Parables are small stories, each of which has a special meaning. All of them are very instructive, as they make listeners think a lot and experience some moments that a person has not yet encountered. Despite the fact that the events taking place in parables do not take place in real life, all the sensations and emotions of the heroes are so vividly selected to describe them that this allows you to compare such stories with reality.
Genre origin
A small instructive story, which is a parable, contains a religious or moral teaching, that is, wisdom. Such stories relate to the didactic-allegorical genre that arose in ancient times in the East. It was there that the sages liked to speak with allegories and riddles. Somewhat later, parables with religious content began to appear. The very first of them, recorded on paper, are the early Christian and Hebrew. These instructive stories are reflected in the Bible.
The parable in its meaning is very close to a fable. However, it differs from the latter in the breadth of generalization, as well as the significance of the idea. So, the main characters of the fables are people, as well as animals endowed with certain human qualities. All of them, as a rule, are placed in certain everyday situations. In the parable, everything is somewhat different. Its main characters have neither character nor external features. They are a kind of generalized person. This may be a son, father, peasant, woman, king, etc. The meaning of the parable does not lie in the image of the person himself, but in his ethical choice. There is no indication in such stories of a specific time of action and place. Not shown in parables and phenomena in their development. After all, the purpose of any wisdom is to report on events, and not their image. The main topics of the parables relate to truth and falsehood, life and death, man and God.
In the history of their development, these short moralizing stories have come a long way. They began with short texts posted in just two lines. Such parables can be seen in the Old Testament. Having passed the path of their formation, parables grew to small works. But be that as it may, these short stories do not cease to attract and surprise us, captivating with the beauty and elegance of their plot, as well as with an exquisitely expressed thought, which is a bunch of world wisdom.
The concept of psychological parable
In the old days, short stories teaching wisdom were most often the fruit of folk art and did not have a specific author. They were born in the bowels of a certain culture, and after that they were retold and passed from mouth to mouth.
At the end of the 19th century - beginning of the 20th century some prominent writers turned their attention to the parable as a genre of literature. In these short stories, they were attracted by the stylistic feature, which allows not to describe the development of the plot, the characters of the characters and the situation. The main attention of the reader was to attract the moral and ethical problem of interest to the author. In Russia, the laws of the parable were subordinated to V. Doroshevich and L. Tolstoy. Abroad, Camus, Marseille, Sartre and Kafka expressed their philosophical views with short wisdom.
Today parables are used in psychotherapeutic practice. In the hands of a professional, they become a powerful tool to change the human mind.
Psychological parables clearly demonstrate a moral and didactic aspect of life. They are used in cases where the patient’s consciousness is at an impasse, to exit from which an appeal to the unconscious is required.
Psychological parables allow the specialist to form a series of images and symbols with the client that carry an underlying subtext and have a harmonious setting. Such a message necessarily reaches the subconscious and begins to launch healing processes to bypass consciousness.
Properly selected short psychological parables allow a person to understand the essence of the problem facing him and find ways to solve it. With their help, the patient begins to become aware of real life values, which can turn out to be much simpler than one might initially assume.
Thanks to regularly read psychological parables and their analysis, many manage to take a completely different look at the world around us, as well as at the life of people in it.
Component Parables
Short wisdom is like an iceberg. In them, as in this block of ice, on the surface there is only a small part of the idea presented.
What do psychological parables consist of? Their main elements are four layers:
- Functional. This is all that lies on the surface, and what the client of the psychotherapist hears. Simply put, this is the first stage of acquaintance with the parable. That is, read, heard, etc.
- Physiological. This layer includes the narrator's gestures. This movement during the story, and posture, and the movement of the palms and hands.
- Psychological. This layer is the target diagnosis. This element has a direct impact on the human psyche, that is, on the development of his imagination, thinking, attention and memory.
- Personal. This element includes the end result. He leads the listener to personal development. However, it is worth noting that the result from the impact of psychological parables manifests itself much later than meeting them.
Effective impact
Psychological parables about life, about motivation, about the price of desires, etc. They teach us how to find a way out of this situation, develop intuition, imagination and thinking. Some of them bring inspiration to a person, others make you think, and still others make you laugh. When using this unique tool, short wisdom has a rather effective therapeutic effect. They allow the listener to plunge into a completely different world, which was created by a psychologist using a metaphor. This allows you to establish the closest relationship between the narrative, the therapist, and the patient. At such moments, the client begins to identify with the main characters of the parable, as well as with its events. This is the main strength of short wisdom. However, in order for the parable to be able to change the real life of the client, he needs to fully understand the events of the story. Identification of a person with the heroes and events of the parable will allow him to replace the feeling of isolation, when the thought “only me is so bad” firmly stuck in my head, with the feelings of a shared experience, when the patient begins to understand that problems arise not only in his life. The main strength of the parable and its therapeutic effect lies in the fact that the meaning of the story is conveyed to the listener not directly, but indirectly, that is, as if by the way.
Consider a detailed interpretation of parables that help change the way people see the world.
Story about the window
The plot of this parable takes the listener to the double room of the hospital, in which there are two hopeless patients. One of them was near the window, and the other was near the door, where the button for calling the nurse is located. Patients stayed in the ward for quite some time, meeting a change of seasons there.
In the parable “View from the Window” it is said about how one of the patients, the one who was lying away from the door, constantly told his neighbor about everything that was happening on the street. It was raining and snowing there, the sun was shining, the trees were covered with light frosty lace, sometimes covered with transparent spring haze, with the advent of summer they were covered with greenery, and in the fall a farewell yellow-scarlet outfit appeared on them. The patient, who was at the door, constantly heard stories about how people walk along the street and drive cars. In other words, about that big world that opened a view from a window for a person. The patient could not get out of bed and was envious of anyone who could admire all this beauty.
And then one night that patient, who was lying at the window, became ill. He asked to call a nurse, but his neighbor did not do this because of envy choking him. The patient, without waiting for help, died. The man lying at the door asked to be moved to the window. Having appeared on a treasured bed, he looked out on the street, expecting to see the world in all its glory. However, his gaze came across a blank wall. There was nothing else outside the window.
After reading such stories, psychologists will certainly make a detailed interpretation of the parables for clients. The conclusions that follow from this short story clearly indicate that the happiness of any person is in his hands. It is that positive attitude, which is manifested quite consciously. Happiness is not a gift of fate at all. It will not enter our home through a window or door. And if you wait for him idly, then it is simply impossible to become happy. This feeling is inside each of us. The human mind can be compared with a program whose work depends on entering a certain code into it. And if we constantly invest in it only creative, inspired and positive thoughts, then we will begin to see a lot of what can make us optimistic.
Family wisdom
The story told in the parable "How to Teach Children to Be Happy" begins with a person walking along the road. It was a wise old man who admired the spring colors and looked at the surrounding nature. And suddenly on his way a man met with a large and heavy load, from which his legs gave way.
The old man asked why this man doomed himself to suffering and hard work. The man replied that he was doing everything so that his children and grandchildren were happy. At the same time, he talked about how his great-grandfather, grandfather and father acted in this way. In turn, the wise interlocutor asked if anyone was happy in the man’s family? He replied no, but hoped that it would be much easier for children and grandchildren to live. Then the old wise man, with a sigh, said that the illiterate could not teach anyone to read, and the mole was not given to raise an eagle.
The conclusion that was drawn from the whole story is that each person must first learn to be happy, and only after that he can teach his children the same. This will be for them the most valuable gift in life.
Love and Separation
The story of this parable begins with a story about a young couple. The guy and the girl were noticed by Love and Separation. The last of them decided to argue. She said she would tear this couple apart. But here Love was ahead of her. She said that the first would approach them, but would do it only once. After that, Separation will be able to do anything.
Love approached the guy and the girl, looked into their eyes and touched their hands. After that, she saw a spark run between young people. Then it was the turn of Separation. But she did not decide to approach the couple immediately, but after a while, when the feeling arose fades a little. And then the moment came when Separation looked into the house of the husband and wife. In it, she saw a young mother with a child and a father. Separation looked into their eyes and saw Gratitude there. Not having achieved her goal, she decided to come back later.
After some time, Separation reappeared on the threshold of the house. Here the children rustled, whom the mother calmed, and the tired husband returned from work. Separation decided that she could fulfill her plan. Looking into the eyes of the husband and wife, she saw in them Understanding and Respect. She again had to retreat.
After some time, Separation returned to this house again. In it, she saw a gray-haired father, who was explaining something to his already matured children. Mother at the same time was busy in the kitchen. Looking into the eyes of the husband and wife, she saw Trust there. And again, Separation had to leave.
After some time, she once again visited this house. Grandchildren ran in it, and by the fireplace she saw a saddened old woman. Separation was glad that at last he would achieve his goal. She tried to look into the eyes of the old woman, but she left the house. The woman went to the cemetery and sat at the grave. Here, as it turned out, her husband was buried. Separation, looking into the old woman's tearful eyes, she saw in them the Memory of Love. And also about Gratitude and Respect, Understanding and Trust.
What can be the conclusion from the parable “Love and Separation”? There is one huge feeling in the world. This is love that every person understands in his own way. However, without it, life on this planet simply would not exist. Only thanks to her in the world is Understanding, Good, Joy and other wonderful feelings.
Positive mindset
This parable tells how one day an old wise Chinese man, walking through a snowy field, met a tearful woman on his way. He inquired as to the cause of her tears. To which she replied that, looking at the snow-covered field, she recalls youth, the departed beauty and those men whom she loved. The woman was sure that God acted cruelly, giving people memory. After all, it makes her cry, remembering her youth.
For some time the sage was silent. He stood and contemplated the snowy plain. The woman, ceasing to cry, asked what he saw. The sage said that in front of him are blooming roses. God has given him a memory, and he always remembers his spring.
What is the moral of the parable “On Positive Thinking”? The conclusion from this story is obvious. A person’s positive thinking is not about believing in any situation a better future. It should be based on the fact that people need to live in the present so that tomorrow they joyfully and with a smile remember yesterday.
Motivation
The story of this parable tells us about a man walking past a house, near which an old woman and an old man were sitting in rocking chairs. Between them lay a dog who whined, seemingly in pain. The next day, the story repeated. On the third day, the man could not stand it and asked: “Why is the dog whining so pitifully?” The old woman answered that she was lying on a nail. The passerby was surprised and expressed his bewilderment at the fact that the animal would not stand up to ease the suffering. To this, the old woman answered him that the dog was only hurt enough to whine, but not at all enough to make any movement and move to another place.
What does this psychological parable about motivation teach us? Improving your life is just so pretty difficult. In order to take any steps, we all need motivation.
Do it differently
Very instructive is the parable "On a Blind Man." She tells how a passerby once saw a beggar on the steps of one of the buildings asking for alms. Near him lay a tablet on which was written: “I am blind. Help me please". A passerby felt sorry for the invalid, whose hat contained only a few coins. He threw money to him, and then he took the tablet and without permission wrote new words on it. After that, a passerby went about his business. By the end of the day, the blind man had a full hat of coins. When the stranger returned home, the beggar recognized him by the steps and asked what he wrote on the tablet? To which a passerby replied that he had only slightly changed the text. The blind man tried to read what was written for a long time, diligently moving his fingers along the surface. And finally, he succeeded. On the tablet, he found the inscription: "It is spring, but I can’t see it."
The moral of this parable is such that you should not despair when the intended does not go the way you want. It is worth trying to do things differently.
About discouragement
This parable speaks of how the Devil, who decided to brag to everyone, neatly placed the means that he uses in his craft on a glass display case. Next to each item, he affixed a label with a name and a value. In this collection was the Hammer of Wrath, the Dagger of Envy and the Trap of Greed, the tools of Hate, Pride and Fear. All these tools were located on beautiful pillows and could not but cause admiration for everyone who visited Hell.
But on the far shelf lay a shabby and plain-looking wooden wedge, near which was the label "Despondency". This item cost more than everyone else put together. To the surprised questions, the Devil answered that this tool is the only one that you can rely on when other means will be powerless.
The moral of the parable “On Despondency” is that one should not give in to this feeling. It is much stronger than many others, including fear, envy, anger, greed and hatred.
People Changing Circumstances
This parable tells how a young woman who recently got married came to her father. She told him that she had a lot of difficulties in her personal life and work, and she did not know how to deal with it. Father put three pots on the stove, filling them with water. In one of them he put carrots, in another egg, and in the third coffee. After a few minutes, they checked the contents of the pots. The coffee dissolved, and the egg and carrots boiled. Father looked at this situation more deeply. He told his daughter that carrots, after being scalded with boiling water, became supple and soft. The egg, previously fluid and brittle, hardened. Externally, these products have not changed. However, under the influence of boiling water, they became completely different. The same thing happens with people. Outwardly strong, they can always come loose, becoming weak. Delicate and fragile, despite the difficulties, they will only get stronger and harden. But about coffee, his father said that in an aggressive environment for him, this powder completely dissolved, turning into a wonderful drink.
What is the conclusion of the parable “How Circumstances Change People”? Not every person can change the situation. He himself sometimes changes circumstances, taking advantage and knowledge from them. What will he become in case of emerging life problems? This is the choice of everyone.
The Parable of Desire
It is worth thinking about such a story. He tells of a little shop located on the outskirts of the Universe, trading in desires. A space hurricane once carried his sign, but he did not begin to nail the new owner. All local residents already knew that you can buy almost everything: huge apartments and yachts, marriage and victory, success and power, football clubs and much more. It was impossible to get only death and life in the store. The head office located in another Galaxy was engaged in this.
The one who came to the store was primarily interested in the price of his desire. However, not many decided to buy it. There were such buyers who, having specified the price, immediately left. Some thought and began to recount money. Someone just complained about the excessively high cost, asking for a discount. But there were among the buyers and those who immediately pulled money from their pockets and acquired their cherished desire. Everyone else looked at their happy faces, reflecting on the fact that, most likely, the store owner was their friend and gave them everything they wanted, just like that.
There were not many buyers who received desires. And when the owner of the store, who did not want to reduce prices, was asked if he was afraid to go broke, he replied that there would always be brave people willing to take the risk and change all their predictable and familiar life to fulfill their cherished desires.
What is this parable about? The Price of Desire tells us that we often don’t even realize what lies behind what we dream about. After listening to the parable, a person should think about whether he is ready to go to his goal and even lose something in order to achieve it.