Striking a New Trail – Catalytic Action towards Happiness for All.

This beautiful, blue marble of a planet is racing across space with dignity. Do we match it in dignity and, hence, deserve to belong to this planet? Obviously, We don’t! The reasons are clear too. Can we do something to change the scenario?

If we look at the degradation of human conduct in terms of the abominable destruction of themselves and of their animal brethren, the situation is far from satisfactory. While it is possible to have a very caring humanity that respects all living beings and the environment, what is happening is, obviously, a far cry. We can do something about it if we understand what it is to strike a new trail and not fall along the conventional path – the path of self-serving attitudes governed by mindless competition and callousness.

The fundamental reason for the sad state of affairs is the fact that the vast majority of human beings is living at the surface flutter of consciousness and rarely, if at all, sense the beauty of its deeper contents. The externalization of the mind through indulgence in the conventional values is sweeping across humanity and people fall an easy prey to that wave. The merely excitement-oriented cultures cannot but succumb to it. The practice of religions too toes the same line and feed the ego. Once we sense this, we begin to veer away from the well trodden road and strike a new trail. This does not mean that we shirk our responsibilities or antagonize any one. It means that we no longer run with the crowd but take stock of ourselves and observe matters from insightful perspectives. The primary factor here is the deepening self-awareness whose essential by-product is the unqualified compassion and the feeling of sacredness in all relationships.

A practical issue that can help us in this matter is the difference between joy and satisfaction. The primary difference between them is to be seen in the fact that while satisfaction is largely ego-driven, joy is only marginally touched by the ego. To be in a job that one loves to do is to value joy over satisfaction, the latter being based on chasing money or similar ego-based values. There are other similar issues for reflection and self-transformation towards a holistic life. Once we see the soul-value behind joy, we automatically strike a new trail for ourselves and no longer feed the collective consciousness with the values that degrade human beings.

The eagerness to understand what lies beyond the conventional activities is the starting point for striking a new trail. The following paragraph from the book “Krishnamurti’s Journal” published by Krishnamurti Foundation India brings up some vital issues to be reflected upon.

“The tree is cut down and you shed a tear. An animal is destroyed for your taste; the earth is being destroyed for your pleasure. You are being educated to destroy, man against man. The new technology and machines are taking over the toil of man but you may not end sorrow through the things that thought has put together.”

Do we want to be part of this thoughtless and callous rigmarole? Reflective people sense a seriousness about making a clarion call to people reminding them of the madness in which humanity is caught. That is when they see the greatness of joy as a transformer in contrast to the demand for satisfaction as a destroyer. Once we strike a new trail, life becomes enriched for oneself and others because self-transformation inevitably affects the collective consciousness. Then, when the last day comes, we can leave with a completeness feeling. The book “In Quest of the Deeper Self” deals with similar matters as above. Details can be found at the website http://spirituality.yolasite.com .

Understanding Karma the Hidden Redeemer

The hidden truths of life can help us in many ways.  Most people, however, get carried away by the apparent issues of life and rarely delve into the hidden truths. Understanding the deeper meaning of Karma can move us towards leading a peaceful and meaningful life.  All it needs is a deep interest in that direction.

Strangely, attachment to religious systems quite often discourages the adherents from impartial investigations into hidden truths, for fear of being veered away from the religion.  However, such fears keep them on the surface layers of consciousness, leading to religious fanaticism and shallowness of their psychology.   

Karma is not to be treated merely as a religious belief.  Either it is Intrinsically true or it is not.  Only those who impartially examine their own lives and the lives of the others understand the truth about it.  Beyond the mere reasoning ability, intuition plays a significant part in revealing hidden truths.  Sustained interest in examining (along with consistent association with the matter for a while) is needed before intuition starts making its impact.  This world’s truly happy people are those who have sensed the value of intuition and who allow it to guide them in their lives. These are the people who understand Karma and harness it to help them rather than be at loggerheads with it.     

The truth of Karma has a great deal to offer in terms of leading a fanaticism-free vibrant life.  Edgar Cayce, known as the Sleeping Prophet, lived in the US during the first half of the twentieth century, and has written some revealing essays on Karma and how it has been misunderstood.  He was able to help many who sought his advice (about 3000 in number) free themselves from problems by reading their karmic connections from their past life incidents.  He did this reading by himself getting into an hypnotic state while the subject sat near him.  Edgar said that to think of Karma as a punishing agent can only be a most unfortunate conclusion.  His essays on Karma go a long way to bring clarity in that direction.  One sees how one is accountable for one’s actions while not misinterpreting Karma by attributing ‘a tooth for a tooth and a nail for a nail’ kind of false content to it.              

Karma is energy – the energy generated by nature flowing through our physical and psychological system, through the other living beings, through the inanimate things etc.  That flow is governed by the laws of nature.  In that flow there is no room for chance happenings; nothing can be a random variable.  Things appear to be random only because of unawareness of the hidden truths.  Therefore Karma is like a river flowing through many geological and geographical terrains letting a score of things take place on the way. 

From the above analogy, we can perceive some hidden truths.   When a river is in floods, it overflows the banks, hits the cattle, destroys the crops, drowns the people and so on.  But, if we can construct a dam at the right place, the dam will function as a flood control measure and release the flood in a phased manner.  Then, all the destructive consequences of the flood are effectively eliminated.  Other advantages such as power generation and water for irrigation also ensue.  Construction of a dam needs the understanding of the static and dynamic nature of water.  The same way, to harness the energy of Karma needs our understanding of its characteristics - its live movement.  Then, we find that Karma is a great friend of ours and that it is actually a hidden redeemer. All these things can help one lead a peaceful life in which one knows how to be happy and how to make others happy.

These matters are dealt with in a detailed way in my book "in Quest of the Deeper self". Please visit http://spirituality.yolasite.com

Sincere Application Brings About Vibrancy in Life

Many human beings, young and old alike, seem to get into depression because of the psychologically tough circumstances in life.  This is unavoidable on this planet.  However, something can be done to reduce the intensity of it. There are many articles on this theme in magazines and in websites.  What is given here is just yet another exposure to the associated matters.

I saw a poster in the office of a friend of mine.  The caption appearing amidst a beautiful natural scene said, “The World Belongs to the Cool Enthusiast”.  When we reflect on this message, we gain some trust - in the sense that we can do something to face life with cheerfulness and confidence.  It means essentially that we must understand the value behind sincere application to the many things within our purview.  There are at least six items where we can involve ourselves with enthusiasm.  These are the following:

1.     Health

2.     House Making

3.     Career (Profession, Business, Industry, Sport)

4.     Attention to our relatives and friends (See if we can add some cheer and vibrancy to their lives psychologically, and otherwise too.)

5.     Soul Search (Philosophic studies and quiet reflections)

6.     Hobbies

The above items offer wide scope for creative application; the interest we show there can bring about a robust psychology in us so that the difficulties in our life can be faced with equanimity.  What counts there is the love with which we apply ourselves to those items. 

The item of soul search can particularly help us face difficulties with maturity and intelligence. It prevents us from merely clinging to some belief systems hoping to develop a shield against life.  One becomes an explorer and so adopts an adventurer’s attitude in discovering hidden aspects of life.  In this connection, we now look at two items from literature (given below).  One is a poem by the Indian poet MahaKavi  Kalidas and the other is a passage from the American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Reflections on these and similar passages can move us into enthusiastic application of ourselves to the daily life and thus lead us into healthy psychology.

Kalidasa is considered as one of the greatest poets in Sanskrit who lived around the 5^th century AD.   The following poem ‘Salutations of the Dawn’ is attributed to him.

Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn

Look to this Day!  For it is Life, the very Life of Life.      

In its brief course lie all the Verities and Realities of your Existence                                The Bliss of Growth,                                   

The Glory of Action,  

The Splendor of Beauty;    

For Yesterday is but a Dream, 

And To-morrow is only a Vision 

But To-day well lived makes 

Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,  

And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope  

Look well therefore to this Day 

Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!   

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer and poet who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century.  Emerson gradually moved away from the religious and social beliefs of his contemporaries. The following excerpt is taken from one of his essays:    

     

"To laugh and laugh much; to win the company of intelligent people, the affection of children and the appreciation of honest critiques; to know the best in others, to withstand the betrayal of false friends; to leave the world a bit better by way of a garden patch, a healthy child or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life breathed easier because you lived - this is to have succeeded in life."                            

When we pay attention to the above two quotes, we feel deeply drawn to leading a good life.  Similar matters are covered in the website http://spirituality.yolasite.com