Most of us, despite our best efforts, feel out-of-sync, or balance, at times. This is, perforce, normal in the troubled times that we now live in — or, what our ancients articulated as their own essence of ‘troubled’ times. Whatever the epoch, a sense of a creeping, eerie feeling for adversity, or difficulty, is part of our existence — for yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is a ‘mindful’ picture, all right; yet, our situation is not desperate, because we are living in an interesting epoch.
Technology has changed and is constantly altering our mental and emotional landscapes, not to speak of our life in what is fittingly termed as ‘the happening age.’ Yet, for some people life is not what it used to be earlier — like the golden ’sixties. Because, for them, living with technology, is not tantamount to ‘robotic existence.’ For Gen-Now and Gen-Next, it is, apparently, a blessing. The metaphor is a mosaic of stark contrasts — yet, no matter where one lives, or works, we are all ‘riding’ the hi-tech super-craft to transform not only our world, but also our lives, with a ‘smorgasbord’ of resplendent possibilities. More so, because we live in an age of instant knowledge — which is all-pervading.
Yet, in the midst of it all — call it technological ‘blitz’ — we are adrift and ‘long-windedly’ agog with our surplus of problems. This portrays the canvas of scepticism, even mistrust. Of getting detached with our divine connect, especially when we feel submerged, or engulfed, in the perimeter of our worried thoughts — more so, when adverse circumstances get the better of our logical scaffold. Call it the ugly face of conflict, religious bigotry, myriad scams, terror acts, riots and bedlam, our world is brusquely out of equilibrium.
This isn’t all. What we make of ourselves, from deep within, is more than just the everyday expression of our own mystifying feelings and thoughts. Such idioms, or issues, lead to a habitual, kneejerk reaction, or anxieties, and ‘fleeing from the situation’ type of responses, which are not so much based on logic, but craggy, unfiltered emotions. They tend to usurp the righteousness in us, leading to reactions without validation, when faced with most of life’s familiar issues, for example, a cricket match — not development, or progress — between rival nations. It clogs every layer of realistic thought and action; it also leads to internal squabbling, acrimony, anguish, and also repulsion, depending on your success, or ‘setback quotient.’ If only each of us would remember, that, there is always one, handy filament of reason in every absurd action, our world would become a much better place to live.
One can’t obviously ‘bell’ the stranglehold of imbalance with simplistic solutions to the most complex of problems that are haunting us in the face. It is, indeed, a nerve-racking task — and, nobody wants to be a messiah. Yet, as the allegory goes — in the midst of growing mayhem, there is optimism. To pick an exemplar — little drops of empathy and practical thought can bring about change. It can usher in accord by inculcating fresh ideas and, thereafter, expanding on our inner concord, or harmony. Because, when you seek, you are blessed — without any preconditions.
Our ancients practised this simplest and the greatest of philosophical purposes — in word and deed. They made immense, mindful efforts to leading a life of balance, while uniting the divine spirit with the human element. This was their mystical wand; it helped them to surmount personal hardships, while bringing in love, conformity and composure to their mind, body and soul. We too are endowed with such simple, yet handy ‘tools,’ provided we emerge out of our self-imposed cocoon. The reason is simple, also profound. Nature has provided each of us with ‘instinctive’ attributes — the ability to bring about a sense of synchrony in the midst of disarray.
All of us can ‘just do it’ and do it well too. One does not need the paraphernalia of thoughtfulness of a Zen practitioner to ‘engineer’ change, or transform one’s outlook, or harmonious intent, in the face of pressure, anxiety, or life’s inestimable challenges — from which no one is exempt. All one needs to do is dispel the dark, grey clouds from one’s mind, body, and spirit. This is the first, big step to cultivating a sense of connection with the divine source and not getting disconnected from it — just because someone else mirrors resentment, angst, fear, hostility, apprehension, or anguish, or anything else, somewhere in the ‘front,’ or at the ‘back,’ of their mind.
— First published in India First
