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.
The next text which will guide the
Choose-day posts is "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).
Last
week we read about learning from life itself. Guru-ji continues;
jIvne
iÖivx< kayR< àPtpiriSwitàitkar> Sv_aiv:yinmaR[< c.3.
Jiivane
dvividham kaaryam prapta-paristhiti-pratikaaraH svabhavishya-nirmaanam cha
||3||
There are two imperatives in life - to deal with
situations as they come and to create one's future.
Every
one of us in daily life must face any number and variety of 'situations'.
Situation does not have to be negative. The choice between eggs or cereal from
breakfast is a situation we must deal with and it is generally pleasant.
Situations can be anything where we are faced with choice or dilemma and can
range from unpleasant to downright horrifying, or wonderful to very auspicious
and profitable, from boring to exceedingly testing.
In
each and every situation our response to it is what makes the difference to
outcomes, for ourselves and sometimes for others. This is important to realise,
because a lot of the time our 'situations' are so commonplace, that we don't
think of them in this regard. However, our attitude to making decisions,
adapting, engaging and so on can end up creating a favourable or a less
favourable outcome - which in turn can bring about another situation. In the
breakfast scenario, the decision to take the egg may mean that another member
of the family misses out; especially is we choose to fry it or boil it… if we
realise that another is going to lack because of our want, we can alter the
situation by making scrambled egg and this can be divided more easily and
meaningfully with the toast, so that all can enjoy. It may seem a small
example, but this difference is between selfishness or sharing. Another outcome
might be the selfless one of offering the other family member that last egg and
taking the cereal instead. Not a big sacrifice, but it is the attitude with
which we do even this small deed which informs our general ability to manage
situations.
Attitude
to facing life is a very large part of what makes or breaks it. There are those
who get frustrated with folk who know how to smile or at least stay
light-hearted in what can be challenging circumstances - but why make the rest
of the world miserable just because you feel so?! One of Gurudev's great mottos
was "Keep Smiling!" and it is one to take to heart. It doesn't mean
grinning from ear to ear all the time; but if you have a smile in your heart it
will show in your voice and actions and will endear others to you.
Facing
situations and handling them is one thing. The other factor mentioned in
Guru-ji's suutra is that one must make one's own life. There are some folk who
get trapped by thinking that life is only made up of situations and spend their
entire lives 'fire-fighting' - or picking fights! - almost certainly you know
someone in your circle who seems to 'borrow trouble'. Such people lack ability
to set goals, or the skills to carry out the necessary actions to work for any
goals which do get set.
Setting
goals is essential to carry us through and give a point to life. Let not the
dealing with situations as an ongoing thing exhaust you or distract you from
working towards a better destiny. A well thought out goal, well-managed, can
provide incentive and fun along the way and even if the end is not reached,
there can be no loss either. A danger for those who get worn down by life and
its situations, who get trapped into negative thinking, are inclined to look
outside themselves for improvements, when all that is necessary if to take
charge of their own decision making and responses and begin to mend the path of
life. Destiny is certainly present in life, but it is not set in rock - we can
make our own destiny, alter its path, if we wake up to ourselves and make
decisions in that regard. To surrender and cry "I am cursed in my destiny,
good life is not meant for me!" is to disempower yourself in the extreme.
We have been given free will so that we can make or break ourselves. No matter our
circumstances, we can always choose to make the best of them, or allow them to
swallow us. We see this all the time when international disasters take place,
such as earthquakes, hurricanes and even wars. Certainly the worst of human
nature can be revealed, but also the best. It comes down to the individual
attitudes.
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