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).
"Mind
Your Mind" is the subtitle given to chapter seven of our text. Think
'shaantiH, shaantiH, shaantiH"! What is most precious to man and how does
he lose it?
kam³aexaidivkarap[a<
n vzmagCDet!.1.
Man>zaiNtivvekinxenaRzkTvat.2.
Kaama-krodhaadi-vikaaraanaam
na vasham-aagachcchet ||1||
manaHshaanti-vivekanidher-naashakatvaat
||2||
One should not come under the sway of vices like
desire, anger and so on.
They being the destroyers of the wealth and mental
peace.
We
would not easily put at stake what we value; we safeguard whatever we consider
precious. We invest much 'value' in 'stuff', but also our physical health. What
of our mental health and wellbeing though? We unwittingly surrender our power
and permit other people and situations to rob us of our discrimination and
peace of mind. The slightest provocation, a hint of an insult, a minor
discomfort, an imagined loss, anger or jealousy… any of these disturbs our
mental poise and thinking capacity.
To
remain totally unaffected by likes, dislikes, anger etc., may initially seem
impossible. However, we can become aware
of them arising within us and not get swayed and swept away by them. We can
discipline ourselves so that they do not overwhelm us or loot our inner
tranquility.
How
does one overcome anger? The simple answer is - do not get angry in the first
place! It requires a simple flick of the mental switch. The act of doing
requires effort, not-doing does not. Likewise, becoming angry is an action
therefore requires energy. Not becoming angry is effortless. Yet we somehow
have transposed this in ourselves and we put energy into 'not getting
angry'. Simply, don't be angry. If you
wish to exhaust yourself, weary yourself of the world, by all means, exert the
energy required for anger.
Also,
when we value mental peace as true wealth, and when we realise that likes and
dislikes and resultant desire, anger, greed, delusion, arrogance and jealousy
are our enemies, we will not give into
them so readily. We will recognise them as wayside bandits who destroy our
knowledge and wisdom.
