Reflections: Oct 17th, 2017
King Senajit is receiving some instruction to create space between himself and his thoughts/emotions. Witnessing our own thoughts and emotions is the first step. Today’s reflections after listening to Swami Tadatmananda’s lecture.
Grief is natural; Not to grieve is unhealthy; However, how long do you need to get out of grief? Think about it.
Every day a thousand occasions for sorrow, and a hundred occasions for fear assail the man of ignorance and folly but not the man that is possessed of wisdom.
Sorrow will not touch a man who lives by the word of scriptures, frees oneself from the poison of jealousy and regulates one’s own senses and mind.
Losing oneself in the ocean of worldly life is akin to getting submerged by a huge wave, over and over again. There is a sense of excitement as one reaches the water surface, enjoys a momentary breath of air and sunlight, only to be crushed by another huge wave.
Where can I find peace in this ocean of worldly life? You can’t avoid the waves of life but you can learn to surf the waves of life.
Protecting the heart from unwanted desires and passions, one can learn to surf the waves of life without being tormented.
When others shout at you, are they shouting at you or shouting at your role? Listen to the one who blows his steam and then work with him to solve his grievance. Creating a space between you and your role will help you to handle the situation without getting lost in your own emotion.
When a dark cloud covers the sun, how does it affect the sun? The clouds refer to your thoughts and emotions, while the sun is your Consciousness. The Consciousness illumines your thoughts and emotions and is not tainted by it. You, the shining Consciousness is unaffected by the cloud of sadness.
Whatever problem comes along, figure out how to get rid of the root of the problem. The root of the problem lie in failing to see the difference between you and the problem in the mind.
Do you really want your life to resemble a Bollywood movie?
Peace and contentment is the absence of wild ups and down in your life. Give up the passionate immersion in your roles, like the way you gladly cast away a diseased limb to save your life.
Giving up your obsession is for the sake of your happiness. Continuing to follow your obsessions will destroy you.
What I am gaining from obsessive work is minuscule (1/16) compared to the peace and contentment I gain by giving up the obsession. Is this a fair play?
The fruits of action, joy and suffering, visits the wise and the foolish, the brave and the timid. The desirable and the undesirable revolve around all living creatures. Get over it, Deal with it.
How do I handle up’s and down’s of life? You are the unchanging Conscious Being, aware and unaffected by the fluctuating emotions in the mind. Why do I want to get sucked into these emotional roller-coaster? Walk away from these emotional outbursts as they grow in our heart and lead us directly into the jaws of death.
Just as the tortoise withdraws its limbs and its head when it recognizes a threat, we withdraw ourselves from the wild worldly desires and abide in Consciousness.
