Harih Om!

Hi All,

In the last issue, we were discussing about one verse from the Bhagavad Geeta.  We shall continue from where we stopped.  The question was “Are we not subjecting the mind constantly to abuse and disuse?  Is this helping us in any way?  If it is not helping us now, at least in the end will it, and at what cost? Well, I am sure you all know what I mean by abuse and disuse of the mind.  By abuse, I mean using it erroneously and by disuse, I mean not using it but saving it for a rainy day.  Both these are harmful in the sense they sap away our energy.  Let us go into these issues now.

First, do we respect ourselves?  By this I mean do we look at ourselves in a decent healthy way, without ever trampling upon the capacities and capabilities bestowed upon us.  We are not talking about overestimating or underestimating them.  After all, who are we to overestimate or underestimate anybody or anything, though we generally do so?  Is this very act not the cause for majority of the problems?  By overestimating issues or people we start unnecessarily pressing the panic buttons, whereas by underestimating them, we take things for granted thereby we trap ourselves.  Therefore, we have to learn the art of looking at the capacities and capabilities given to us from a totally different dimension.  These capacities, we can consider as our inner resource through which we can achieve things in this world.  We can consider only such abilities that are useful, contributing to the growth of oneself and the society, as capacity or capability in the primary sense of the term.

We can also see it differently, that is, by qualifying these capacities and capabilities as becoming, healthy or positive traits.  Once we view them this way, the other automatically becomes negative.  Having spotted them, we have to nurture and nourish them.  This process should not be one that is destructive, rickety but rather cosy, comfortable, enjoyable and harmonious.  Living then becomes joyous and purposeful.  We grow inwardly with every passing day, as compared to what is happening now.  Presently, we are burning ourselves up every single day.

We open up, once we learn to respect ourselves, which also involves us becoming sensitive to the instruments that are at our disposal, and to ourselves.  There is one area that seems to be booby-trapped and we should be careful not to enter carelessly.  That will amount to devastation of one’s personality. Very many of us unfortunately become trapped and manage coming out with great difficulty.  That is condemning oneself on seeing or becoming aware of the limitations or inadequacies.  We have to be pragmatic.  Let us look at the whole world, with varied things like mountains, birds, trees and animals.  Do they have any regret or complaint about what they enjoy or do not?  It is unfortunate that we human beings alone do it.  Everything that we posses as a capacity or capability is something that is an asset.  It has come to us not only because of the hard work that we have put through the body and mind and that the result was in line with the laws of creation.  Certain capacities that we enjoy, may contribute to the universal harmony whereas the others may create disharmony.  Immediately all we need to do is, that we should learn to stop or stall manifestation of those action patterns that disturb the harmony. Later, once we are fairly successful, we should sublimate them through proper thinking backed by appreciation of the truth.

At any point of time, neither should we condemn the capacities and capabilities that happen to be resources, nor should we condemn ourselves.  Just as we do not have the right to condemn others, we do not have the right to condemn ourselves. Let us learn to look at issues and capacities, and in the process if there is a need to better them, we must better them.  However, let us go about the whole process in a gentle sweet way, without becoming burnt up or excited and losing control over ourselves.  You all must have seen a dancer or musician giving a performance.  The performance will definitely depend on the proficiency and efficiency of the artist along with a few other factors.  One major factor that contributes to the making of a great artist is the beauty of the inner personality that has become refined enjoying a grace of its own.

This grace is not something that is born with age or experience, but is a product of knowledge and sensitivity that goes to make the part of the person. There should be the knowledge that being hard on anything is first being hard on oneself and that means being insensitive.  Further being hard also means abuse of energy physical or mental and disuse of certain other capacities, which is easily avoidable.  Well, this does not mean that we take the easy way and go light on everything.  ‘What cannot be cured must be endured’, but where there is a cure, we will have to seek it; not seeking it is not wisdom, but foolishness.  So, with maturity and sensitivity we look at our capacities and capabilities and take proper decisions.  These decisions alone we can call decisions.  We can also call them intelligent decisions, which is only abuse of the word.

Once we learn to live our life that way, then, neither do we abuse our bodies, much less do we abuse our minds. This means neither the body nor the mind are let down. Therefore, there is no feeling of despondency or revenge.  When we constantly put down people, do they not turn anti and wait for an opportunity to strike us?  Even a good friend, one’s spouse or a faithful dog, in time turns against us and becomes inimical.  It is natural, if they do not become one, that is their glory not ours.

With love,

Swamiji