Hari
Om
Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by
which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality
and become more congruent within our personality.
We are reading "Tips for Happy
Living - jIvnsUÇai[
/jiivanasuutraani", by Swami Tejomayananda (Guru-ji). Choose-days writings
are here to prompt deeper thinking on the choices made on a daily basis and
seek to provide prompts for raising the standard of one's thinking and living.
This text composed in format of Sanskrit traditional teachings, speaks directly
to this purpose. As ever, the full text may be obtained from CM Publications - or your local centre
(see sidebar).
What
happens when we do not have a clear value system?
AadzRhIn>
àlae_ane ptit nZyit c.5.
Aadarsha-hiinaH
pralobhane patati nashyati cha ||5||
One without ideals falls prey to temptations and
perishes.
If
you do not stand for something, you fall for everything. Falling prey to
temptation and giving up our values is called compromise. Withstanding
temptations and living up to our values is called sacrifice. In both there is
renunciation; in the former, we renounce the higher for the sake of the lower,
in the latter the lower for the sake of the higher.
Sometimes,
compromise can seem to yield benefit to the one who dropped his or her values.
The short-term gain may have made it worth that drop in standards of being.
However, it will cost them their esteem, within themselves as well as in the
eyes of others.
Equally,
our self-esteem grows when we stick to our principles (noble ones of course,
not the selfish, self-serving kind) and those around will admire our resolve
and discipline.
Does
this mean that inert objects have no place in life?
AavZyktanusare[Ev
jfpdawRe_yae mhÅv< Swan< c d*at!.6.
Aavashyakataanusaarenaaiva
jada-padaarthebhyo mahatvam sthaanam cha dadyaat ||6||
Material objects should be given importance and place
according to one's needs alone.
Objects
of the world have their place and function - a handkerchief is necessary when
have a running nose and warm clothes are required in winter. Objects should be
given their due value and respect, but no more than that. Respect is necessary
only to demonstrate the inner value - if one has no respect for keeping one's
clothes in good order, or one's home tidy, what does it say about the mind?
What of the respect for Self and Scripture?
The
objects of life aid us through it and treated well will serve us well, but
beyond this they are unimportant. They are not the 'be all and end all' of
life. We should remain masters and not become dependent or even slaves to
the objects. The 'idiot-box' should not dominate family time and mobile
phones and emails should not replace person-to-person meetings. Attachment and
addiction to things can only cause sorrow, for they will surely fail us in one
way or another and we mourn their loss.
A
place for everything and everything in its place is what we need to remember.
Prioritise objects, persons, relationships and values.
