Samyag Charitra ( Right Living) As we meet today, let us unite in the spirit of peace, remembering that we are all beings with the power to love. Let us take a moment to center ourselves in that place within, where we can feel our divinity. There is a sacred sanctuary within. When we go there we feel free, completely loving and joyful. When we go there we feel divinely connected to each other and to the Universe. This is the goal of Meditation. Let’s continue our sacred journey in earnest towards our “Pilgrimage to self”.
We all know that Action is imperative for success and progress. Activity, however, does generate a lot of unhappiness in the
individual. Progress, therefore, is risky. Progress loses its significance, if gained at the expense of peace of mind. Achieving sustainable happiness is the goal of all activity, so there’s a dilemma: How does one be dynamic and still achieve peace of mind?
The poem “Life- the Universal Energy” in Pilgrimage to Self may provide answer to this dilemma.
The cause of unhappiness is not activity but the attitude with which we, approach work. Work approached rightly must itself be invigorating, joyful and rewarding. The ‘person’ is only an instrument through which LIFE creates.
‘Right action’ ought to be based upon an ever expanding unselfish goal. One must let go of preoccupation with ‘my’, and from personal benefits to that of the organization she/he works for. A mind bottled up in the confines of its attachments feels stifled, stressed and unhappy. Allow the mental horizon to broaden, give sufficient room for the mind to expand.
A mind pulsating with unfulfilled desires causes unhappiness. The remedy is to bring the indiscriminate thought flow under intellectual control. The contact with the world must be under the dictates of the intellect and not the mind. This arrests the multiplication of desires. The conserved energy must be directed to a higher ideal. Actions performed with an attitude of serving a higher purpose keep the mind cheerful and vibrant.
Innumerable factors contribute towards the success or failure of our actions. No person can have conscious control over them. An egoistic person functions without being aware of or acknowledging any law or power beyond herself/ himself. She/he resists things going against her/his wishes or will. Such a rigid and non accepting attitude is a fertile ground for unhappiness. In order to counter this effect one must forsake the egoistic stand and surrender to the guru who understands the laws of nature. Actions cleansed of attachment and egoistic notions become a means of energy, cheer and progress.
Observe the events of the day carefully as they unfold and try to understand the significance of each event. Life is our greatest teacher and guide. Learn to see the lessons and rewards that the universe sends you every day. Open your eyes!
Have a divine day in the company of each other. Know that I will be thinking of you and sending my love!