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.
Continuing
the TED talks series with different views on the subject of choice. This week a
video which looks at the need to pay attention to our mental state in order to
be in better condition for making life choices. If we are in emotional turmoil,
we are not at all functioning efficiently. Several valid points are made regarding the way our mental state informs
the physical… there is reference to 'sublimation' by use of distraction which,
when practiced diligently, helps to alter the state of mind. What applies
mentally, applies spiritually.
To lever Vedantic value from this video, it is necessary to remember that the loneliness, self-esteem, etc., referred to in the talk are all ego states and therefore pertain to the 'jiiva' aspect of our existence. The aim is to salvage that ego and understand it better, in order to become more congruent in our BMI personality. In achieving that, we have more within ourselves available for the flight into higher, philosophical pursuits. As Guy Winch himself points out near the beginning, we must learn to recognise the need of help. Then we must apply the things we can for ourselves, as well as reaching out to others who may be able to assist. To work with the analogies provided, we do not expect another person to clean our teeth for us, or brush our hair (uness we are extremely incapacitated); likewise, we ought not to expect that another can tune our mind for us and pull us out of our miseries. We alone can exercise our daily physical hygiene, thus it is asked that we also exercise good mental hygiene … and for our purposes here, good spiritual hygiene (saadhana). All that is required is that we choose to do so!
To lever Vedantic value from this video, it is necessary to remember that the loneliness, self-esteem, etc., referred to in the talk are all ego states and therefore pertain to the 'jiiva' aspect of our existence. The aim is to salvage that ego and understand it better, in order to become more congruent in our BMI personality. In achieving that, we have more within ourselves available for the flight into higher, philosophical pursuits. As Guy Winch himself points out near the beginning, we must learn to recognise the need of help. Then we must apply the things we can for ourselves, as well as reaching out to others who may be able to assist. To work with the analogies provided, we do not expect another person to clean our teeth for us, or brush our hair (uness we are extremely incapacitated); likewise, we ought not to expect that another can tune our mind for us and pull us out of our miseries. We alone can exercise our daily physical hygiene, thus it is asked that we also exercise good mental hygiene … and for our purposes here, good spiritual hygiene (saadhana). All that is required is that we choose to do so!
