Correct Balance

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 spoke of goals last week; but how are those goals inter-related?

@tyaemRXye samÃSymavZykm!.9.

Etayor-madhye saamangjasyam-aavashyakam ||9||

There must be harmony between them.

The primary goals should become means which lead to the ultimate goal. Each smaller goal ought to be a rung, as it were, on the ladder of life, raising us to the next goal and the next.

We must ensure the stability and place of the smaller goals, however. There was beggar who knocked on a householder's door in hope of some reward. When shooed away he said "be respectful to me, I am the author of 101 Ways of Becoming Rich!". The householder, aghast, asked why then the fellow was begging. "That is one of the ways" he retorted. Would this truly make him rich? Another man wanted to become a billionaire by marrying the daughter of one. This may appear easy and achievable - but is less than commendable. One man wanted to go from rags to riches by stealing from a bank. This was destined to turn 'goal' into 'gaol'!!!

The intermediate goals ought to be both right and righteous if we want ultimately to be happy and peaceful.

There should not be contradictions between the goals. One who dreams of climbing Everest, yet remains ever in his house, will never reach even the base camp. In order to realise dreams we have to wake up and move in the right direction, keeping on till the destination is reached… and even if we do not obtain the ultimate, we shall certainly have gained much in the process.

It is observed that even though the tests come from outside, the lessons are learnt inside. Even thought the intermediate goals may be external, like becoming this or that personage, their result is experienced within the personality as satisfaction, joy, recognition, acceptance and so forth - which is what we ultimately want anyway.