Lambi Race Ka Ghoda.....

I think the whole emphasis of being in some kind of a race (horse or rat – you choose) and always trying to be efficient at everything is a completely nonsensical way to live life. And that seems to be the problem with today’s world that lays emphasis on speed, accuracy, efficiency and uniformity and perfection and management and planning and so on. What we end up doing is to create zombies – the Living Dead – unconcerned about the quality of life around them and just walking on a path without any hope or compassion or a sense of wonder. Why create such a scenario? Why the hurry? Why so much anxiety, apprehension, worry about the future? Why so much emphasis on performance and perfection? Why so much intolerance? 

It is a difficult cycle to break, but the crux of the issue is with our interpretation of what we consider to be the nature of Life. (I sometimes hate to use the word ‘purpose’ – thoroughly misused, over used and abused – as if a person needs to only have one purpose in life and the rest is useless!) I don’t support the idea of single minded pursuit of some purpose in life, where everything else seems to be a distraction, even though the distraction may be momentarily. We are not machines. We have feelings, emotions and we are messy. Although a routine involves and endorses the required discipline and direction to our aimless existence (whatever that is), it needs to be flexible enough for us to take a pause, relax, perhaps move sideways, make new bonds, create memories, shed tears, realize the depth of learning and move on. It is important to ‘discover’ and allow us to evolve with time. 

Evolution, in highest form, means to shed all fears related to our existence. Running around and being efficient does not necessarily guarantee this state of mind. Having fat bank balance, a home, a car, food and a stunningly beautiful spouse does not guarantee this state of mind. Neither does any material consumption. Nor does any craving for any kind of situation or a thought. Neither does clinging help nor does erasure of memory help. Perhaps this state of mind can’t be an aim in itself – it maybe a by product that develops with ‘wisdom’. Thus what is this wisdom?

Knowledge of our nature is extremely important – and that concerns our life and death. Exactly what is born and what gets dissolved needs to be understood. What is thought and how does it affect our perception of reality needs constant watch and awareness. If thought is everything in life, then we need to be concerned about what we are thinking at the moment and how it leads to a situation and generates an action. Fear is nothing but a ‘type’ of thought – just like love and billion other emotions. Why does fear generate? What is Unknown? And if something is unknown, how should we hope to proceed ahead? 

Above questions lead to the concept of ‘faith’ and ‘surrendering’ to the Will. Surrendering does not mean forfeiting choice or control over our life. Surrendering means to generate a smooth flow of our thoughts without clinging onto any kind of a thought. In other words, it is an indication of dissolving of the individual ego. It is to realize that thought, although supreme, is the penultimate state of mind. A state exists beyond thought itself. An experience of this state results in removing the fear in our minds. And we are then able to break from the cycle of ‘race’ and ‘performance’. 

Does it have to be so difficult? Is it really difficult? Probably no. It requires patience and a watchful mind. Is it possible? Yes, otherwise how would such states of mind be described by Seers around 3000 years ago?