There’s a Zen parable Jack Cornfield retells in his wonderful book, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, about a young monk who was really proud of his spiritual progress.
The first month he wrote the master, “I feel one with the universe!” And the master just glanced at the note and threw it away.
The next month: “I finally discovered the Divine. The divine is in me.” And the master yawned.
The third letter: “the Mystery of the One and the Many has been revealed to my wondering gaze.” Whatever, the master thought, and went back to hoeing his weeds.
When the next letter came—“no one is born and no one dies”—the master just sighed and shrugged and put on the kettle for tea.
Weeks went by and nothing. Months. A year.
Finally the master thought it was time to check in with the novice again.
And the novice wrote back: “I am simply living my life. That’s all. As for my spiritual practices, my fasting and my praying, I don’t know. I’m just doing the best I can.”
And the master looked up, smiled, and said out loud, “Thank God! He’s got it at last!”
Then went back to hoeing his weeds.