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).
We
have been reading chapter one of Guruj's text. Now the final suutra of the
chapter, which has been focusing on making life happen at a higher level of
function.
tSmaTSvjIvn_aar<
SvIk&Ty svRàyTnen tTs)lIkuyaRt!.8.
Tasmaat-svajiivana-bhaaram
sviikRtya sarva-prayatnena tat-saphalii-kuryaat ||8||
Therefore, accepting the responsibility of one's life,
one should with all efforts make it a success.
A
summing-up. Each of the suutraani has pointed to simple and pure values to
instil into daily discipline in order to raise the standard and expectation of
what life is, what it's purpose is and what can be gained from taking charge
for ourselves.
It
is a responsible thing, this being a human being! We must become accountable
for all that we think, say and do; the life is given to us to hone the soul. It
is entirely up to each and everyone of us to make the best - or the worst - of
it. People talk of 'fate' (praarabdha) as if it is something to throw one's
hand in the air and withdraw from responsibility. Not so! Certainly there are
karmic debts to be paid and the universe will find ways of bringing us to the
challenges where we can again be tested to see if we have learned. That much is
fate. However, we have been given complete free will to make of each situation
what we can. It is up to us to ensure that we maximise what we can, even from the
worst of situations and circumstances… or to sink ever lower into karmic debt.
We
cannot live with false hopes that success and prosperity will simply arrive at
our door as if by magic, with no effort made on our own part.
The
life we are given, the circumstances of it, are attributable to nature. How we
choose to live it comes down to our individual personality. We must put forth
all effort to expand ourselves, to grow with grace in our character and to
embrace life with pure heart. This itself is success. Everything else is 'icing
on the cake'.
There
are four types of people; those who make it happen, those who talk of making it
happen, those who talk of what happened and those who wonder, 'what happened?!'
Take
charge. Make it happen.
