Morning Muse 209 : The Two Sides Within Us

Osho once shared a powerful story about the two possibilities that exist within every human being. Many years ago, there lived a young and celebrated painter who longed to create a portrait filled with divine joy—a face whose eyes radiated eternal peace, as if God Himself were looking through them. In search of such a presence, the artist wandered through villages and forests, until one day he encountered a young shepherd. The shepherd’s eyes shone with innocence, serenity, and a light that seemed to come from another world. Convinced that divinity lived in this man, the painter created a masterpiece. The portrait spread far and wide, and people felt uplifted simply by gazing upon it.

Twenty years passed. The painter grew old, wiser, and more acquainted with life’s complexities. He now understood that existence is not only goodness; darkness too walks alongside it. Wanting to complete the picture of humanity, he decided to paint the opposite—a portrait of Satan, of evil incarnate. He searched in gambling dens, prisons, bars, and madhouses, looking for a face etched with cruelty, hatred, and inner hell.

Finally, in a jail, he found a man who had committed multiple murders and was awaiting execution. The man’s eyes burned with anger; his face bore the scars of deep suffering and violence. The artist chose him as his subject and painted another extraordinary portrait.

When the painting was complete, the artist placed both portraits side by side—the divine shepherd and the condemned criminal. As he admired them, he suddenly heard sobbing. Turning around, he saw the chained prisoner in tears. When asked why he was crying, the man replied softly,
“You may not know this, but both these portraits are of me. I am the same shepherd you painted twenty years ago. I weep for my fall—from heaven to hell, from God to Satan.”

Whether this story is historically true or not, its truth is existential. Every human being carries both possibilities within. In each of us, God and Satan coexist. There is the potential for heaven and the potential for hell. From the same soil, roses can bloom—or mud can gather. Life is a constant movement between these two extremes.

Most drift unconsciously, allowing neglect, fear, and unawareness to pull them toward darkness. A rare few remain alert and intentionally nurture love, awareness, and godliness within.

This Morning Muse is a quiet reminder:
What we become is not fate—it is cultivation.
What we nurture within ourselves decides which portrait life ultimately paints.