; however, anxiety and worry begin to distract him. He doubts whether his prayers have indeed been answered- have the gods tricked him? He looks back once- and Eurydice bids him farewell.
I gather from this myth that doubt kills love; doubt kills faith; doubt kills any manifestations. When we make a wish, or a prayer, we can have anything we want; the trick is to believe that it will come true. In fact, the best thing is to believe that we already have whatever we pray for and to thank the universe for it as we pray. Most people wish with a strong sense of doubt that it will ever be realized- we are taught to believe that the world is a big bad place where there is no place for such weakness, such whimsical beliefs. However, I've always lived my life in this way- and so far, I can confidently say that whenever I ask with belief, I receive it.
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