The Monastery

Chapter 44: Beginner's Luck

Several hours later, Susant opened his eyes from his meditation. Song was still sitting next to him, and he could tell from her breathing that she was lost within herself. He stood to his feet, taking a breath of the fresh night air.

He walked away from the edge of the garden and over toward his tree. Just as he was getting close to it, he saw Jampa come walking into the garden. He smiled at his friend, who came before him.

"Here," said Jampa, holding something out in his hand. Susant looked down to see what looked like a long necklace made of many beads.

"What's this?" he asked, picking it up. Looking closer, Susant could see that it was a necklace made from the many dark brown seeds that Jampa had always been collecting. There must have been nearly a hundred of them strung together on a thin black string.

"I've been working on it for a while now," said Jampa, placing his hand behind his head. "I had a dream one night, a long time ago, where I was walking koras in the garden with one of these in my hand. I was rolling the seeds through my fingers one at a time while I recited mantras. When I woke up, I saw a on my nightstand a single seed of this tree and decided to make one."

"It's beautiful," said Susant. "It looks almost like a necklace."

"I'm not really sure what it is," said Jampa. "I think it's more than that, though I haven't thought of a name yet." He looked Susant in the eyes. "When I found out everything that was happening with you and the impossible task of creating a miracle, I realized I wanted you to have it. There is a lot of love in this, and I believe it will help you channel the energy you need to be successful in your trial."

"Thank you, Jampa. I will cherish it always," said Susant, slipping it over his head. "And if I ever think of a name for it, I'll let you know. Who knows, maybe it will come to me during my miracle meditation." He laughed softly, the impossibility of it all feeling heavy on his shoulders.

There was a moment of silence between them before Jampa spoke. "Have you thought about what kind of miracle you will try to create?"

Susant took a deep breath, placing his hand on the trunk of his tree. "In three days' time, I will call a storm from the sky, the likes of which we have never seen before. I will call the lightning."

Jampa laughed, pulling an apple out of his pocket. "And here I was thinking you would try to grow a flower or walk on water—"

"That's actually not a bad idea." Song interjected. She walked up next to the two of them. "Thanks, Jampa," she said, smiling. "I wasn't sure what I was going to try and do for my miracle, but now it is as clear as day. I will grow a flower."

"Any idea how you two plan on achieving these miracles?" Jampa asked.

"Beginner's luck." Song smiled. "Isn't that right, Susant?"

Jampa looked over at Susant, who only shrugged and smiled back. "Beginner's luck?" Jampa asked. "How is that going to help you?"

"You should know. You're the one who gave me the idea."

Jampa looked at him strangely. Susant sat down against the tree and spoke. "Children understand certain things much easier than adults, right? That's because, once you introduce logic into the equation, the thinking mind must be convinced of the way that something will happen. Children are not hindered by this. Now, think about beginner's luck. It is sometimes found, that those who know nothing about what they are trying to do can miraculously perform at a master level, if only for a moment, right?"

"So, you're saying that, because we have absolutely no idea what we're doing, we have an advantage because our minds are not yet convinced it is impossible?" Song asked.

"Something like that. And also, because we are not limited to one specific way of trying. Instead of practicing something that our minds may or may not believe will work, we will be forced to be perfectly present, to be like water and air, and to feel for the right opportunity, and seize it. Besides . . ." Susant shrugged with a grin. "If it weren't possible, the Ancient One wouldn't have given it to us as our challenge."

Jampa took a bite of his apple. "That actually makes sense."

"There's just one last thing we need," said Susant.

Song and Jampa looked at him curiously.

"And what's that?" Jampa asked.

"The key to the Golden Temple." 

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